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IK  \^ 


ZEBULON  B.  VANCE.  GOVERSOR,  186a-1866L 


HISTORIES 


SEVERAL  REGIMENTS  AND  BATTALIONS 


NORTH  CAROLINA 


GREAT  WAR   1861 -'65.  . 


VRITTEN  BT  nEMEERS  Of  THE  RESFECTIVE  COnrLftNDS 


EDITED   BY 

WALTER  £LARK, 

(Lieut. -CoLOJfKL  SEVE^TIETH  Regiment  X.  C.  T.  ) 


VOL.   III.  ^ 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  STATE. 


XASH    BROTHERS. 
BOOK    AND   JOB    PRINTERS, 
GOLDSBORO,    N.    C. 
1901     I 

5H 


whecked 


THE  NEW  YORK' 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 

264072 


ASTOR.   LE' 
TILOEN   <--- 
R  .--. 


— s 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 

Forty-Third  Regiment,  by  Colonel  Thomas  S.  Kenan,..^ 1 

Fortv-Third  Regiment,  (Company  A.)  by  Colonel  Thomas  S.  Kenan  •  19 

Forty-Fourth  Regiment,  by  Major  Charles  M.  Stedman '21 

Forty-Fifth  Regiment,  by  Sergeant  Cyrus  B.   Watson   35 

Forty-Sixth  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  J.   M.   Waddill 63 

Forty-Seventh  Regiment,  bii  Captain  John  H.  Thorp 83 

Forty-Seventh  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  J.  Rowan  Rogers 103 

Forty-Eighth  Regiment,  by  Captain,  W.  H.  H.  Lawhon 113 

Forty-Ninth  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  Thomas  R.  Roulhac 125 

Forty-Ninth  Regiment,  by  Captain  B.  F.  Dixon 151 

Fiftieth  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  J.  C.  Ellington 161 

Fifty -First  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  A.   A.  McKethan 205 

Fifty-Second  Regiment,  by  Adjutant  John  H.  Robinson 223 

Fifty  Third  Regiment,  by  Colonel  James  T  Morehead 255 

Fifty-Fourth  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant  J.  Mai-shall  Williams 267 

Fifty-Fifth  Regiment,  by  Adjutant  Charles  M.   Cooke 287 

Fifty-Sixth  Regiment,  by  Captain  Robert  D.   Oraham 313 

Fifty-Seventh  Regiment,  by  Colonel  Hamilton  C  Jones 405 

Fifty-Eighth  Regiment,  by  Major  G.  W.  F.  Harper. 431 

Fifty-Eighth  Regiment,  by  Captain  Isaac  H.  Bailey 447 

Fifty-Ninth  Regiment,  (Fourth  Cav.,)  by  Lieutenant  W.  P.  Shaw..  455 

Sixtieth  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant- Colonel  James  M.  Ray 473 

Sixtieth  Regiment,  by  Captain  Thomas  W.  Patton .  .    499 

Sixty  First  Regiment,  by  Captain  N.  A.  Ramsey 503 

Sixty-Second  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant- Colonel  B.  G.  McDowell 515 

Sixty-Third  Regiment,  (Fifth  Cav.),  by  Major  John  M.  Galloway. .  529 

Sixty-Third  Regiment,  (Fifth  Cav.  ),  by  Private  Paul  B.  Means.  . . .  545 

Sixty-Fourth  Regiment,  by  Captain  B    T.  Morris 659 

Sixty -Fifth  Regiment.  (Sixth  Cav.),  by  Captain  M.   V.  Moore...  673 

Sixty-Sixth  Regiment,  by  Adjutant  George  M.  Rose 685 

Sixty-Seventh  Regiment,  by  Lieutenant- Colonel  Rufus  W.    Wharton  703 

Sixty-Eighth  Regiment,  by  Corporal  J.   W.  Evans 713 

Sixty-Eighth  Regiment,  by  Sergeant  W.  T.  Caho 725 

Sixty-Ninth  Regiment,  6?/ im(ie?ia/i/-CoZo?ie^  W.  W.  String  field 729 


ASTOfi, 


■-^NOX  AND 


^i2s^:c. 


FORTY-THIHD  REGIMENT. 


J.  Thos.  S.  Kenan,  Colonel. 

2.  W.  Gaston  Lewis,  Lieut. -Colonel. 

3.  James  (i.  Kenan,  Captain,  Co.  A. 

4.  Rufflu  Barnes,  Captain,  Co.  C. 


5.  Drury  Lacy,  Adjutant. 

6.  Wtti.  R.   Kenan,   -M  Lieut,  and 

A<Ijutaiit. 

7.  R   11.  Uttttle.  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  I. 


FORTY-THIRD  REQIHE^T. 


By  colonel  THOMAS  S.   KENAN. 


This  regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Mangum,  about 
three  miles  west  of  Kaleigh,  in  March,  1862,  bj  electing 
Junius  Daniel,  Colonel;  Thomas  S.  Kenan  (Captain  Compa- 
ny A,  formerly  Captain  Company  C,  Second  Korth  Carolina 
Volunteers),  Lieutenant-Colonel;  and  Walter  J.  Boggan 
(Captain  Company  H),  Major,  commissions  bearing  date  25 
March,  1862.  Daniel  was  at  the  time  Colonel  of  the  Four- 
teenth Regiment,  and  soon  thereafter  was  also  chosen  Colonel 
of  the  Forty-fifth,  and  accepted.  Upon  his  reporting  for 
duty  he  was  placed  in  command  of  a  brigade,  of  which  the 
Forty-third  afterwards  formed  a  part.  Daniel  was  subse- 
quently promoted  to  Brigadier-General.  About  20  April, 
Kenan  was  notified  that  he  had  been  chosen  Colonel  of  the 
Thirty-eighth  upon  its  reorganization  at  Goldsboro,  the  in- 
formation being  officially  conveyed  by  the  hands  of  Lieuten- 
ant D.  M.  Pearsall,  of  the  Thirty-eighth;  but  he  remained 
with  the  Forty-third  and  was  elected  its  Colonel  a  few  days 
thereafter,  and  William  Gaston  Lewds  (Major  of  the  Thirty- 
third)  was  elected  Lieutenant-Colonel,  commissions  bearing 
date  24  April,  1862. 

The  staff  and  company  officers,  and  their  successors  by  pro- 
motion from  time  to  time  in  the  order  named,  as  appears 
from  the  "Roster  of  North  Carolina  Troops,"  pp.  196-225, 
and  gathered  from  memoranda  of  participants  in  the  opera- 
tions of  the  regiment,  were : 

Adjutants — Drury  Lacy,  W.  R.  Kenan. 
Surgeons — Bedford  Brown,  Jr.,  William  T.  Brewer,  Joel 
B.  Lewis. 

QuARTERMASTEES — Johu  W.  Hiusou,  Joscph  B.  Stafford. 

Commissary — W.  B.  Williams. 

Chaplains — Joseph  W.  Murphy,  Eugene  W.  Thompson. 


2  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'()5. 

Sekgeant-JMajohs — W.  T.  Smith,  Ilezekiah  Brown,  Thos. 
H.  Williams,  liobert  T.  Burwell,  W.  K.  Kenan. 

CAPTAINS. 

CoMi'A.xY  A — From  Dnplin — James  G.  Kenan  (succeeded 
T.  S.  Kenan)  ;  numl)er  of  enlisted  men,  117.  The  company 
entered  the  service  in  April,  1861,  and  was  Company  C,  Sec- 
ond North  Carolina  Volunteers  (Colonel  Sol.  Williams),  sta- 
tioned near  Xorfolk.  Upon  the  expiration  of  its  six-months 
term  of  service  it  was  reorganized  and  assigned  to  the  Forty- 
third.  Captain  Kenan,  of  this  company,  was  wounded  and 
captured  at  Gettysburg,  and  was  a  prisoner  when  the  war 
ended,  and  many  of  the  officers,  liereinafter  named,  met  a 
similar  fate,  or  were  killed  or  disabled  there  or  in  subsequent 
engagements,  but  a  correct  list  of  casualties  cannot  now  be 
had — and  they  were  so  numerous  that  during  the  latter  part 
of  the  war  the  regiment  was  commanded  by  Captains,  and 
companies  by  Lieutenants,  Sergeants  and  Corporals. 

CoiMPAKY  B — From  Mecldoiburg — Robert  P.  Waring, 
William  E.  Stitt.     Enlisted  men,  73. 

Company  C — From  ^yihon — James  S.  Woodard,  Kuffin 
Barnes.     Enlisted  men,  102. 

Company  D — From  Halifax — Cary  Whitaker.  Enlisted 
men,  93. 

Company  E — From  Edgecombe — John  A.  Vines,  Jas.  R. 
Thigpen,  Wiley  J.  Cobb.     Enlisted  men,  96. 

Company  F — From  Halifax — William  R.  Williams,  Wm. 
C.  Ousby,  Henry  A.  Macon.     Enlisted  men,  101. 

Company  G — From  Warren — Wm.  A.  Dowtin,  Levi  P. 
Coleman,  Alfred  W.  Bridgers.     Enlisted  men,  110. 

Company  H — From  Anson — John  H.  Coppedge  (suc- 
ceeded W.  J.  Boggan),  Hampton  Beverly.  Enlisted  men, 
112. 

Company  I — From  Anson — Robert  T.  Hall,  John  Bal- 
lard.    Enlisted  men,  139. 

Company  K — From  An-son — James  Boggan,  Caswell  H. 
Sturdivant.     Enlisted  men,  120. 


Forty-Third  Regiment. 


FIEST    LIEUTENANTS. 


Company  A,  James  G.  Kenan,  Robert  B.  Carr. 

Company  B,  Henry  Ringstaff,  William  E.  Stitt. 

Company  C,  Henry  King,  Rnffin  Barnes,  L.  D.  Killett. 

Company  D,  Thomas  W.  Baker,  John  S.  Whitaker. 

Company-  E,  James  R.  Thigpen,  Wiley  J.  Cobb,  Charles 
Vines. 

Company  F,  William  C.  Onsby,  Henry  A.  Macon,  J.  H. 
Morris. 

Company'  G,  Levi  P.  Coleman,  Alfred  W.  Bridgers. 

Company-  H,  John  H.  Coppedge,  Hampton  Beverly,  Ben- 
jamin F.  Moore. 

Company'  I,  Richard  H.  Battle,  Jr.,  John  H.  Threadgill. 

Company'  K,  Caswell  H.  Sturdivant,  Henry  E.  Shepherd. 

SECOND    LIEUTENANTS. 

Company'  A,  Robert  B.  Carr,  John  W.  Hinson,  Thomas  J. 
Bostic,  Stephen  D.  Farrior. 

Company'  B,  William  E.  Stitt,  Julius  Alexander,  Robert 
T.  Burwell. 

Company'  C,  William  T.  Brewer,  Ruffin  Barnes,  L.  D.  Kil- 
lett, Bennett  Barnes,  Hezekiah  Brown. 

Company  D,  John  S.  Whitaker,  William  Beavans,  George 
W.  Wills. 

Company  E,  Wiley  J.  Cobb,  Van  B.  Sharpe,  John  H. 
Leigh,  Charles  Vines,  Willis  R.  Dupree,  Thomas  H.  Wil- 
liams. 

Company'  F,  Henry  A.  Macon,  William  R.  Bond,  J.  H. 
Morris,  W.  L.  M.  Perkins,  Jesse  A.  Macon. 

Company  G,  William  B.  Williams,  Alexander  L.  Steed, 
John  B.  Powell,  Luther  R.  Crocker. 

Company  H,  Hampton  Beverly,  Benjamin  F.  Moore,  W. 
W.  Boggan,  Henry  C.  Beaman,  Peter  B.  Lilly. 

Company  I,  John  H.  Threadgill,  John  Ballard,  Stephen 
W.  Ellerbee,  Leonidas  L.  Polk. 

Company  K,  John  A.  Boggan,  Stephen  Huntley,  Francis 
j:.  Flake. 


4  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

The  regiment  Avas  ordered  to  Wilmington  and  Fort 
Johnson  at  Smithville,  on  the  Cape  Fear  river,  where  it  re- 
mained about  a  month  in  General  French's  command,  and 
thence  to  Virginia.  Daniel's  Brigade,  composed  of  the 
Thirtj-second,  Forty-third,  Forty-fifth,  Fiftieth  and  Fifty- 
third  Regiments,  was  placed  in  the  command  of  Major-Gen- 
eral  Holmes,  and  on  the  last  of  the  seven  days'  operations 
around  Richmond  was  ordered  to  occupy  the  road  near  the 
James  river,  where  it  was  subjected  to  a  fierce  shelling  from 
the  gunboats  on  the  right  and  the  batteries  on  Malvern  Ilill 
in  front,  but  was  not  in  the  regular  engagement;  was  after- 
wards ordered  to  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  constituted  part  of 
the  forces  under  Major-General  G.  W.  Smith  for  the  protec- 
tion of  Richmond  and  vicinity  during  the  advance  of  the 
army  under  General  Lee  into  Maryland  in  September,  1862  ; 
and  about  the  same  time  a  demonstration  was  made  against 
Suffolk,  Va.,  by  troops  under  General  French  (this  regi- 
ment being  a  portion  of  them),  probably  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  the  Federals  from  sending  reinforcements  from 
that  territory  to  oppose  the  movement  of  the  Confederates  in 
Maryland.  They  returned  in  about  ten  days,  and  the  regi- 
ment resumed  its  position  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  where  it  was 
engaged  in  drilling  and  putting  up  breastworks  under  the 
direction  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lewis,  who,  being  a  civil 
engineer  by  profession,  was  ordered  by  the  brigade  com-- 
mander  to  supervise  their  construction.  Shortly  after  quar- 
ters were  prepared  for  the  winter,  the  brigade  was  ordered 
to  Goldsboro,  in  December,  1862,  to  reinforce  the  Confeder- 
ates in  opposing  the  advance  of  the  Union  troops  from  Xew 
Bern  under  General  Foster ;  but  on  the  day  before  its  arrival 
they  succeeded  in  burning  the  railroad  bridge  over  the  Neuse 
river,  and,  after  a  sharp  engagement  with  the  Confederates 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  retreated  to  their  base  of  oper- 
ations at  New  Bern.  The  bridge  was  immediately  rebuilt 
on  trestles  by  a  detail  of  men  from  the  brigade,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Lewis  superintending  the  work. 

During  the  spring  of  1863  it  was  stationed  at  Kinston  and 
detachments  sent  out  to  prevent  the  approach  of  the  enemy 
into  the  interior.     Major-General  D.  11.  Hill  having  assumed 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  5 

conunand  of  the  department,  directed  demonstrations  to  be 
made  in  aid  of  military  operations  at  other  points  and  to  com- 
pel the  enemy  to  abandon  their  outposts.  In  the  affair  at 
Deep  Gully,  a  small  creek,  upon  the  eastern  bank  of  which 
the  enemy  were  entrenched,  the  Forty-third  was  ordered  to 
attack,  and  after  a  few  rounds  the  enemy  abandoned  the  works 
and  retreated.  The  brigade  was  then  ordered  to  Washing- 
ton, IST.  C,  and  was  there  subjected  to  the  artillery  fire  of 
the  Union  forces  occupying  that  place,  but,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  some  skirmishing,  no  engagement  was  brought  on.  It 
then  returned  to  its  former  quarters  at  Kinston,  and,  later  on, 
went  to  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  and  was  assigned  to  Rodes' 
Division  of  the  Second  Corps  (Ewell's),  the  Thirty-second, 
Forty-third,  Forty-fifth  and  Fifty-third  Regiments  and  the 
Second  ISTorth  Carolina  Battalion  then  constituting  the  brig- 
ade— the  Fiftieth  Regiment  having  been  assigned  to  another 
brigade.  The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  was  there  reviewed 
by  General  Lee  and  ordered  to  commence  the  memorable 
Pennsylvania  campaign  in  June,  1863. 

ON    THE   MARCH. 

Upon  arriving  at  Brandy  Station  the  brigade  was  placed 
in  line  of  battle  to  meet  any  attempted  advance  of  Union  in- 
fantry to  support  its  cavalry,  but  was  not  engaged — the  main 
fighting  in  that  terrific  battle  (9  June)  being  between  the 
cavalry  of  the  opposing  armies.  At  Berryville  the  enemy 
were  driven  by  the  cavalry,  supported  by  this  brigade,  and 
camp  equipage,  etc.,  captured.  It  then  marched  by  way  of 
Martinsburg,  Williamsport,  Hagerstown  and  Chambersburg 
to  Carlisle,  Pa.,  and  occupied  the  barracks  at  that  place,  from 
which  it  was  ordered  to  Gettysburg. 

IN    THE    THREE   DAYS^    EIGHT. 

Upon  arriving  at  Gettysburg,  on  Wednesday,  1  July,  1863, 
about  1  o'clock  p.  m.,  a  line  of  battle  was  formed  near  For- 
ney's house,  northwest  of  the  town  and  to  the  left  of  Pender's 
Division  of  Hill's  Corps,  which  had  repulsed  the  enemy  in 
the  forenoon,  and  the  troops  advanced  to  the  attack.     The 


6  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

fight  was  continued  till  late  in  the  afternoon  and  the  enemy 
driven  back,  the  brigade  being  handled  with  consummate  skill 
by  the  brave  General  Daniel.  Seminary  Ridge  was  gained 
and  occupied — the  right  of  the  Forty-third  resting  on  the 
railroad  cut.  The  fight  was  terrific  and  the  loss  heavy  on 
both  sides.  On  Thursday  morning,  2  July,  the  regiments 
were  assigned  to  various  positions  iipon  the  line.  The  Forty-' 
third  supported  a  battery,  during  the  artillery  duel  which 
continued  nearly  the  whole  day,  at  a  point  on  the  Ridge  just 
north  of  the  Seminary  building,  and  the  shot  and  shell  from 
the  guns  of  the  enemy  on  Cemetery  Heights  caused  serious 
loss.  It  was  during  this  cannonade  that  General  Lee  and 
staff  passed  to  the  front  along  the  road  near  by,  and  the  troops 
saluted  him  by  raising  their  hats  in  silence,  and  were  encour" 
aged  by  his  presence.  From  this  point  a  movement  was 
commenced  at  night  in  line  of  battle,  in  the  direction  of  the 
enemy's  works,  the  skirmishers  firing  upon  the  Confederates 
and  retreating,  but  inflicting  no  loss.  The  moon  was  shin^ 
ing  brightly,  and  it  seemed  that  a  night  attack  upon  Cemetery 
Heights  was  contemplated ;  but  when  the  brigade  crossed  the 
valley  in  front,  orders  were  given  to  march  by  the  left  flank 
near  the  southern  and  eastern  limits  of  the  town,  and  about 
daybreak  on  Friday,  3  July,  it  reported  to  Major-General 
Johnson,  who  commanded  the  Division  of  Ewell's  Cor])s  on 
the  extreme  left  of  the  Confederate  line.  Daniel's  Brigade, 
with  other  troops,  had  been  ordered  to  reinforce  Johnson's 
position  on  Culp's  Hill.  •  It  marched  nearly  all  night,  and 
formed  a  line  of  battle  near  Benner's  House,  crossed  Rock 
Creek,  and,  through  the  undergrowth,  among  large  boulders 
and  up  the  heavily  timbered  hill,  the  attack  n]ion  the  enemy 
was  made,  the  line  of  works  (formed  by  felled  trees)  taken, 
but  the  charge  upon  tlie  main  line  was  repulsed.  Colonel 
Kenan,  of  the  Forty-third,  was  wounded  in  leading  this 
charge,  and  taken  from  the  field  (captured  on  the  retreat  and 
imprisoned  until  the  close  of  the  war),  and  the  connnand  de- 
volved on  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lewis. 

The  forces  under  Johnson  held  their  positions  until  night, 
when  they  were  withdrawn^the  Forty-third  occupying  its 
first  position  on  Seminary  Ridge  until   tlio  army  moved  to 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  7 

Hagerstown.  On  the  retreat  it  was  assigned  the  rear  posi- 
tion, and  in  consequence  was  repeatedly  engaged  with  the 
Union  advance.  After  remaining  at  Hagerstown  a  few  days 
the  Confederates  crossed  the  swollen  Potomac  (carrying  their 
guns  and  their  ammunition  on  their  heads,  the  water  being 
up  to  their  armpits),  and  fell  back  to  the  village  of  Darks- 
ville.  Later,  they  were  in  front  of  the  Federal  army,  on  the 
south  bank  of  the  Rapidan  river,  guarding  the  fords,  and  en- 
gaged the  enemy  at  Mine  Run  when  an  advance  towards 
Richmond  was  made.  After  the  retreat  of  the  Federals  to 
the  north  of  the  Rapidan,  and  active  operations  having  com- 
paratively ceased,  winter  quarters  were  built,  but  they  were 
not  long  occupied  by  this  regiment,  for  it  was  detached  for 
duty  with  General  Hoke's  Brigade  in  the  winter  campaign  in 
1863-'64  in  Eastern  Korth  Carolina,  Major-General  Pickett 
being  in  command  of  all  the  forces. 

In  this  campaign  Hoke's  Brigade  consisted  of  the  Sixth, 
Twenty-first,  Fifty-fourth  and  Fifty-seventh  J^orth  Carolina 
Regiments  and  the  First  North  Carolina  Battalion,  and  at- 
tached to  it  were  the  Forty-third  iSTorth  Carolina  and  Twen- 
ty-first Georgia.  In  approaching  New  Bern  this  regiment 
arrived  at  Bachelor's  creek,  about  seven  miles  from  the  city, 
and  made  a  night  attack  upon  the  enemy's  works,  but,  discov- 
ering that  the  flooring  of  a  bridge  across  the  creek,  about 
seventy-five  feet  long,  had  been  removed  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Lewis  informed  General  Hoke  that  if  he  would  send  him 
plank  from  the  pontoon  train  he  would  renew  the  attack  as 
soon  as  practicable.  Hoke  complied,  and  the  attack  was 
made  at  daylight  the  next  day — one  of  the  companies  laying 
the  plank,  under  fire,  and  the  others  crossing  over,  also  under 
fire,  driving  the  enemy  and  causing  a  retreat  to  New  Bern. 

There  were  also  some  Union  troops  at  Clark's  brickyard, 
on  the  Atlantic  &  North  Carolina  Railroad,  nine  miles  above 
the  city,  and  information  was  received  that  a  train  of  cars  had 
been  sent  from  New  Bern  to  bring  them  in.  The  regiment 
was  ordered  to  capture  this  train,  without  wrecking  it,  if 
possible,  and  accordingly  a  three-mile  march  at  quick  and 
double-quick  time  was  made  to  intercept  it.  When  the  regi- 
ment got  within  about  twenty  or  thirty  yards  of  the  track 


8  North  Carolina  Troops,   186l-'65. 

the  train  was  passing  at  its  highest  speed,  and  shots  were 
exchanged  between  the  opposing  parties.  If  success  had  at- 
tended this  movement,  the  purpose  of  General  Hoke  was  to 
place  his  troops  on  the  train,  run  into  the  town  and  surprise 
the  garrison.  Pickett's  expedition,  however,  was  not  suc- 
cessful, and  the  troops  fell  back  to  Kinston,  remaining  there 
a  few  weeks,  and  then  marched  on  Plymouth. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  PLYMOUTH. 

April  18,  19  and  20,  1864:  General  Hoke,  who  suc- 
ceeded to  the  command  of  all  the  forces  in  this  department, 
directed  the  campaign,  and  was  also  authorized  by  the  ISTavj 
Department  to  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  Confederate 
ram,  Albernarle,,  then  near  Hamilton  on  the  Roanoke  river, 
in  an  unfinished  state  and  in  charge  of  Commander  Cooke. 
Colonel  Mercer,  of  the  Twenty-first  Georgia,  commanded 
Hoke's  Brigade.  He  was  killed  in  a  charge  at  night  upon  a 
fort  about  half  a  mile  in  advance  of  the  enemy's  line  of  works 
at  Plymouth,  and  Lewis,  of  the  Forty-third,  assumed  com- 
mand and  was  subsequently  promoted  to  Brigadier-General. 
The  fort  was  taken  and  the  Alhe marie  simultaneously 
steamed  down  the  river  and  engaged  the  enemy,  sinking  one 
of  their  gunboats  and  driving  their  flotilla  a  considerable  dis- 
tance below  Plymouth,  thus  relieving  the  land  forces  in 
future  movements  of  the  apprehended  attack  from  them. 
During  the  night  the  different  commands  were  placed  in 
position  for  the  general  assault  upon  the  works  around  the 
town,  and  this  necessitated  the  moving  of  the  troops  by  cir- 
cuitous routes  to  avoid  being  discovered  by  the  enemy,  and 
consumed  all  of  the  19th.  Accordingly,  on  the  morning  of 
the  20th  General  Matt.  Ransom  attacked  on  the  east  side  of 
the  town,  Lewis  on  the  west  and  Hoke,  with  the  other  brig- 
ades, moved  upon  the  enemy's  center.  The  town  was  taken 
in  a  short  while,  the  garrison  and  an  immense  amount  of  sup- 
plies being  captured.  The  brilliancy  and  dash  of  this  move- 
ment, which  was  planned  and  faithfully  executed  according 
to  the  directions  of  the  commanding  officer,  received  recogni- 
tion in  the  following : 

Besolved  by   the   Congress  of  the   Confederate   States  of 


[the  new  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,  LENOX  M 
TILDE.N   FOUNDATW 


FORTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 

1.    R.  B.  Carr,  1st  Lieut,  Co.  A.  3.    L.  L.  Polk-,  M  Lieut..  Co.  I. 

S.    Robt.  Turnbull  Burwell,  1st  Lieut.,    4.    B.  F.  Hall.  SerKeant,  Co.  A. 

Co.  B.  5.    Robert  J.  Southerlaud,  Sergeant,  Co.  A. 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  9 

America,  That  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  the  country  are 
due  and  are  tendered  to  Major-General  Robert  F.  Hoke  and 
Commander  James  W.  Cooke,  and  the  officers  and  men  under 
their  command,  for  the  brilliant  victory  over  the  enemy  at 
Plymouth,  N.  C. 

Joint  resolution,  approved  17  May,  1864.  Official  Records 
Union  and  Confederate  Armies,  Vol.  60,  page,  305. 

Washington,  J^.  C,  was  next  threatened,  and  after  an  ar- 
tillery duel  during  the  day  the  enemy  evacuated  it.  The 
forces  then  moved  upon  'New  Bern  again.  The  Forty-third 
engaged  the  enemy  about  nine  miles  from  the  city  during  the 
afternoon  of  2  May,  and  again  on  the  morning  of  the  next 
day.  The  enemy  were  forced  back  in  a  running  fight  Avithin 
sight  of  the  town.  At  this  juncture,  when  the  capture  of  the 
town  seemed  probable,  orders  were  received  to  march  imme- 
diately back  to  Kinston  and  thence  to  Petersburg,  which 
point  General  Butler,  of  the  Union  army,  Avas  threatening 
with  a  large  force.  The  distance  covered  by  the  regiment 
on  this  day's  march,  including  the  running  fight  towards 
New  Bern  and  the  return  to  Kinston,  was  thirty-seven  miles 
in  about  twelve  hours.  Of  the  reinforcements  ordered  to 
Petersburg  the  Forty-third  was  the  first  regiment  to  arrive, 
and,  there  being  but  few  other  troops  on  the  ground,  orders 
were  given  to  occupy  the  entrenchments  in  front  of  the  city 
by  deploying  at  twenty  paces,  and,  in  order  to  impress  the 
enemy  with  the  belief  that  they  were  confronted  by  a  large 
force,  instructions  were  given  to  make  as  much  noise  as  pos- 
sible and  fire  off  guns  at  frequent  intervals.  From  this  time 
till  15  May  the  regiment  was  moved  to  different  portions  of 
the  line,  from  the  south  of  Petersburg  to  the  north  of  Rich- 
mond, a  distance  of  about  thirty  miles,  seldom  remaining 
more  than  one  day  at  any  point.  These  frequent  movements 
were  deemed  necessary  on  account  of  the  small  force  availa- 
ble to  meet  real  or  supposed  movements  of  the  Union  army. 
In  the  meantime  reinforcements  were  brought  in,  and  Gen- 
eral Beauregard  commanded  the  Confederate  forces  in  the 
engagement  which  took  place  the  next  day. 


10  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

the  battle  of  drewky^s  bluff^  16  may,,  1864. 

The  attack  was  made  by  the  Confederates  about  daylight 
under  cover  of  a  dense  fog.  When  within  about  forty  paces 
of  the  enemy's  main  line  the  Forty-third  encountered  (as 
did  also  the  other  troops  of  the  division)  a  line  of  telegraph 
wires  fastened  to  stumps  about  twelve  inches  above  the 
ground,  which  caused  most  of  the  men  to  trip  and  fall.  This 
checked  the  forward  movement,  but  from  this  position  a 
heavy  fire  was  poured  into  the  enemy  until  they  were  dis- 
lodged. Finding  their  ammunition  nearly  exhausted,  as  the 
enemy  commenced  retreating  the  regiment  repaired  to  the 
rear  to  replenish  it.  This  being  done,  it  returned  to  the 
line  near  the  right  of  General  Robert  Ransom's  Division,  to 
which  it  was  then  temporarily  attached,  and  occupied  the 
right  of  the  brigade  in  a  charge  upon  the  works  when  a  bat- 
tery of  artillery  was  captured,  the  enemy  driven  across  the 
turnpike  and  a  position  in  rear  of  the  Union  forces  secured. 
The  position  of  the  regiment  was  now  near  the  turnpike^ 
which  constituted  the  dividing  line  of  the  divisions  of  Ran- 
som and  Hoke  during  most  of  the  engagement.  Hoke,  being 
appointed  Major-General  after  the  battle  of  Plymouth,  was 
assigned  to  the  conunand  of  another  division  after  his  arrival 
at  Drewry's  Bluff.  About  this  time  a  council  of  war  was 
held  on  the  turnpike,  which  was  participated  in  by  a  dis- 
tinguished group,  consisting  of  President  Davis,  Generals 
Beauregard,  Ransom  and  Hoke,  with  their  respective  staff  of- 
ficers. Very  soon  after  this  incident,  the  enemy  having 
given  way  at  all  points  of  the  line,  were  driven  into  Bermuda 
Hundreds,  the  angle  between  the  James  and  Appomattox 
rivers,  under  cover  of  their  gunboats,  this  regiment  taking 
part  in  the  pursuit. 

After  remaining  in  line  of  battle  in  front  of  General  But- 
ler's troops  for  about  two  days,  orders  were  issued  for  the 
regiment  to  rejoin  its  old  brigade  in  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia.  In  obedience  thereto  it  marched  to  Drewry's 
Bluff  and  was  transported  by  boat  to  Richmond,  thence  by 
rail  to  Milford  Station  on  the  Richmond  and  Fredericks- 
burg Railroad,  reaching  there  about  noon  on  21  May,  1864. 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  11 

The  march  was  at  once  resumed,  and  the  regiment  bivouacked 
that  night  near  Spottsylvania  Court  House.  The  army- 
having  been  withdrawn  from  its  position  in  front  on  the  night 
of  the  21st  to  meet  a  movement  of  the  enemy,  who  had  retired 
towards  the  North  Anna,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  follow 
on  the  morning  of  the  2 2d.  Late  in  the  afternoon,  informa- 
tion was  received  from  General  Ewell  that  the  regiment  was 
then  in  the  rear  and  in  danger  of  being  captured.  To  avoid 
this  risk  an  all-niglit  march  was  made,  the  old  brigade  joined 
and  the  enemy  again  confronted  near  Hanover  Junction  on 
the  morning  of  the  23d.  It  was  then  commanded  by  Gen- 
eral Bryan  Grimes,  Daniel  having  been  killed  at  Spottsylva- 
nia on  12  ]\Iay,  and  General  Lewis  remained  in  charge  of 
Hoke's  old  Brigade.  In  this  march  more  than  60  miles  were 
traversed,  and  the  troops  were  hungry  and  nearly  exhausted. 
But  not  long  after  arriving  upon  the  groun<l  a  line  of  bat- 
tle was  formed  northwest  of  the  Junction  and  earthworks 
thrown  up.  After  dark  this  line  was  al)andoned  and  the  reg- 
iment withdrawn  about  a  mile  to  the  rear,  and  occupi('<l  the 
bank  of  a  railroad  cut,  leaving  the  brigade  sharpsliooters  in 
possession  of  the  first  line.  Xext  day  (24  May),  about  noon, 
the  enemy  in  force  attacked  the  sharpshooters  and  drove  them 
from  their  position.  Companies  A  and  F,  numbering  about 
seventy  men,  under  command  of  Lieutenants  Bostic,  Farrior 
and  Morris,  were  detailed  and  sent  to  the  front  with  instruc- 
tions to  retake  the  works.  On  reaching  the  works  they  found 
that  both  sides  of  them  were  occupied  by  a  regiment  of  Union 
troops,  supported  by  a  brigade  at  a  short  distance  to  the  rear. 
On  the  sudden  appearance  of  this  small  force  from  the  thick 
woods  which  covered  their  approach,  they  were  ordered  by 
the  enemy  to  surrender.  To  tliis  they  responded  with  a 
quick  and  destructive  fire  at  close  range,  and,  after  a  hand- 
to-hand  tight  of  several  minutes,  forced  them  to  the  opposite 
side  of  the  breastworks,  and  the  assault  was  fiercely  con- 
tinued about  two  hours.  Encouraged  by  the  forward  move- 
ment of  the  brigade  and  the  firing  of  a  field  battery  consti- 
tuting their  support,  the  LTnion  forces  attempted  several 
times  to  retake  the  position,  but  were  as  often  repulsed.  A 
heavy  rain  having  set  in,  the  firing  ceased  and  the  enemy 


12  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

withdrew  under  cover  of  the  rain  and  approaching  darkness. 
After  the  rain  ceased  a  survey  of  the  field  was  made,  showing 
a  larger  number  of  dead  and  wounded  of  the  enemy  than  the 
aggregate  number  of  the  two  companies  engaged  in  the  fight. 
On  receiving  a  detailed  report  of  the  affair  and  its  results, 
General  Grimes  was  heard  to  express  himself  to  the  effect 
that  all  things  considered,  he  believed  this  to  be  one  of  the 
great  fights  of  the  war.  These  two  companies  rejoined  the 
regiment  after  dark,  and  in  a  few  hours  the  entire  army  re- 
tired towards  Richmond  to  confront  the  Union  army,  then 
moving  in  the  same  direction. 

jSTothing  of  special  note  occurred,  except  frequent  skir- 
mishing, till  the  battle  of  Bethesda  Church,  which  was  fought 
on  the  afternoon  of  30  May.  Further  skirmishing  took 
place  on  31  May  and  1  June,  and  the  battle  of  Gaines'  Mill 
was  fought  2  June,  and  Cold  Harbor  3  June,  in  all  of  which 
this  regiment  bore  its  part. 

After  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor,  the  Second  Corps,  then 
commanded  by  General  Early,  was  ordered  into  camp  near 
Gaines'  Mill  and  held  in  reserve  till  13  June.  The  sharp- 
shooters of  Rodes'  Division  had  been  previously  organized 
into  a  separate  corps  under  command  of  Captain  W.  E.  Stirt 
(Company  B),  and  numbered  about  one  thousand  men,  made 
up  of  details  from  the  different  regiments,  the  Forty-third 
contributing  about  thirty-five  from  the  right  wing  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Perkins  (Company  F),  and  thirty- 
five  from  the  left  wing  under  command  of  Sergeant-Ma j or 
Kenan,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  brigade  commander, 
10  June,  a  Junior-Second  Lieutenant.  On  13  June  the  Sec- 
ond Corps  was  ordered  to  Lynchburg,  Va.,  arriving  there  on 
the  18th,  and  in  the  afternoon  the  sharpshooters  engaged 
those  of  the  Union  forces.  The  withdrawal  of  the  encMay 
during  the  night  was  promptly  discovered,  and  the  sharp- 
shooters marching  at  the  head  of  the  division  in  pursuit  over- 
took their  rear  guard  at  Liberty,  when  another  skirmish  en- 
sued, and  again  at  Buford's  Gap  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
20th.  The  pursuit  was  continued  on  the  21st  through  Salem, 
Va.,  where  another  skirmish  took  place.  On  the  2 2d  the 
troops  rested  at  Salem,  and  resumed  the  march  on  the  23d  in 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  13 

the  direction  of  the  Potomac  river,  reaching  Staunton  early 
on  the  morning  of  the  27th;  remained  there  till  the  next 
morning,  and  then  marched  to  Harper's  Ferry,  which  was 
reached  on  the  morning  of  4  July.     Here  the  Corps  of  Divis- 
ion sharpshooters  captured  Bolivar  Heights  about  10  a.  m., 
and  about  8  p.  m.   drove  the  enemy  from  Harper's  Ferry 
across   the   river   to   Maryland   Heights.     On   the    5th   the 
Forty-third  occupied   Harper's  Ferry,   relieving  the  sharp- 
shooters.     Skirmishing  continued  most  of  the  day.     On  the 
6th  the  corps  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Shepherdstown  and 
engaged  the  enemy  in  the  rear  of  Maryland  Heights,  the  bat- 
tle continuing  ne"'arly  all  day.     On    the    7th    they    moved 
through  C'rampton's  Gap  towards  Frederick,  and  after  fre- 
quent skirmishing  reached  Frederick  on  the  morning  of  the 
9th,  where  General  Lew  Wallace's  Division  of  Union  troops 
was  strongly  posted  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  Monocacy 
river.     After  a  stubborn  fight  they  were  driven   from  the 
field,  with  the  loss  of  a  large  number  of  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners.     On  the  10th  the  Confederates  moved  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Washington  City,  and,  after  a  hard  march  in  extreme- 
ly hot  weather  and  over  a  dusty    road,    arrived    in    front 
of  Fort  Stevens  abo\it  noon  of  the  11th,  within  sight  of  the 
dome  of  the  Federal  Capitol.     The  sharpshooters  advanced 
within  200  yards  of  the  fort,  but  retired  to  a  position  about 
300  yards  to  the  rear,  where  they  halted  and  dug  rifle-pits. 
In  the  afternoon  the  enemy  threw  forward  a  heavy  li-ne  of 
skirmishers,  who  attacked  vigorously,  but  were  repulsed  with 
some  loss.     Here,  our  sharpshooters  remained,  subjected  to 
a  severe  shelling  from  the  forts  till  the  afternoon  of  the  12th, 
when  the  enemy,  reinforced  by  two  corps  from  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  advanced  and  drove  them  from  their  improvised 
works.     Rodes'  Division  then  moved  forward  and  retook  the 
lost  ground.     The  casualties  on  both  sides  were  considera- 
ble.    On  account  of  the  arrival  of  the  above-mentioned  rein- 
forcements,  a   further   advance  of  Early's   troops  was  not 
made,  and  they  were  withdrawn  on  the  night  of  the  12th,  and 
recrossed  the  Potomac  on  the  14th  near  Leesburg,  Va.     The 
movement  into  Maryland  was  probably  made  to  create  a 
diversion  in  favor  of  operations  around  Richmond. 


14  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Thus,  within  thirty  days  the  army  of  which  the  Forty- 
third  composed  a  part  had  marched  about  five  hundred  miles 
and  taken  part  in  not  less  than  twelve  battles  and  skirmishes, 
in  most  of  which  the  enemy  were  deafeated  with  severe 
losses. 

The  troops  then  moved  towards  the  Valley  of  Virginia, 
and  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  at  Snicker's  Gap  on  17  July,  the 
Union  troops  slowly  following  and  an  additional  force  threat- 
ening the  flank  of  the  Confederate  right.  On  the  afternoon 
of  that  day  Rodes'  Division  attacked  the  enemy  at  Snicker's 
Ford,  driving  them  into  the  Shenandoah  river,  where  the  loss 
in  killed  and  drowned  was  heavy.  On  the  19th  the  division 
moved  towards  Strasburg,  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  20th 
went  to  the  support  of  General  Ramseur,  who  was  resisting 
an  attack  near  Winchester.  But  the  engagement  having 
ceased  before  the  arrival  of  the  division,  it  retired  to  Fisher's 
Hill  and  there  remained  till  the  morning  of  the  24th,  when 
an  attack  was  made  upon  the  enemy  at  Kernstown  and  they 
were  driven  across  the  Potomac  and  followed  into  Maryland. 
And  tlien  Rodes'  Division,  sometimes  in  detachments  and  at 
others  in  a  body,  marched  and  countermarched  between  the 
Potomac  river  and  Fisher's  Hill  until  September  2 2d.  Dur- 
ing this  time  the  Forty-third  Regiment  was  engaged  in  al- 
most daily  skirmishing,  and  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Win- 
chester, 17  August;  Charlestown,  21  August;  Smithfield,  29 
August;  Bunker's  Hill,  3  September;  Winchester  (No.  2), 
19  September,  and  Fisher's  Hill,  22  September. 

Having  been  defeated  in  the  last  engagement  at  Fisher's 
Hill,  the  Confederates  retreated  up  the  valley,  followed  by 
the  enemy  to  Waynesboro,  where  reinforcements  were  re- 
ceived, and  then,  on  1  October,  returned  down  the  valley, 
reaching  Fisher's  Hill  on  13  October.  The  Forty-third  com- 
posed part  of  the  body  of  troops  which  marched  around  the 
left  and  rear  of  the  enemy's  camp  at  Cedar  Creek  on  the 
night  of  18  October,  preparatory  to  the  general  attack  made 
on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  resulting  in  their  defeat  in  the 
early  part  of  the  day.  Reinforcements  having  been  received 
by  the  enemy  in  the  afternoon,  the  tide  of  battle  was  turned 
and  the  Confederates  were  driven  up  the  valley  to  New  Mar- 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  15 

ket,  where  they  remained  in  camp  without  further  incident 
till  about  22  November,  when  a  considerable  body  of  Union 
cavalry  under  the  command  of  General  Sheridan  was  at- 
tacked and  routed  by  Rodes'  Division  between  New  Market 
and  Mount  Jackson.  This  ended  the  noted  Valley  campaign 
of  18G4. 

About  a  week  before  Christmas,  the  Forty-third,  with  the 
other  tr(jops  composing  the  old  Second  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  Xortlieni  Virginia,  returned  to  Petersl)urg  and  went  into 
Avinter  (piarters  on  Swift  creek,  three  miles  north  of  the  city. 
The  next  movement  was  to  Southerland's  Depot,  on  the  right 
wing  of  the  army,  south  of  Petcrsljurg,  on  1')  February,  1865. 
Here  tlie  regiment  remaiiu'*!  with  the  otlier  troops  of  the 
division  till  about  the  middle  of  March,  when  they  were  or- 
dered into  the  trenches  in  front  of  Petersburg  to  relieve  Gen- 
eral iiushrod  Johnson's  Division,  which  was  to  occupy  an- 
other position. 

The  increasing  dispntj^orticm  in  the  numbers  of  the  oppos- 
ing armies  made  it  necessary  for  Rodes'  Division,  now  com- 
posed of  only  about  2,200  men,  to  cover  a  distance  of  about 
three  and  a  half  miles  in  the  trenches,  and  to  do  this  it  re- 
quired one-third  of  the  men  on  picket  duty  in  front  of  the 
trenches  and  one-third  on  duty  in  the  trenches,  where  the  mud 
Mas  frequently  more  than  shoe-deep  and  sometimes  knee-deep, 
Avhile  the  remaining  third  caught  a  broken  rest  on  their  arms. 
Xo  general  engagement  took  place  till  25  March,  but  at 
night  there  was  almost  constant  firing  between  the  pickets. 
At  most  points  the  main  lines  of  the  two  armies  were  within 
easy  rifle-range,  and  at  some  points  less  than  one  hundred 
yards  apart.  The  monotony  of  the  constant  cracking  of 
small  arms  was  frequently  relieved  by  the  firing  of  mortars 
and  the  dropping  of  shells  in  the  trenches,  calling  for  con- 
stant watchfulness  on  the  part  of  those  who  were  in  the 
trenches,  and  disturbing  the  broken  rest  of  the  small  remnant 
who  were  off  duty.  On  the  night  of  24  March,  General  Gor- 
don's Corps  was  massed  opposite  Hare's  Hill  with  a  view  to 
making  an  attack  at  that  point,  where  the  lines  were  within 
one  hundred  yards  of  each  other.  Entrance  into  the  enemy's 
works  was  effected  just  before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 


16  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

25tli  by  the  Division  Corps  of  sharpshooters,  who,  with  un- 
loaded muskets,  surprised  and  captured  the  enemy's  pickets 
and  entered  their  main  lines.  The  Forty-third  Regiment, 
with  the  other  troops  of  the  division  immediately  following, 
occupied  the  enemy's  works  for  some  distance  on  either  side 
of  Hare's  Hill,  and  stubbornly  held  them,  against  great  odds, 
for  about  five  hours.  During  most  of  this  time  the  enemy 
poured  a  deadly  fire  into  the  Confederates  from  several  bat- 
teries on  elevated  positions,  and,  having  massed  large  bodies 
of  infantry  at  this  point,  forced  the  withdrawal  of  the  Con- 
federates with  considerable  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and  pris- 
oners. After  this  fruitless  effort  to  dislodge  the  enemy  the 
Forty-third  resumed  its  position  in  the  trenches  and  remained 
until  Saturday,  1  April,  iibout  11  o'clock  on  the  night  of 
this  date  the  enemy  opened  a  furious  cannonading  all  along 
the  line.  Under  cover  of  this  firing  they  attacked  the  Con- 
federates in  heavy  force  at  several  points,  effecting  an  en- 
trance beyond  the  limits  of  the  division  on  the  right.  At 
daylight  on  Sunday  morning,  the  2d,  they  made  a  breach  in 
the  line  held  by  a  brigade  to  the  left  center  of  the  division, 
and  occupied  the  Confederate  works  for  some  distance  on 
either  side  of  Fort  Mahone,  wdiich  stood  on  an  elevation 
about  fifty  yards  in  front  of  the  main  line.  The  division, 
massing  in  this  direction,  attacked  the  enemy  at  close  quar- 
ters, driving  them  from  traverse  to  traverse,  sometimes  in  a 
hand-to-hand  fight,  till  the  lost  works  were  retaken  up  to  a 
point  opposite  Fort  Mahone,  which  was  still  occupied  by  the 
enemy.  Its  commanding  position  making  its  recapture  of 
importance  in  the  further  movements  of  the  Confederates, 
two  details  of  about  twelve  men  each,  in  charge  of  a  Ser- 
geant— one  from  the  Forty-third  (now  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Cobb,  Captain  Whitaker  having  been  mortally  wounded 
just  previously),  and  the  other  from  the  Forty-fifth  Regi- 
ment of  the  brigade— were  ordered,  about  noon,  to  enter  the 
fort  by  the  covered  way  (a  large  ditch)  leading  from  the 
main  line  into  the  fort.  This  was  promptly  done,  and  the 
enemy  occupying  the  fort — more  than  one  hundred  in  num- 
ber— perhaps  in  ignorance  of  the  small  force  of  Confederates, 
and  surprised  at  the  boldness  of  the  movement,  surrendered 


Forty-Third  Regiment.  17 

and  were  sent  to  the  rear  as  prisoners.  From  this  position 
the  little  squad  of  about  twenty-five  men  poured  a  deadly 
fire  into  the  left  flank  and  rear  of  the  enemy  occupying  the 
Confederate  line  beyond  Fort  Mahone,  while  the  main  body 
of  the  division  pressed  them  in  front  till  they  were  dislodged 
and  retreated  to  their  own  lines,  thus  giving  up  the  entire 
works  taken  from  the  division  early  in  the  morning.  In  this 
affair  Sergeant  B.  F.  Hall  commanded  the  squad  from  the 
Forty-third.  A  brigade  of  Zouaves,  however,  promptly 
moved  forward,  meeting  the  retreating  force,  and  recaptured 
both  the  Confederate  line  and  Fort  Mahone,  leaving  Kodes' 
Division  still  in  possession  of  that  portion  of  the  line  retaken 
from  the  enemy  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  and  which  was 
held  until  after  dark,  when  the  lines  in  front  of  Richmond 
and  Petersburg  were  abandoned.  The  army  then  commenced 
its  retreat.  Marching  day  and  night,  with  only  short  inter- 
vals of  rest,  Auielia  Court  House  was  reached  about  4 
April,  where  the  well-nigh  exhausted  troops  were  permitted 
to  rest  several  hours.  The  march  was  resumed  that  night, 
and,  being  closely  pursued  by  the  enemy.  General  Grimes 
(then  Major-General  commanding  the  division  to  which  the 
Forty-third  belonged)  was  assigned  to  the  position  of  rear 
guard,  ('olonel  1).  G.  Cowand,  of  the  Thirty-second,  being 
in  command  of  Daniel's  Brigade.  The  enemy's  cavalry,  em- 
boldened by  success,  frequently  rode  recklessly  into  the  Con- 
federate lines,  making  it  necessary  to  deploy  alternately  as  a 
line  of  battle  across  the  road  one  brigade  after  another,  while 
the  others  continued  the  march.  This  running  fight  culmi- 
nate<l  in  a  general  engagement  on  the  afternoon  of  the  6th 
at  Sailor's  creek,  near  Farmville,  Va.,  where  the  Confeder- 
ates, overwhelmed  by  superior  numbers,  retreated  beyond 
the  long  bridge  at  Farmville. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  beyond  Farmville,  the  division 
charged  the  enemy  and  recaptured  a  battery  of  artillery 
which  had  previously  fallen  into  their  hands.  Continuing 
the  march  from  this  point,  there  was  no  further  fighting  on 
this  or  the  following  day,  the  Union  anny  having  taken  par- 


18  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

allel  roads  for  the  purpose  of  intercepting  the  Confederates  in 
their  march  towards  Lynchburg. 

The  vicinity  of  Appomattox  Court  House  was  reached  on 
the  evening  of  Saturday,  the  8th,  and  the  exhausted  troops 
bivouacked  until  midnight,  when  the  division  was  ordered 
from  the  position  of  rear  guard  to  the  front,  with  a  view  of 
opening  the  road  towards  Lynchburg,  now  occupied  by  Union 
troops  in  large  force.  About  sunrise  on  Sunday  morning, 
the  9th  of  April,  1865,  the  division  engaged  a  large  body  of 
the  enemy's  cavalry,  supported  by  infantry,  and  drove  them 
more  than  a  mile,  capturing  a  battery  of  artillery  and  several 
prisoners.  While  engaged  in  this  pursuit  they  were  ordered 
back  to  a  valley  in  which  the  larger  part  of  the  Confederates 
was  now  massed,  and  on  arriving  there  received  the  sad  intel- 
ligence that  the  Army  of  [NTorthern  Virginia  had  surrendered. 

Manifesting  under  defeat  the  same  spirit  of  fidelity  and 
endurance  which  had  characterized  them  in  success,  the  rem- 
nant of  about  120  men  and  officers  composing  this  regiment 
accepted  the  fate  of  war  and  awaited  the  final  arrangements 
for  capitulation ;  and  on  the  morning  of  12  April,  after  lay- 
ing down  their  arms,  dispersed  on  foot,  many  in  tattered  gar- 
ments and  without  shoes,  and  thus  made  their  way  to  their 
distant  and,  in  many  instances,  desolated  homes. 

And  "the  picture  of  the  private  soldier  as  he  stood  in  the 
iron  hail,  loading  and  firing  his  rifle,  the  bright  eye  glistening 
with  excitement,  and  with  powder-stained  face,  rent  jacket, 
torn  slouch  hat  and  trousers,  blanket  in  shreds,  and  the  prints 
of  his  shoeless  feet  in  the  dust  of  the  battle,  should  be  framed 
in  the  hearts  of  all  who  love  true  courage  wherever  found." 

The  preparation  of  this  sketch,  giving  the  organization  and 
outlining  the  movements  of  the  Forty-third  Eegiment,  is 
largely  due  to  the  assistance  rendered  to  me  by  W.  G.  Lewis, 
B.  F.  Hall,  W.  R.  Kenan,  John  B.  Powell,  W.  E.  Stitt,  W. 
B.  Burwell,  Thomas  P.  Devereux,  John  J.  Dabbs  and  S.  H. 
Threadgill,  members  of  the  regiment,  and  participants  in  its 
movements.  The  material  employed  was  gathered  from 
memoranda  and  such  official  documents  as  were  accessible. 

Thos.  S.  Kenan. 

Raleigh,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1895. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


a8t0r,  lenox  and 
TIlDen  foundations. 


J  w 


ADDITIONAL  SKETCH  FORTT-TtiIRD  REGI/IENT. 
COMPANY  A. 


Bv  COLONEL  THOMAS  S.  KEXAN. 


The  ''Duplin  Rifles"  (organized  at  Kenansville  in  1859) 
entered  the  army  in  April,  1861,  as  volunteers,  under  Thomas 
S.  Kenan,  Captain;  Thomas  S.  Watson,  First  Lieutenant; 
William  A.  Allen  and  John  W.  Hinson,  Second  Lieutenants ; 
and  was. immediately  ordered  into  the  Camp  of  Instruction  at 
Raleigh.  It  was  mustered  in  for  six  months  with  the  First 
Regiment  of  Volunteers,  and  assigned  to  it  under  Colonel 
D.  H.  Hill,  but  as  this  regiment  had  more  companies  than 
the  number  allowed  l)v  army  regulations,  the  "Duplin  Rifles" 
and  ''Lund)ert()n  Guards"  were  taken  out,  and  with  eight 
other  companies,  formed  the  Second  Volunteers  and  elected 
Sol.  Williams,  Colonel ;  Edward  Cantwell,  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel, and  Augustus  W.  Burton,  ]\[ajor ;  the  "Duplin  Rifles" 
being  Company  C. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  to  Virginia  in  May,  1861,  (a 
few  days  after  the  First  Regiment)  and  served  in  and  around 
Norfolk,  without  special  incident,  except  at  Sewell's  Point, 
where  a  detachment  consisting  of  this  and  three  other  com- 
panies was  subjected  to  repeated  shellings  from  the  long- 
range  gims  of  the  L^nion  troops  stationed  at  the  "Rip-Raps." 
At  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  of  the  "Duplin 
Rifles"  and  "Lumberton  Guards"  they  were  mustered  out, 
and  the  regiment  supplied  mth  other  companies  in  their 
stead,  and  numbered  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  State  Troops, 
after  the  re-organization. 

L'^pon  the  return  of  the  company  to  Duplin  coimty,  it  was 
reorganized  under  a  notice  dated  23  December,  1861,  for  the 
war,  by  electing  Thomas  S.  Kenan,  Captain;  James  G. 
Kenan.  First  Lieutenant ;  Robert  B.  Carr  and  John  W.  Hin- 
son, Second  Lieutenants;  ordered  to  Raleigh  in  March,  1862, 


20  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

and  assigned  to  the  Forty-third  Regiment  as  Company  A.  It 
therefore  belonged  to  three  different  regiments. 

Some  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  company,  "C,"  organ- 
ized other  companies  in  Duplin  county  and  likewise  enlisted 
for  the  war. 

From  a  roster  kept  by  Sergeant  B.  F.  Hall,  it  appears  that 
there  were  fifty-six  on  the  roll  at  the  close  of  the  war,  thirty- 
five  of  whom  were  either  in  prison,  on  parole  or  detail,  and 
no  deserter  from  the  company  during  the  entire  war. 
Twenty-one  surrendered  w4th  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia at  Appomattox  on  9  April,  1865,  to-wit :  Thomas  J. 
Bostic,  William  R.  Kenan,  Benjamin  F.  Hall,  William  B. 
Blalock,  William  N.  Brinson,  James  D.  Brown,  LaFayette 
W.  BroAvn,  Alex.  Chambers,  Thomas  E.  Davis,  Lewis  J. 
Grady,  R.  M.  S.  Grady,  Alex.  Guy,  James  G.  Halso,  Jesse 
Home,  Hargett  Komegay,  Jere  J.  Pearsall,  Lewis  J.  Rich, 
Calvin  I.  Rogers,  John  E.  Smith,  Jere  Strickland,  Frank 
A.  Simmons. 

The  roster  also  shows  that  the  number  killed  was  25,  died 
of  disease,  22 ;  disabled  by  wounds,  10 ;  discharged  for  disa- 
bility, 12  ;  transferred  to  other  regiments,  or  companies,  5. 

Thos.  S.  Kenan. 

Raleigh,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY- 


A8TOW,  LENOX   AHO 

TILDEN  F0UNDATK3HS. 


FORTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  Taz  well  F.Hargrove, Lieut. -Colonel.    3.    R.  C.  Brown.  Captain,  Co.  B. 

2.  Elkanah  E.  Lyon,  Captain,  Co.  A.  4.    Robert  Bingham,  Captain,  Co.  G. 

5.    Thos.  Hill  Norwood,  Captain,  Co.  H. 


FORTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 


By  major  CHARLES   M.    STEDMAN. 


This  brief  record  of  the  organization,  movements  and 
achievements  of  the  Forty-fourth  Regiment,  North  Carolina 
Troops,  could  not  have  been  ^\'Titten  except  for  the  assistance 
of  Captains  W.  P.  Oldham,  Robert  Bingham,  Abram  Cox, 
and  Lieutenants  Thomas  B.  Long  and  Richard  G.  Sneed,  of- 
ficers of  the  regiment,  who  participated  in  its  career,  and 
especialh'  am  I  under  obligations  to  Captain  John  H.  Robin- 
son, of  the  Fiftj-seoond  North  Carolina  Regiment,  who  was 
detailed  during  the  latter  part  of  the  campaign  of  1864,  at 
the  request  of  General  William  ^lacRae,  to  serve  on  his  staff 
as  A.  A.  G.,  in  place  of  Captain  Louis  G.  Young,  who  had 
been  severely  wounded.  The  facts  stated  in  a  memorial  ad- 
dress delivered  by  tlie  writer  in  Wilmington,  N.  C,  on  10 
May,  1890,  on  the  lite  and  character  of  General  William 
MacRae,  in  so  far  as  they  are  connected  with  the  o])erations 
of  the  regiment,  and  its  participation  in  the  various  engage- 
ments described  lune  been  used  without  reserve,  as  they  are 
known  to  be  correct,  nor  has  there  been  any  hesitancy  in  quot- 
ing from  the  language  of  that  address,  when  appropriate  to  a 
description  of  events  constituting  alike  a  part  of  the  history 
of  the  regiment,  as  well  as  of  the  brigade. 

This  regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Mangum,  near  Ral- 
eigh, N.  C,  on  28  March,  1862,  with  George  B.  Singletary 
as  its  Colonel,  Richard  C.  Cotten,  Captain  Company  E,  its 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Elisha  Cromwell,  Captain  Company 
B,  as  its  Major.  Colonel  Singletary  was  killed  in  a  skir- 
mish with  Federal  troops  at  Tranter's  Creek,  in  Eastern 
North  Carolina,  on  5  June,  1862.  He  was  an  officer  of  ex- 
traordinary merit,  and  would  have  unquestionably  attained 
high  distinction  but  for  his  premature  death.  On  28  June, 
1862,  Thomas  C.  Singletary,  his  brother,  was  elected  Colonel 


22  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

in  his  stead.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gotten  resigned,  on  ac 
count  of  advanced  age,  on  10  June,  1862,  and  Major  Elisha 
Cromwell  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  to 
fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  his  resignation.  The  vacancy 
caused  by  the  promotion  of  Major  Elisha  Cromwell  was  filled 
by  the  election  of  Tazewell  L.  Hargrove,  Captain  of  Company 
A,  on  10  June,  1862.  On  24  July,  1862,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Cromwell  resigned  and  Major  Tazewell  L.  Hargrove  was 
elected  in  his  place,  and  on  28  July,  1862,  Charles  M.  Sted- 
man.  Captain  Company  E,  was  promoted  and  elected  Major* 
The  Staff  and  Company  officers  are  named  as  they  appear  in 
the  following  list,  and  in  the  order  of  their  promotion: 

Adjutants^  Stark  Armistead  Sutton,  John  A.  Jackson, 
R.  W.  Dupree. 

Ensign,  W.  S.  Long. 

Sergeant-Majors^  John  H.  Johnston,  Alexander  S< 
Webb,  E.  D.  Covington. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant^  Isham  G.  Cheatham. 

Ordnance  Sergeant,  Robert  J.  Powell. 

Commissary  Sergeant^  D.  F.  Whitehead. 

Chaplains,  John  H.  Tillinghast,  Richard  G.  Webb. 

Surgeons,  William  T.  Sutton,  J.  A.  Bynum. 

Assistant  Surgeons,  J.  A.  Bynum,  William  J.  Green. 

Quartermasters,  William  R.  Beasley,  William  L* 
Cherry. 

Commissary,  Abram  Cox. 

Company  A — Captains,  Tazewell  L.  Hargrove,  Elkanah 
E.  Lyon,  Robert  L.  Rice;  First  Lieutenants,  Elkanah  E. 
Lyon,  Robert  L.  Rice,  Richard  G.  Sneed,  A.  J.  Ellis ;  Second 
Lieutenants,  Robert  L.  Rice,  William  R.  Beasley,  John  B. 
Tucker,  Richard  G.  Sneed,  Robert.  Winship  Stedman.  En- 
listed men,  148. 

Company  B — Captains,  Elisha  Cromwell,  Baker  W.  Ma- 
bry,  Robert  C.  Brown ;  First  Lieutenants,  Baker  W.  Mabry, 
Robert  C.  Brown,  Thomas  M.  Carter;  Second  Lieutenants, 
Thomas  M.  Carter,  Robert  C.  Brown,  Charles  D.  Mabry, 
Elisha  C.  Knight.  *  Enlisted  men,  135. 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  23 

Company  C— Captains,  William  L.  Cherry,  Macon  G-. 
Cherry;  First  Lieutenants,  Abram  Cox,  Andrew  M.  Thig- 
pen,  Samuel  V.  Williams ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Andrew  M. 
Thig-pen,  Macon  G.  Cherry,  Samuel  V.  Williams,  Reuben  E. 
Mayo,  Samuel  Tapping.     Enlisted  men,  131. 

Company  D— Captain,  L.  R.  Anderson;  First  Lieuten- 
ants, Cornelius  Stevens,  John  S.  Easton ;  Second  Lieuten- 
ants, John  S.  Easton,  James  M.  Perkins,  George  W.  Parker, 
Thomas  King.    Enlisted  men,  116. 

Company  E— Captains,  R.  C.  Gotten,  Charles  M.  Sted- 
man,  James  T.  Phillips,  John  J.  Crump ;  First  Lieutenants, 
Charles  M.  Stedman,  James  T.  Phillips,  John  J.  Crump,  ^. 
B.  Hilliard;  Second  Lieutenants,  R.  C.  Cotten,  Jr.,  James 
T.  Phillips,  John  J.  Crump,  Thomas  B.  Long,  K.  B.  Hil- 
liard, C.  C.  Goldston,  S.  J.  Tally.     Enlisted  men,  183. 

By  reason  of  his  health.  Lieutenant  Thomas  B.  Long  re- 
signed in  July,  1862.  He  was  a  most  accomplished  officer; 
brave,  competent  and  true — he  was  respected  by  all. 

Company  F— Captains,  David  D.  DeBerry,  John  C. 
Gaines;  First  Lieutenants,  John  C.  Gaines,  John  C.  Mont- 
gomery ;  Second  Lieutenants,  John  C.  Montgomery,  Alexan- 
der M.  Russell,  George  W.  Montgomery.  Enlisted  men,  127. 
Company  G— Captain,  Robert  Bingham;  First  Lieuten- 
ant, S.  H.  Workman;  Second  Lieutenants,  George  S.  Cobb, 
James  W.  Compton,  Fred.  N.  Dick,  Thomas  H.  Norwood. 
Enlisted  men,  129. 

Company  H— Captains,  William  D.  :\[offitt,  James  T. 
Townsend,  R.  W.  Singletary ;  First  Lieutenants,  James  T. 
Townsend,  William  H.  Carter,  Thomas  H.  Norwood;  Second 
Lieutenants,  Daniel  L.  McMillan,  R.  W.  Singletary,  Moses 
Haywood,  E.  A.  Moffitt,  R.  W.  Dupree.  Enlisted  men,  141. 
Company  I — Captains,  Downing  H.  Smith,  John  R. 
Roach ;  First  Lieutenants,  J.  J.  Bland,  John  R.  Roach ;  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants,  John  R.  Roach,  John  A.  Jackson,  J.  M. 
Lancaster.     Enlisted  men,  120. 

Company  K— Captains,  Rhet.  R.  L.  Lawrence,  W.  P. 
Oldham ;  First  Lieutenants,  Joseph  W.  Howard,  W.  P.  Old- 
ham;     Second    Lieutenants,    David    Yarborough,    Bedford 


24  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Brown,   J.   H.   Johnson,  A,    S.   Webb,   Joseph  J.   Leonard, 
Rufus  Starke.     Enlisted  men,  144. 

On  19  May,  1862,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Tarboro,  N. 
C,  thence  it  proceeded  to  Greenville,  jST.  C,  and  for  a  few 
weeks  was  engaged  in  outpost  and  picket  duty  in  that  section 
of  the  State  during  which  time  it  participated  in  no  affair  of 
consequence,  save  the  skirmish  at  Tranter's  Creek  which, 
though  otherwise  unimportant,  was  to  the  regiment  most  un- 
fortunate in  that  its  accomplished  commander  lost  his  life. 

From  Eastern  jSTorth  Carolina  the  regiment  was  ordered  to 
Virginia  and  there  assigned  to  the  Brigade  of  General  J. 
Johnston  Pettigrew,  one  of  the  very  ablest  commanders  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  Not  only  the  Forty-fourth 
Regiment,  but  the  entire  Brigade,  which  consisted  of  five 
regiments — the  Eleventh  North  Carolina,  the  Twenty-sixth 
N^orth  Carolina,  the  Forty-fourth  North  Carolina,  the  Forty- 
seventh  N^orth  Carolina,  and  the  Fifty-second  North  Caro- 
lina, felt  the  impress  of  his  soldierly  qualities.  It  was  ever 
a  matter  of  regret  to  the  officers  and  men  of  the  regiment  that 
no  opportunity  was  offered  them  of  manifesting  their  appre- 
ciation of  his  great  qualities  by  their  conduct  on  the  battle- 
ffeld  uudor  his  immediate  command.  The  other  regiments 
of  his  brigade  were  with  him  at  Gettysburg  and  contributed 
to  his  imperishable  renown  by  their  steadfast  valor,  but  the 
Forty-fourth  North  Carolina,  whilst  en  route,  was  halted  at 
Hanover  Junction,  Va.,  to  guard  the  railroad  connections 
there  centering,  and  thus  protect  General  Lee's  communica- 
tions with  Richmond.  Colonel  T.  C.  Singletarv  with  two 
companies,  remained  at  the  junction.  ]\[ajor  Charles  M. 
Stedman,  with  four  companies,  commanded  north  of  the 
junction  and  the  bridges  of  the  Fredericksburg  and  of  the 
Central  (now  the  (1  &  O.)  Railroad  across  the  South  Anna 
and  the  Little  Rivers,  four  in  numl)ei',  were  entnisted  to  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Hargrove,  who  posted  one  company  at  each 
bridge,  remaining  personally  with  C(UU])any  A  at  Central's 
bridge  across  the  South  Anna,  the  post  of  greatest  danger. 
On  the  morning  of  26  June,  1865,  the  Federal  troops,  con- 
sisting of  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  two  compa- 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  25 

nies  of  a  California  cavalry  regiment,  and  two  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery, about  fifteen  hundred,  all  included,  commanded  by 
Colonel,  afterwards  General  Spear,  appeared  before  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Hargrove,  and  his  small  force  of  forty  men,  sta- 
tioned in  a  breastwork  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  built  to 
be  manned  by  not  less  than  four  humlred  men.  Before  Col- 
onel Spear  made  his  first  attack,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Har- 
grove abandoning-  the  breastwork  as  being  entirely  untenable 
by  so  small  a  force,  fell  back  to  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
posted  his  men  under  cover  along  the  river  bank  and  for  two 
hours  successfully  resisted  repeated  efforts  to  capture  the 
bridge  by  direct  assault,  although  assailed  by  a  force  outnum- 
bering his  own  at  least  thirty-five  to  one.  Failing  in  a  direct 
attack,  Colonel  Spear  sent  four  hundred  men  across  the  river 
by  an  old  ford  under  cover  of  a  violent  assault  in  front  from 
the  south  and  was  about  to  assail  Lieutenant-Colonel  Har- 
grove in  his  rear,  which  was  entirely  unprotected,  when  Com- 
pany G,  consisting  of  -iO  men,  having  been  ordered  from  Cen- 
tral's bridge,  over  the  river  at  Taylorsville,  more  than  three 
miles  distant,  arrived  and  occupied  the  breastwork  north  of 
the  river  at  its  intersection  with  the  railroad,  and  about  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  bridge,  thus  protecting  the  rear  of 
Company  A.  Company  G  had  scarcely  got  into  position 
when  the  charge  of  four  hundred  cavalry,  intended  for  the 
unprotected  rear  of  Company  A,  was  delivered  against  Com- 
pany G,  protected  by  the  breastwork,  and  was  repulsed,  as 
were  two  other  charges  made  at  intervals  of  about  fifteen 
minutes,  while  attacks  were  made  simultaneously  on  Com- 
pany A  from  across  the  river  with  like  results.  During  a 
lull  in  the  fighting  the  Federal  force  on  the  north  side  was  re- 
inforced by  four  hundred  men,  and  an  assault  on  both  Com- 
panies A  and  G  was  (at  the  same  time)  ordered.  Colonel 
Spear  crossed  the  river  and  ordered  the  attack  made  up  the 
river  bank  against  Company  G's  unprotected  right,  and  Com- 
pany A's  unprotected  left  flank  at  the  abutment  of  the  bridge. 
The  enormous  odds  prevailed,  but  only  after  a  most  desperate 
and  hand-to-hand  conflict  with  pistol,  sabre  and  bayonet,  in 
which  Confederates  and  Federals  were  commingled.  In  the 
final  assault  Company  A  lost  half  of  its  men.     The  loss  of 


26  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Company  G  was  not  heavy.  The  Federal  loss  exceeded  the 
entire  number  of  Confederate  troops  engaged.  Colonel 
Spear  retreated  after  burning  one  bridge  instead  of  four.  He 
stated  in  the  presence  of  his  own  command  and  that  of  Colo- 
nel Hargrove  that:  "The  resistance  made  by  the  Confed- 
erates was  the  most  stubborn  he  had  known  during  the  war; 
that  he  supposed  that  he  was  fighting  four  hundred  infantry 
instead  of  eighty,  and  that  his  expedition  had  entirely  failed 
of  its  object,  which  was  to  cut  General  Lee's  communica- 
tions with  Richmond."  No  more  gallant  fight  was  made  dur- 
ing the  entire  Civil  War,  than  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Har- 
grove's command.  He  won  the  admiration  of  both  friend 
and  foe  by  his  personal  gallantry,  and  only  surrendered  when 
overpowered  and  taken  by  sheer  physical  force. 

General  Pettigrew  having  been  mortally  wounded  on  the 
retreat  from  Gettysburg,  Colonel  William  Kirkland,  of  the 
Twenty-first  N^orth  Carolina  Regiment,  was  promoted  to 
Brigadier-General  and  assigned  to  the  command  of  Petti- 
grew's  Brigade  about  10  August,  1863. 

ON  THE  MARCH. 

The  brigade  left  camp  at  Rapidan  Station,  wliere  it  had 
been  in  cantonment,  on  8  October,  1863,  and  marched  rapidly 
with  a  view  of  engaging  General  Meade  at  Culpepper  Court 
House.  General  Meade  fell  back  and  avoided  a  conflict  at 
Culpepper  Court  House,  but  was  overtaken  at  Bristoe  Sta- 
tion. Here  on  14  October,  1863,  a  bloody  and  disastrous 
engagement  was  precipitated  between  Cooke's  and  Kirkland's 
Brigades,  and  the  bulk  of  Warren's  Corps,  supported  by  a 
powerful  artillery  with  a  railroad  embankment  as  a  fortifica- 
tion. In  this  fight,  so  inopportune  and  ill-advised  and  not 
at  all  in  accordance  with  the  views  of  General  Lee,  the  Forty- 
fourth  Regiment  greatly  distinguished  itself.  Advancing 
through  an  open  field  directly  upon  the  line  of  fire  of  the 
Federal  artillery,  it  sustained  a  heavy  loss  without  flinching. 
Three  different  couriers  rode  up  to  the  regiment  and  deliv- 
ered a  message  to  fall  back.  The  order  was  disregarded  and 
the  regiment  moved  steadily  on  under  heavy  fire  of  both  artil- 
lery and  infantry,  and  when  close  upon  the  works,  with  the 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  27 

shout  of  victory  in  the  air,  only  retreated  under  peremptory 
orders  from  Lieutenant-General  A.  P.  Hill.  The  loss  of  the 
regiment  in  this  engagement  in  killed  and  wounded  was 
large.  This  was  the  first  time  the  conduct  of  the  regiment 
fell  under  the  observation  of  Colonel  William  MacRae,  of 
the  Fifteenth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  and  after^vards  its 
brigade  commander.  He  w^as  struck  with  admiration  at 
the  splendid  conduct  of  the  men,  and  often  afterwards  re- 
ferred to  their  steady  valor  upon  that  field.  It  endeared 
the  regiment  to  liim,  for  he  loved  brave  men,  and  it  became 
his  habit  to  frequently  place  himself  with  the  colors  of  the 
regiment  for,  said  he:  'Tf  I  am  with  the  Forty-fourth  Reg- 
iment and  am  lost,  I  shall  always  be  found  to  the  fore-front 
of  the  fighting." 

WILDERNESS. 

General  Lee  having  received  information  that  General 
Grant  had  commenced  the  passage  of  the  Rapidan  on  the 
night  of  3  May,  1864,  broke  up  his  cantonments  on  the  4th 
and  prepared  to  meet  him.  The  Forty-fourth  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina, with  Kirkland's  Brigade,  left  camp  near  Orange  Court 
House  on  the  4th  and  bivouacked  the  same  night  at  Verdiers- 
ville,  about  nine  miles  from  the  battlefield  of  the  "Wilder- 
ness." Two  roads  led  in  parallel  lines  through  the  dense 
thickets  which  gave  its  name  to  the  territory  upon  which  the 
battle  was  fought.  One  was  known  as  the  Orange  Plank 
Road,  and  the  other  as  the  Turnpike.  The  Forty-fourth 
marched  by  way  of  the  Plank  Road  and  became  heavily  en- 
gaged about  2  o'clock  of  the  afternoon  of  the  5th.  The 
right  rested  immediately  upon  tlie  Plank  Road,  and  next  in 
line  to  it,  with  its  left  on  the  road,  was  the  Twenty-sixth 
North  Carolina  Regiment.  This  immediate  locality  was 
the  storni-eenter  of  the  fight,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  more 
violent  and  sanguinary  contest  occurred  during  the  entire 
Civil  War  than  just  here.  The  road  was  swept  by  an  inces- 
sant hurricane  of  fire,  and  to  attempt  to  cross  it  meant  almost 
certain  death.  At  this  point  of  the  line  three  pieces 
of  Confederate  artillery  were  seriously  menaced  with 
capture,  the  horses  belonging  to  the  guns  having  all  been 


28  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

killed  or  disabled,  whilst  the  gunners  were  subjected  to  an 
incessant  and  murderous  fire.  At  this  juncture  Lieuten- 
ant R.  W.  Stedman,  of  Company  A,  volunteered  to  drag 
the  guns  down  the  road  out  of  danger  if  a  detail  of  forty 
men  was  furnished.  Forty  men  immediately  stepped  to 
his  side  and  said  they  would  follow  him,  althovigh  they  all 
knew  the  effort  was  full  of  peril.  The  work  was  done  suc- 
cessfully, but  only  three  of  the  volunteers  escaped  unhurt. 
Lieutenant  Stedman  was  severely  wounded  by  a  grape  shot. 
For  his  personal  gallantry  in  this  action  he  was  honorably 
mentioned  in  high  terms  of  praise,  in  an  official  order  from 
division  headquarters.  The  loss  of  the  regiment  in  the  en- 
gagements of  the  5th  and  6th  was  exceedingly  heavy ;  a 
large  proportion  of  its  officers  were  killed  and  wounded; 
amongst  the  latter  the  Major  of  the  regiment.  Both  officers 
and  men  won  the  special  commendation  of  brigade  and  divis- 
ion commanders.  On  the  8th  the  regiment  moved  with  the 
brigade  towards  Spottsylvania  Court  House.  On  the  10th 
Heth's  and  Anderson's  Divisions,  commanded  by  Early,  had 
a  serious  conflict  with  a  portion  of  General  Grant's  army, 
which  was  attempting  to  flank  General  Lee  by  what  was  called 
the  Po  River  Road.  In  this  engagement  the  Forty-fourth, 
suffered  severely,  and  fought  with  its  accustomed  valor. 

Captain  J.  J.  Crump,  of  Company  E,  elicited  by  his  con- 
duct, warm  commendation  from  the  general  commanding. 

SPOTTSYLVANIA    COURT    HOUSE. 

On  the  12th  the  regiment  was  assigned  its  position  directly 
in  front  of  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  and  was  in  support  of 
a  strong  force  of  Confederate  artillery.  Repeatedly  during 
the  day  it  was  charged  1)y  the  Federal  columns,  their  ad- 
vance always  being  heralded  and  covered  by  a  lieavy  artil- 
lery fire.  Every  assault  was  repulsed  with  gi'oat  loss  to  the 
assailants,  whose  advance  was  greeted  by  loud  cheers  from 
the  Forty-fourth  Regiment,  many  of  the  men  leaping  on  the 
eartliworks  and  fighting  without  covei-.  The  loss  during 
this  engagement  was  comparatively  slight.  The  ^lajor  com- 
mandinsi'  the  regiment  was  ao'ain  wounded  and  sent  to  a  hos- 


FORTY -FOURTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  R.  W.  Stedman,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  A.,    3.    John  Ruffin  Buchanan,  Sergeant,  Co. A. 

Famous  Scout.  4.    Joseph  M.  Satterwhite,  Private,  Co.  A. 

2.  E.  A.  Moffitt,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  H.  5.    James  Andrew  Wilson,  Private,  Co.  A. 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  29 

pital  in  Kichniond,  and  was  not  able  to  rejoin  his  regiment 
until  a  few  days  before  the  battle  at  Reams  Station. 

The  regiment  participated  in  all  the  engagements  in  which 
its  brigade  took  part  from  Spottsylvania  Conrt  Plouse  to  Pe- 
tersburg, constantly  skirmishing  and  fighting  as  Grant  con- 
tinued his  march  on  Lee's  flank.  On  3  June,  186-i,  it  was 
heavily  engaged  with  the  enemy  near  Gaines'  Mill.  In  this 
fight  General  W.  W.  Ivirkland,  commanding  the  brigade,  was 
wounded.  Pursuing  its  march,  and  almost  daily  skirmish- 
ing, the  regiment  reached  Petersburg  on  24  June,  18()4-,  and 
commenced  the  desultory  and  dreary  work  of  duty  in  the 
trenches.  During  the  latter  part  of  July,  1864,  the  regi- 
ment left  Petersburg  for  Stoney  Creek,  and  whilst  on  the 
march  Colonel  William  MacRae,  of  the  Fifteenth  North 
Carolina  Regiment,  joined  the  brigade  and  assumed  com- 
mand under  orders.  This  gallant  officer  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  Brigadier-General  in  I^ovember,  1864,  and  from 
that  time  never  left  the  brigade,  of  which  the  Forty-fourth 
was  a  part,  until  the  last  day  at  Appomattox.  From  Stoney 
Creek  the  regiment  returned  to  Petersburg. 

REAMS    STATION. 

The  regiment  bore  its  part  with  conspicuous  good  conduct 
in  the  brilliant  engagement  at  Reams  Station  on  25  August, 
1864. 

Upon  the  investment  of  Petersburg  the  possession  of  the 
Weldon  road  became  of  manifest  importance,  as  it  was  Lee's 
main  line  of  comnumication  with  the  South,  whence  he  drew 
his  men  and  supplies.  On  18  August,  1864,  General  G.  K. 
Warren,  with  the  Fifth  Corps  of  Grant's  anuy,  and  Kautz's 
Division  of  cavalry,  occupied  the  line  of  the  Weldon  road  at 
a  point  six  miles  from  Petersburg.  An  attempt  was  made  to 
dislodge  them  from  this  position  on  the  21st,  but  the  effort 
failed.  Emboldened  by  Wan-en's  success,  Hancock  was  or- 
dered from  Deep  Bottom  to  Reams  Station,  ten  miles  from 
Petersburg.  He  arrived  there  on  the  2 2d  and  promptly 
commenced  the  destruction  of  the  railroad  track.  His  in- 
fantry force  consisted  of  Gibbons'  and  Miles'  Divisions,  and 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  25th,  he  w^as  reinforced  by  the  divis- 


30  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

ion  of  Orlando  B.  Wilcox,  which,  however,  arrived  too  late  to 
be  of  any  substantial  service  to  him.  Gregg's  division  of 
cavalry,  with  an  additional  brigade  commanded  by  Spear, 
was  with  him.  He  had  abundant  artillery,  consisting  in  part 
of  the  Tenth  Massachusetts  battery.  Battery  B  First  Rhode 
Island,  McNight's  Twelfth  New  York  Battery,  and  Woer- 
ner's  Third  New  Jersey  Battery.  On  the  2 2d  Gregg  was  as- 
sailed by  Wade  Hampton  with  one  of  his  cavalry  divisions, 
and  a  sharp  contest  ensued.  General  Hampton,  from  the 
battlefield  of  the  2 2d,  sent  a  note  to  General  R.  E.  Lee,  sug- 
gesting an  immediate  attack  with  infantry.  That  great 
commander,  realizing  that  a  favorable  opportunity  was  of- 
fered to  strike  Hancock  a  heavy  blow,  directed  Lieutenant- 
Gen  eral  A.  P.  Hill  to  advance  against  him  as  promptly  as 
possible.  General  Hill  left  his  camp  near  Petersburg  on 
the  night  of  the  24th,  and  marching  south,  halted  near  Arm- 
strong's Mill,  about  eight  miles  from  Petersburg.  On  the 
morning  of  the  25tli  he  advanced  to  Monk's  Neck  Bridge, 
three  miles  from  Reams  Station,  and  awaited  advices  from 
Hampton.  The  Confederate  force  actually  present  at  Reams 
Station,  consisted  of  Cooke's  and  MacRae's  Brigades  of 
Heth's  Division,  Lane's,  Scales'  and  McGow^an's  Brigades  of 
Wilcox's  Division,  Anderson's  brigade  of  Longstreet's  Corps, 
two  brigades  of  Mahone's  Division,  Butler's  and  W.  H.  F. 
Lee's  Divisions  of  cavalry,  and  a  portion  of  Pegram's  Battal- 
ion of  artillery. 

Being  the  central  regiment  of  the  brigade,  MacRae's  line 
of  battle  was  formed  on  it  as  was  customary.  Just  previous 
to  the  assault  upon  General  Hancock's  command,  the  regi- 
ment was  posted  in  the  edge  of  a  pine  thicket,  about  three 
hundred  yards  from  the  breastworks  held  by  the  Federal 
troops.  When  the  order  was  given  to  advance,  the  men  threw 
themselves  forward  at  a  double-quick  in  a  line  as  straight  and 
unbroken  as  they  presented  when  on  parade,  and  without 
firing  a  gun,  mounted  the  entrenchments  and  precipitated 
themselves  amongst  the  Federal  infantry  on  the  other  side, 
who  seemed  to  be  dazed  by  the  vehemence  of  the  attack,  and 
made  a  very  feeble  resistance  after  their  ranks  were  reached. 

A  battery  of  artillery,  captured    by    the    regiment,    was 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  31 

turned  upon  the  retreating  columns  of  the  enemj.  It  was 
manned  by  sharpshooters  of  the  Forty-fourth,  who  had  been 
trained  in  artillery  practice.  Captain  Oldham,  of  Com- 
pany K,  sighted  one  of  the  gims  repeatedly,  and  when  he  saw 
the  effect  of  his  accurate  aim  upon  the  disarmed  masses  in 
front,  was  so  jubilant  that  General  MacRae  with  his  usual 
quiet  humor  remarked:  "Oldham  thinks  he  is  at  a  ball  in 
Petersburg." 

The  Federal  loss  in  this  battle  was  between  six  and  seven 
hundred  killed  and  woimded,  and  2,150  prisoners,  3,100 
stand  of  small  arms,  twelve  stand  of  colors,  nine  guns  and 
caissons.  The  Confederate  loss  was  small,  and  fell  princi- 
pally upon  Lane's  Brigade ;  it  did  not  exceed  five  hvmdred  in 
killed  and  wounded.  The  casualties  in  the  Forty-fourth 
Regiment  were  trifling,  as  well  as  in  other  regiments  of  the 
brio'ade,  for  Hancock's  men  in  our  front  fired  wildlv  and  above 
the  mark,  being  badly  demoralized  by  the  fire  of  the  Confeder- 
ate artillery,  under  cover  of  Avhich  MacRae's  men  advanced 
to  the  assault. 

James  Forrest,  who  carried  the  colors  of  the  regiment,  be- 
came famous  for  his  chivalrous  devotion  to  the  flag,  and  his 
gallantry  on  every  field. 

On  the  night  of  25  August,  1864,  the  regiment  returned 
with  MacRae's  Brigade  to  its  position  on  the  line  of  entrench- 
ments at  Petersburg,  held  by  General  Lee's  right,  and  contin- 
ued to  perform  the  routine  of  duties  incident  to  such  a  life 
until  27  October,  1864. 

BURGESS''  MILL. 

The  enemy  having  forced  back  our  cavalry,  and  penetrated 
to  a  point  on  our  right  known  as  Burgess'  Mill,  on  27  Octo- 
ber, 1864,  General  MacRae  was  ordered  to  attack  with  the 
understanding  that  he  should  be  promptly  reinforced  by 
one  or  more  brigades.  Reconnoitering  the  enemy's  position, 
he  pointed  out  at  once  the  weak  part  of  their  line  to  several 
officers  who  were  with  him,  and  ordered  his  brigade  to  the 
assault.  It  bore  down  everything  in  its  front,  capturing  a 
battery  of  artillery,  and  dividing  the  corps  which  it  had  as- 
sailed.    The  Federal  commander,  seeing  that  MacRae  was 


32  North  Carolina  Troops.   ISOl-'Go. 

not  supported,  closed  in  upon  his  flanks  and  attacked  with 
gi'eat  vig<)r.  Undismayed  by  the  large  force  which  sur- 
rounded him,  and  unwilling  to  surrender  the  prize  of  victory 
already  within  his  grasp,  MacRae  formed  a  portion  of  his 
command  (ibli(|uely  to  his  main  line  of  battle,  driving  back 
the  foe  at  every  point,  whilst  the  deafening  shouts  and  obsti- 
nate fighting  of  his  brigade  showed  their  entire  confidence  in 
their  commander,  although  every  man  of  them  knew  their 
situation  to  be  critical,  and  their  loss  had  already  been  great. 
Awaiting  reinforcements,  which  long  since  ought  to  have 
been  with  him,  he  held  his  vantage  ground  at  all  hazards,  and 
against  enormous  odds.  jSTo  help  came  whilst  his  men  toiled, 
bled  and  died.  Approaching  night  told  him  that  the  safety 
of  his  brigade  demanded  that  he  return  to  his  original  posi- 
tion. Facing  his  men  about,  they  cut  their  Avay  through  a 
new^  line  of  battle  wdiich  had  partially  formed  in  their  rear. 
In  this  encounter  the  Forty-fourth  Xorth  Carolina  bore  a 
brilliant  part ;  it  drove  the  Federal  line,  everyA\'her(^  in  its 
front,  steadily  to  the  rear.  Lieutenant  R.  W.  Stcduuni,  of 
Company  A,  with  less  than  fifty  men,  charged  and  captured 
a  battery  of  artillery  which  was  supported  by  a  considerable 
force  of  infantry.  This  battery  was  disabled  and  left,  as  it 
was  impossible  to  bring  it  off  the  field  when  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  return  to  the  position  it  occupied  at  the  commence- 
ment of  the  fight.  The  affair  at  Burgess'  Mill  was  uiarred 
by  the  misunderstanding  of  his  orders  by  an  officer  of  high 
rank,  by  which  he  failed  to  reinforce  General  MacRae,  as 
instructed,  causing  a  heavy  loss  to  his  brigade. 

From  Burgess'  Mill  the  regiment  again  returned  to  its  old 
position  in  the  entrenchments  at  Petersburg.  On  2  April, 
1865,  the  Confederate  lines  having  been  pierced  and  broken 
through,  the  regiment,  under  orders,  commenced  its  retreat 
towards  Amelia  Court  House,  which  place  it  reached  on  4 
April.  Its  line  of  march  was  marked  by  constant  and  bloody 
engagements  with  the  Federal  troops,  who  followed  in  close 
pursuit,  but  wlio  were  entirely  unable  to  produce  the  slight- 
est demoralization  or  panic.  At  Southerland's  Station  the 
fight  w^as  severe.  On  the  night  of  tlie  5th  it  left  Amelia 
Court  House  and  reached  Appomattox  on  the  morning  of  the 


Forty-Fourth  Regiment.  33 

9th,  where,  together  Avith  the  bleeding  remnants  of  the  army 
of  l^orthern  Virginia,  it  stacked  its  arms  and  its  career  was 
ended. 

The  esprit  de  corps  of  the  regiment  was  of  the  very  highest 
order.  Xeither  disease,  famine,  nor  scenes  of  horror  well 
calculated  to  freeze  the  hearts  of  the  bravest,  ever  conquered 
its  iron  spirit.  The  small  remnant  who  survived  the  trials 
of  the  retreat  from  Petersburg,  and  who  left  a  trail  of  blood 
along  their  weary  march  from  its  abandoned  trenches  to  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House,  were  as  eager  and  ready  for  the  fray 
on  that  last  memorable  day,  as  when,  with  full  ranks  and 
abiuidant  support,  they  drove  the  Federal  troops  before  them 
in  headlong  flight  on  other  fields.  This  spirit  especially 
manifested  itself  in  the  love  of  the  regiment  for  its  flag, 
which  was  guarded  by  all  its  mend^ers  with  chivalrous  devo- 
tion, and  which  was  never  lost  or  captured  on  any  field.  The 
first  flag  was  carried  from  the  commencement  of  its  cam- 
paign until  about  1  Januaiy,  1865,  when  a  new  one  was 
presented  in  its  stead,  for  the  reason  that  so  much  of  the  old 
flag  had  been  shot  away  that  it  could  not  Ix^  distinctly  seen  by 
other  regiments  during  brigade  drills,  and  as  the  Forty-fourth 
was  always  made  the  central  regiment,  upon  which  the  oth- 
ers of  the  brigade  dressed  in  line  of  battle,  as  well  as  on  pa- 
rade, a  new  flag  had  become  a  necessity. 

The  new  battle  flag  was  carried  by  Color-Sergeant  George 
Barbee,  of  Company  G,  until  the  night  of  1  April,  1865, 
when  crossing  the  Appomattox,  he  wrapped  a  stone  in  it  and 
dropped  it  in  the  river,  saying  to  his  comrades  about  him : 
''No  enemy  can  ever  have  a  flag  of  the  Forty-fourth  ISTorth 
Carolina  Regiment."  The  wonderful  power  which  the  high 
order  of  esprit  de  corps  exerted  for  good  amongst  the  officers 
and  men,  is  illustrated  by  an  incident  which  is  worthy  to  be 
recorded  amidst  the  feats  of  heroes. 

A  private  by  the  name  of  Tilman,  in  the  regiment,  had  on 
several  occasions  attracted  General  MacRae's  favorable  at- 
tention and,  at  his  request,  was  attached  to  the  color-guard. 
Tilman's  name  was  also  honorably  mentioned  in  the  orders 
of  the  day  from  brigade  headquarters. 
3 


34  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

Soon  thereafter,  in  front  of  Petersburg,  the  regiment  be- 
came severely  engaged  with  the  enemy  and  suffered  heavy 
loss.  The  flag  several  times  fell,  as  its  bearers  were  shot 
down  in  quick  succession.  Tilman  seized  it  and  again  car- 
ried it  to  the  front.  It  was  but  an  instant  and  he,  too,  fell. 
As  one  of  his  comrades  stooped  to  raise  the  flag  again,  the 
dying  soldier  touched  him,  and  in  tones  made  weak  by  the 
approach  of  death,  said:  "Tell  the  General  I  died  with  the 
flag."  The  tender  memories  and  happy  associations  connected 
with  his  boyhood's  home  faded  from  his  vision  as  he  rejoiced 
in  the  consciousness  that  he  had  proved  himself  worthy  of 
the  trust  which  had  been  confided  to  him. 

The  old  battle  flag  of  the  regiment  tattered  and  torn  by  ball 
and  shell,  its  staff  riddled,  and  its  folds  in  shreds,  was  pre- 
sented to  Mrs.  Delia  Worth  Bingham,  wife  of  Captain  Robert 
Bingham,  Company  G,  by  the  Major  commanding,  as  a 
mark  of  respect  and  esteem  in  behalf  of  officers  and  men  to  a 
woman  who  had  won  their  affectionate  regard,  and  whose  hus- 
band had  ever  followed  it  with  fidelity  and  fortitude  upon 
every  field  where  it  waved.  Captain  Bingham,  whose  home 
is  in  Asheville,  1^.  C,  still  has  it  in  his  possession. 

Its  folds  shall  become  mouldy  with  the  lapse  of  years.  The 
time  will  come  when  the  Civil  War  shall  only  be  remembered 
as  a  shadow  of  days  long  passed,  but  the  memories  of  the 
great  deeds  of  the  sons  of  Carolina  who  followed  that  flag, 
and  who  sleep  in  unknown  graves  upon  the  fields  of  Northern 
Virginia,  shall  survive  unshaken  amidst  the  ruins  of  time. 

Chas.  M.  Stedman. 
Greensboro,  N.  C, 

April  9,  1901. 


PUBLIC  LIBR^R"? 


FORTY-FIFTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  Junius  Daniel,  Colonel.  5.    Andrew  J.  Boyd,  Lieut.-Colonel. 

2.  John  R.  Winston,  Colonel.  6.    Thomas  M.  Smith,  Major. 

8.    J.  Henry  Morehead,  Colonel.  7.    Samuel  C.  Rankin,  Captain,  Co.  K. 

4.    Samuel  Hill  Boyd,  Colonel.  8.    J".  A.  Roach,  Sergeant,  Co.  E. 

9.     C.  B.  Watson,  Sergeant,  Co.  K. 


FORTY-FIFTH  REGIMENT. 


j3y  CYRUS  B.  WATSON,  Second  Sergeant,  Company  K. 


ITS    ORGANIZATION. 

The  Forty-fifth  Regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Man- 
gum,  Raleigh,  'N.  C,  in  the  early  spring  of  1862,  with: 

Junius  Daniel,  Colonel,  of  Halifax  County. 

Jno.  Henky  Mokehead^  Lieutenant-Colonel,  of  Greens- 
boro, IT.  C. 

Andrew  J.  Boyd,  Major,  of  Rockingham. 
W.  M.  Hammond,  Adjutant,  of  Anson. 
Pryor  Reynolds,  A.  Q.  M.,  Rockingham. 
Dr.  Wm.  J.  Courts,  Surgeon,  of  Rockingham. 
Jno.  R.  Raine,  Assistant  Surgeon,  of  Rockingham. 
Rev.  E.  H.  Harding,  Chaplain,  of  Caswell  County. 

The  regiment  contained  ten  companies,  six  of  which  were 
organized  in  Rockingham  County,  one  in  Caswell,  two  in 
Guilford  and  one  in  Forsyth.  These  companies  were  en- 
listed and  organized  for  three  years'  service.  i\.t  the  time 
of  their  organization,  the  war  was  on  in  dead  earnest.  The 
first  battle  of  Manassas  had  been  fought  and  won ;  the  battles 
of  Forts  Henry  and  Donelson  had  been  fought  and  lost,  and 
the  capital  of  one  of  the  States  of  the  Confederacy  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  State  of  ISTorth  Carolina  had 
been  invaded ;  Fort  Macon  had  been  captured,  and  the  city 
of  New  Bern  was  occupied  by  the  Federal  forces.  The  au- 
thorities at  Washington  were  putting  forth  tremendous  en- 
ergies in  organizing  and  equipping  great  armies  for  the  sub- 
jugation of  the  seceding  States.  The  Confederate  Govern- 
ment at  Richmond,  to  meet  these  mighty  preparations,  had 
called  upon  the  States  of  the  South  for  more  troops. 

Thes^  ten  companies  were  raised  and  commanded  by  such 


36  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

men  as  Dr.  Jno.  W.  May,  of  Rockingham  County,  then 
nearly  50  years  of  age,  Captain  of  Company  A. 

Chas.  E.  Shober,  of  Greensboro,  Captain  of  Company  B, 
himself  fit  to  command  a  regiment. 

Jas.  T.  Morehead,  Jr.,  of  Greensboro,  Captain  of  Com- 
pany C,  afterwards  the  splendid  commander  of  the  Fifty- 
third  Regiment. 

Jno.  L.  Scales,  of  Rockingham,  Captain  of  Company  D, 
a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  splendid  ability. 

Samuel  H.  Boyd,  of  Rockingham,  Captain  of  Company  E, 
afterwards  Colonel  of  the  regiment  and  a  most  gallant  man. 

Jno.  R.  Winston,  of  Rockingham,  Captain  of  Company  F, 
a  man  who  afterw-ards  won  great  distinction  as  commander  of 
the  regiment. 

Jno.  H.  Dillard,  of  Rockingham,  Captain  of  Company  G, 
who  afterwards  filled  with  distinction  a  position  upon  the 
Supreme  Court  bench  of  the  State,  and  w^hose  qualities  of 
head  and  heart  fitted  him  for  any  position  he  might  be  called 
upon  to  fill. 

Dr.  Wm.  J.  Courts,  of  Rockingham,  Captain  of  (^ompany 
H.,  afterwards  Surgeon  of  the  Regiment. 

Thomas  McGehee  Smith,  of  Caswell,  Captain  of  Company 
I,  a  most  lovable  man,  afterwards  promoted  to  Major  and 
killed  while  commanding  the  regiment. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Hines,  of  Forsyth,  Captain  of  Company  K, 
whose  manly  qualities  and  unifomi  kindness  to  the  boy  sol- 
dier, the  writer  of  this  sketch,  who  served  under  him,  will  al- 
ways be  held  in  the  fondest  remembrance. 

Junius  Daniel,  the  first  Colonel  of  the  Regiment,  was  an 
ofiicer  in  the  old  army  and  a  gi\aduate  of  West  Point.  He 
was  transferred  from  the  command  of  the  Fourteenth  Regi- 
ment to  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment,  of  which  he  w-as  elected 
Colonel  upon  its  organization.  He  was  promoted  to  Briga- 
dier-General in  September,  1862,  and  commanded  Daniel's 
Brigade  with  conspicuous  ability  from  its  organization  in  the 
spring  of  1862,  until  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House  on 
12  May,  1864.  On  his  promotion^  Lieutenant-Colonel  J. 
Henry  Morehead,  of  Greensboro,  was  made  Colonel  of  the 
regiment.     He  was  a  fine  disciplinarian  and  did  much  before 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  37 

his  untimely  death  in  1863  in  qualifying  the  regiment  for 
the  ordeals  through  which  it  had  to  pass  along  its  subsequent 
march  to  imperishable  renown.  After  the  death  of  Colonel 
Morehead,  Samuel  H.  Boyd  became  Colonel  of  the  regiment. 
He  was  wounded  at  Gettysburg  and  left  on  the  field  a  pris- 
oner, and  remained  a  prisoner  of  war  until  exchanged  in 
May,  1864.  He  then  returned  to  the  army  and  took  com- 
mand of  the  regiment  on  17  May,  at  Spottsylvania ;  was 
killed  two  days  thereafter  while  gallantly  leading  his  regi- 
ment in  a  charge  upon  the  enemy's  line.  A  few  moments  be- 
fore the  charge,  in  which  he  lost  his  life,  he  received  a  gun- 
shot wound  in  the  arm.  He  had  his  arm  bandaged  with  his 
handkerchief  to  stop  the  flow  of  blood,  refused  to  leave  the 
field,  and  was  killed  as  above  stated. 

He  wore  a  bright,  new  uniform  in  this  battle,  was  about  six 
feet  four  inches  tall,  which  made  him  a  shining  mark  for  the 
enemy's  riflemen.  After  his  death  John  R.  Winston  became 
Colonel  of  the  regiment.  Mature  had  fashioned  him  for  a 
soldier.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  piety,  of  stem  integrity  and 
the  coolest  courage  in  battle.  He  was  often  wounded,  but 
rarely  left  the  field  because  of  wounds.  Was  wounded  and 
captured  at  Gettysbui'g  in  July,  1863,  carried  to  Johnson's 
Island  as  a  prisoner  of  war,  escaped  from  the  island  on  a  cold 
night  in  January,  1864,  walked  across  the  lake  on  the  ice  to 
the  Canadian  shore,  went  from  Canada  to  ISTassau,  from  there 
he  reached  a  Confederate  port  by  running  the  blockade,  and 
returned  to  the  regiment  in  time  for  the  campaign  of  1864. 
He  led  the  regiment  through  all  the  battles  of  the  Wilder- 
ness, Spotts^dvania  and  Cold  Harbor ;  was  then  transferred 
to  General  Early's  command  in  the  Valley,  advanced  with 
that  command  upon  Washington,  carried  his  regiment  in 
sight  of  the  Capitol,  fought  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Win- 
chester, Fisher's  Hill  and  Cedar  Creek,  and  in  the  last  two 
engagements,  held  the  regiment  in  line  until  most  of  Early's 
command  had  left  the  field.  After  the  Valley  campaign  wa.s 
over,  he  joined  the  army  of  General  Lee  at  Petersburg,  where 
he  remained  during  the  winter  of  1864  and  1865,  marched 
and  fought  to  Appomattox  Court  House  where  he  surren- 
dered with  the  army  of  his  great  Chieftain. 


38  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'05. 

Thomas  McGehee  Smith,  Major  of  the  regiment,  was  a 
splendid  officer,  beloved  by  the  men  of  the  regiment,  and  was 
killed  in  one  of  the  battles  near  Richmond  which  followed 
the  Spottsjlvania  campaign  of  1864. 

I  have  given  this  sketch  of  the  field  officers  of  the  regiment 
who  served  for  any  length  of  time  with  the  regiment.  Majo]* 
Andrew  J.  Bojd,  a  brother  of  Colonel  Samuel  H.  Boyd,  was 
promoted  from  Captain  of  Company  L,  of  the  Twenty-first 
Regiment,  but  did  not  long  remain  with  the  regiment.  Chas. 
E.  Shober  was  promoted  from  Captain  of  Company  B,  but  re- 
mained Major  of  the  regiment  only  a  short  time  until  he  be-' 
came  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Second  North  Carolina  Bat-" 
talion. 

In  approaching  the  difficult  task  assigned  me  of  writing  a 
true  historical  sketch  of  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment  in  this,  the 
year  1900,  thirty-five  years  after  the  regiment  laid  down  its 
arms  at  Appomattox  Court  House,  I  find  myself  involved  in 
gi'eat  difficulties.  Very  few  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment 
are  living.  In  looking  over  the  Roster  of  the  non-commis- 
sioned officers  of  the  various  companies,  I  find  that  they,  too, 
have  nearly  all  passed  away.  Among  the  surviving  private 
soldiers  of  the  various  companies,  there  are  very  few,  whose 
whereabouts  I  can  ascertain.  I  have  little  left  but  personal 
recollection. 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  men  who  composed  this  regiment 
were  drawn  from  four  contiguous  counties,  Forsyth,  Guil-' 
ford,  Rockingham  and  Caswell.  The  officers  who  organized, 
disciplined  and  prepared  them  for  war  were  such  as  would 
have  made  a  good  regiment  out  of  almost  any  material.  But 
the  men  themselves,  in  the  main,  would  have  made  good  sol- 
diers under  almost  any  circumstances.  The  rank  and  file  of 
the  regiment  was  composed  of  men  from  tlie  farm,  from  the 
shop,  from  the  school  room,  from  the  office,  from  mercantile 
pursuits,  in  fact  from  all  the  Avalks  of  life.  Many  of  thera 
were  without  property,  some  of  them  the  sons  of  the  wealthy, 
but  most  of  them  from  the  middle  classes.  I  knew  one  young 
private  who  was  the  owner  of  many  slaves  in  his  own  right. 

From  the  organization  of  the  regiment  in  the  early  spring 
of  1862  until  the  beginning  of  the  seven  days'  fight  beloW 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  39 

Richmond,  the  men  were  drilled  almost  incessantly.  They 
were  upon  the  drill  ground  upon  an  average  from  six  to 
eight  hours  each  day.  When  the  first  battle  opened  at  Me- 
chanicsville,  Daniel's  Brigade  was  in  camp  near  Petersburg. 
We  immediately  struck  tents  and  started  for  the  field ;  crossed 
the  James  on  a  pontoon  bridge  above  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  be^ 
came  a  part  of  the  division  of  General  Holmes.  The  brigade 
did  not  encounter  the  enemy  until  late  in  the  evening  of  30 
June.  We  marched  down  the  river  in  almost  blinding  dust 
until  we  reached  a  point  between  McClellan's  army,  then  en- 
gaged in  the  battle  of  Frazier's  Farm,  and  the  river. 

The  brigade  was  halted  and  the  command  was  given  for  the 
first  time  to  load  Avith  cartridges.  A  few  stray  balls  of  the 
enemy  were  falling  around  the  regiment.  While  the  regi- 
ment was  loading  its  guns,  a  field  battery  opened  fire  directly 
enfilading  the  line.  At  the  same  time  a  squadron  of  Confed- 
erate cavalry  stampeded  up  the  road,  threatening  to  trample 
us  under  the  feet  of  their  horses.  Just  at  this  moment,  two 
gunboats,  the  Galena  and  another  on  the  river  directly  behind 
the  line,  opened  fire  with  160  pounders.  This  was,  what  has 
always  seemed  to  me,  a  poor  way  to  break  in  a  raw  regiment. 
The  regiment  thought  so,  and  eight  companies  immediately 
broke  to  the  woods  and  "Stood  not  upon  the  order  of  their 
going."  Two  companies,  commanded  by  Captain  May  and 
Captain  Jno.  H.  Dillard,  rapidly  disappeared  up  the  lane. 
Just  as  these  eight  companies  climbed  out  of  the  road,  which 
was  lower  than  the  land  on  the  sides.  Private  Harrison  Green, 
of  Company  K,  was  killed  by  a  shell  from  one  of  the  gunboats 
and  fell  by  the  writer's  side.  Private  Jesse  Sapp,  of  Com- 
pany K,  was  run  over  and  permanently  disabled  by  the  horse 
of  a  frightened  cavalryman.  The  eight  companies  did  not  go 
far  until  they  recovered  from  their  fright,  formed  on  the  flag 
and  quietly  marched  back  to  a  position  near  the  point  where 
they  had  left  the  road,  each  man  with  his  mouth  full  of  ex- 
cuses for  having  lost  his  head.  Just  at  this  time  the  two  com- 
panies, commanded  by  Captains  May  and  Dillard,  came 
marching  down  the  lane  with  their  two  captains  in 
front  and  marched  up  to  Colonel  Daniel.  Captain  May 
saluted  the  Colonel  and  said  that  Companies  A  and  G  had 


40  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

misunderstood  the  order  and  had  marched  up  the  lane.  Colo- 
nel Daniel  replied,  with  a  smile  on  his  face:  "Yes,  Captain, 
I  saw  the  companies  march  \jp  the  lane  at  a  very  rapid  gait, 
and,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  their  two  Captains  were  making 
good  time,  and  in  front,"  which  created  a  langh  all  tlirough 
the  regiment,  the  two  Captains  joining  in  the  fun.  By  a  mis- 
take of  some  one,  our  division  that  evening  was  not  permitted 
to  engage  in  the  battle  of  Frazier's  Farm,  although  it  reached 
a  point  immediately  upon  tlie  enemy's  flank  in  time  to  have 
done  effective  service.  The  next  day  the  sanguinary  conflict 
of  Malvern  Ilill  raged  until  after  dark,  with  our  division 
again  on  the  enemy's  flank  and  under  the  enemy's  fire  with- 
out taking  any  active  part  in  that  engagement,  except  to 
endure  the  shelling  from  the  enemy's  guns.  It  was  not 
the  fault  of  "the  men  behind  the  guns."  Daniel's  Brigade, 
after  the  battle  of  Malvern  Hill,  returned  to  its  camp  near 
Petersburg.  It  remained  near  Petersburg  until  the  army 
started  on  its  march  to  ^laryland.  We  were  ordered  to 
Richmond  and  remained  in  the  city  one  day,  awaiting  trans- 
portation to  Culpepper.  The  enemy  made  a  demonstration 
on  Drewry's  Bhiti'  and  we  were  hurried  back  to  tluit  point.  We 
went  into  camp  immediately  in  the  rear  of  Fort  Darling, 
where  we  renuiined  until  ordered  to  T^orth  Carolina  in  the 
late  fall  of  1862.  The  In-igade  went  to  Ivinston ;  was  en- 
gaged through  the  spring  of  1862  in  marching  and  counter- 
marching in  the  country  between  Ivinston  and  Xew  Bern  and 
around  Washington  on  the  Tar  river,  under  General  D.  H. 
Hill ;  some  little  fighting,  but  none  worth  describing  here. 
We  returned  to  Kinston  in  time  to  have  reached  Fredericks- 
burg before  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  l)ut  were  delayed 
for  want  of  transportation  facilities,  and  arrived  at  Freder- 
icksburg just  after  the  liattle  had  closed  and  were  immedi- 
ately attached  to  General  Rodes'  Division  of  Ewell's  Corps. 
Early  in  June  the  army  broke  u])  camp  and  started  on 
the  memorable  Gettysburg  campaign.  The  first  excitement 
occurrcMl  over  the  great  cavalry  Icittle  of  Brandy  Station. 
The  brigade  double-cpiicked  from  ("'ulpepper  Court  House 
most  of  the  way  to  Brandy  Station  one  hot  evening,  going 
to  the  relief  of  General  Stuart,  l)ut  arrived  on  the  field  only 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  41 

in  time  to  receive  a  few  parting  shots  from  the  retreating  en- 
emy. The  next  morning  found  us  on  our  way  across  the 
mountains  marching  rapidly  toward  Winchester.  Rodes' 
Division  was  sent  to  Berryville,  where  it  had  a  slight  engage- 
ment, and  cut  oif  the  retreat  of  Milroy,  whose  entire  command 
fell  into  the  hands  of  General  Ewell  as  prisoners  of  w^ar  at 
Winchester.  Ewell's  Corps  innnediately  took  up  its  line  of 
march  into  Pennsylvania,  and  Rodes'  Division  went  as  far 
!N"orth  as  Carlisle,  Pa.  From  this  point  the  Brigade  turned 
back  in  the  direction  of  Gettysburg  and  arrived  on  that  field 
in  the  afternoon  of  1  July. 

BATTLE   OF   GETTYSBURG. 

I  was  not  present  with  my  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Get- 
tysburg. I  was  left  at  Front  Royal,  on  the  march  to  Gettys- 
burg, with  a  severe  attack  of  acute  pneumonia,  contracted 
from  lying  on  the  damp  ground  at  Brandy  Station,  after  the 
rapid  march  from  Culpepper,  before  alluded  to.  I  met  the 
regiment  on  its  return  between  Hagerstown,  ]\Id.,  and  Get- 
tysburg, in  command  of  a  Captain.  This  much  I  know,  when  I 
met  the  regiment  it  was  but  a  mere  skeleton  of  what  it  was 
when  it  left  me  at  Front  Royal. 

My  own  company  lost  seven  men  dead  on  the  field,  and 
lost  between  twenty-five  and  thirty  wounded,  including  all  of 
its  officers  save  one.  The  Gettysburg  Federal  Memorial  i^sso- 
ciation  in  1897  published  ''A  History  of  the  Gettysl^urg  Me- 
morial Association  with  an  Account  of  the  Battle,"  from 
Mdiich  I  quote  as  follows : 

"Another  of  Rodes'  Brigades,  Daniel's  jSTorth  Carolina, 
moved  past  the  front  of  Robinson's  Division,  and  while  the 
Fifty-third  Regiment  of  the  brigade,  with  the  Third  Alaba- 
ma of  O'^N^eal's,  which  had  been  detached  from  its  brigade, 
and  the  Twelfth  Xorth  Carolina,  of  Iverson's,  attacked  the 
Seventy-sixth  iSTew  York,  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania  and  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-seventh  j^ew  York,  of  Cutler's  Brigade, 
on  left  of  Robinson,  Daniel's  other  regiment — the  Thirty- 
second,  Forty-fifth,  Second  Battalion  and  the  Forty-third — 
moved  further  to  the  right  around  to  the  railroad  cut,  and 
attacked  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-third  and  One  Hun- 


42  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

dred  and  Forty-ninth  Pennsylvania,  of  Stone's  Brigade, 
which  regiments  had  been  withdrawn  from  their  first  position 
and  placed  along  the  Chamhersburg  Pike  to  meet  this  attack. 
These  regiments  were  from  the  lumber  region  of  Pennsylva- 
nia and  were  expert  riflemen,  and  the  vollies  with  which 
they  greeted  Daniel's  men  were  said  by  the  Confederate  offi- 
cers to  have  been  the  most  destructive  they  ever  witnessed." 

The  same  account  of  the  battle,  in  giving  a  table  of  losses, 
shows  that  these  two  Pennsylvania  Regiments  lost  589  men 
out  of  a  total  of  915.  While  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment  and 
the  Second  North  Carolina  Battalion  (six  companies),  lost 
that  day  nearly  400  men.  After  rei'rossing  the  Potomac,  I 
remember  that  General  Daniel  inspected  the  regiment,  pass- 
ing down  the  line  inquiring  after  the  condition  of  cartridges, 
we  having  waded  the  Potomac  the  night  before.  I  remember 
hearing  him  ask  Captain  Hopkins,  who  commanded  the  reg- 
iment, ''How  many  Rockingham  companies  are  there  in  the 
regiment?"  He  answered,  ''Six."  The  General  replied, 
"Rockingham  county  has  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  record 
made  by  the  regiment  at  Gettysburg." 

After  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  we  returned  to  the  south 
side  of  the  Rapidan,  after  many  days  of  hot  and  toilsome 
marching,  and  went  into  camp  near  Orange  Court  House,  and 
finally  moved  down  the  river  to  Morton's  Ford,  In  the  fall 
we  left  camp,  marched  to  Madison  Court  House,  turned  the 
flank  of  General  Meade,  and  started  on,  what  appeared  to  be, 
a  foot  race  after  Meade's  army  retreating  toward  Washing- 
ton. We  overtook  Meade  at  Bristoe  Station  just  at  sunset, 
after  having  been  engaged  in  a  running  fight  which  lasted 
all  day.  The  battle  of  Bristoe  Station  ended  disastriously  to 
us  but  Gen.  Meade  continued  his  retreat  toward  Washington. 
After  a  day  or  two's  rest,  we  slowly  returned  to  the  south 
bank  of  the  Ttapp:diannock  river  and  went  into  camp,  as  we 
thought,  for  the  winter.  Shortly  afterwards,  after  some 
sharp  skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  we  retired  across  the 
Rapidan  and  again  took  up  our  old  (piarters  near  Morton's 
Ford.  Winter  being  now  upon  us,  we  thought  all  fighting 
was  over  for  the  year  lSfi3,  but  shortly  afterwards.  General 
Meade,  not  satisfied  with  the  result  of  the  recent  campaign. 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  43 

threw  his  army  across  the  Rapidan.  We  hastened  down  to 
confront  him,  and  for  several  days  skirmished  and  fought  by 
day  and  built  breastworks  by  night  in  severe  winter,  until 
the  enemy,  finding  that  it  was  impossible  to  fight  us  to  ad- 
vantage, fell  back  across  the  river,  and  both  armies  returned 
to  their  quarters  to  remain  during  the  winter.  Each  com- 
mander immediately  engaged  in  filling  up  the  ranks  of  the 
depleted  regiments,  preparing  for  the  dreadful  conflict  that 
was  to  open  up  in  the  spring  of  1864. 

THE    WILDERNESS   AND    SPOTTSYLVANIA    COURT    HOUSE. 

In  the  afternoon  of  4  May,  the  regiment  abandoned  its 
winter  quarters  and  started  on  the  march  to  meet  General 
Grant,  the  new  commander  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  At 
nightfall  we  went  into  camp  in  ^'The  Wilderness."  On  the 
morning  of  the  5th,  after  a  hurried  breakfast,  we  took  up  the 
line  of  march,  and  within  a  very  short  time,  were  halted  and 
drawn  up  in  line  of  battle.  It  was  a  beautiful  May  morning. 
We  began  to  advance  in  line,  having  been  informed  that  we 
had  some  of  our  troops  in  front  of  us.  We  could  hear  the 
scattering  picket  fire  to  the  left  and  right.  Suddenly  we  heard, 
what  appeared  to  be  a  heavy  volley  of  musketry  a  few  hundred 
yards  in  front  of  us.  Soon  the  woods  were  filled  with  de- 
moralized men  and  we  ascertained  that  the  lines  of  Jones' 
Brigade  had  been  broken,  and  that  the  regiments  composing 
the  brigade  were  quitting  the  field  in  the  utmost  confusion. 
We  halted  and  let  the  men  pass  through  our  ranks.  We  were 
presently  informed  by  the  Colonel  of  one  of  the  regiments 
that  the  brigade  had  broken  at  the  first  fire  of  the  enemy,  and 
that  its  commander,  the  brave  General  Jones,  had  refused  to 
retreat  with  the  men  and  had  remained  on  the  line  until 
shot  down.  As  soon  as  the  way  in  front  had  been  cleared, 
we  heard  the  voice  of  our  brigade  commander,  General 
Junius  Daniel,  give  the  command,  "Attention,  Battalions ! 
Battalions  forward,  the  center  the  battalion  of  direction, 
march !"  The  brigade  moved  for^vard  at  a  quick  step 
through  the  underbrush,  just  budding  into  spring  life. 
We  had  not  advanced  far  until,  without  notice,  a  white 
volume  of  smoke  burst  through  the  thick  bushes,  rendered 


44  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801 -'05. 

thicker  by  the  interlacing  haniboo  briers  that  had  grown  up 
in  a  little  depression  of  the  earth,  parallel  with  our  line,  fal- 
lowed with  an  almost  deafening  crash  of  musketry.  We  had 
not,  up  to  this  moment,  seen  an  enemy.  The  aim  was  too 
high  and  hardly  a  man  in  the  regiment  was  touched.  With- 
out waiting  for  a  command,  every  gun  was  leveled,  and  into 
the  line  of  smoke  we  poured  a  terrible  volley,  and,  with  a 
shout,  Avent  at  them.  On  reacliing  a  little  narrow  thicket, 
which,  with  clubbed  muskets,  was  instantly  leveled,  we  dis- 
covered a  thin  line  of  the  enemy  in  full  retreat,  with  the 
dead  and  wounded  lying  before  our  eyes,  indicating  that 
something  like  half  of  the  line  of  battle  had  fallen  at  our  first 
fire.  On  went  the  brigade  in  a  full  run.  Presently  we  ap- 
proached a  small  opening  containing  only  a  few  acres  of 
cleared  land. 

In  this  was  placed  a  battery  of  guns  which  opened  upon  us 
as  soon  as  the  fleeing  enemy  had  passed  beyond.  They  had 
time  to  fire  but  once.  Down  the  little  slope  the  brigade 
rushed  past  the  guns.  At  this  point  we  received,  at  short 
range,  the  fire  of  a  new  line  of  the  enemy,  concealed  in  the 
pines  beyond.  The  brigade  halted,  the  men  dropped  on  their 
knees  and  engaged  in  a  conflict,  the  length  of  which  I  liave  no 
means  of  knowing.  This  fight  continued  until  both  lines 
had  suffered  severely,  and,  as  if  by  common  consent,  our  line 
withdrew  to  the  edge  of  the  woods  from  which  it  had  emerg- 
ed, while  the  enemy  went  in  the  opposite  direction.  Shortly 
afterwards  the  position  we  held  was  given  to  another  brigade 
and  our  l>rigade  was  permitted  to  retire  a  few  hundred  yards 
and  rest.  We  had  lost  heavily.  The  battle  was  then  raging 
all  along  the  line  of  Ewell's  Corps  and  continued  until  after 
nightfall.  In  the  darkness  we  arranged  our  lines  and  worked 
most  of  the  night  throwing  up  earth  works.  Early  the  next 
morning  the  firing  betw^een  the  picket  lines  began.  From 
time  to  time  during  the  day  we  sent  forward  men  to 
strengthen  the  picket  line.  This  picket  fire  continued  all 
day  with  a  light  fire  of  artillery  at  intervals.  During  this 
day,  the  6th  of  May,  the  dreadful  fight  was  raging  on  our 
right  between  the  Corps  <^f  Hill  and  Longstreet  and  the 
greater  part  of  Grant's  army.     We  remained  in  our  position 


Forty- Fifth  Regiment.  45 

during  the  night  of  the  6th  and  all  day  of  the  7th  with  con- 
tinued heavy  picket  and  artillery  firing.  Early  in  the  night 
of  the  7th  we  moved  out  by  the  right  flank,  having  been  cau- 
tioned to  make  as  little  noise  as  possible,  and  commenced 
what  turned  out  to  be,  a  hurried  flank  movement  to  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court  House.  We  marched  all  night,  and  the  whole  of 
the  next  day,  and  in  the  afternoon  heard  heavy  firing  in  the 
direction  of  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  We  hurried  on. 
Now  and  then  we  passed  through  sections  where  the  woods 
were  on  fire  and  would  become  enveloped  in  choking  smoke, 
but  nothing  delayed  us.  Late  in  the  afternoon,  as  we  were 
approaching  the  field  where  Longstreet's  Corps,  now"  com- 
manded by  General  Anderson,  was  engaged  in  an  unequal 
fight  with  the  assaulting  columns  of  the  enemy,  the  march 
became  more  hurried,  frequently  breaking  into  a  double- 
quick.  The  afternoon  was  hot.  The  men,  worn  out  by  the 
long  march  and  from  loss  of  sleep,  were  dropping  exhausted 
along  the  way.  A  little  before  sunset,  and  as  we  reached  a 
point  almost  in  range  of  the  enemy's  rifles,  but  in  the  rear 
of  Longstreet's  right,  we  were  halted,  the  regiment  closed  up 
and  ordered  to  a  front.  General  Daniel  dashed  along  on 
horseback  in  front  of  the  brigade,  halting  in  the  center  of 
each  regiment,  and  announced  that  Longstreet's  Corps  had 
for  hours  been  successfully  resisting  the  repeated  attacks  of 
the  enemy  that  had  been  thrown  against  him  in  almost  over- 
whelming numbers ;  that  we  were  now  in  half  mile  of  his  ex- 
treme right ;  that  the  enemy  would,  within  a  few  minutes, 
turn  his  flank  and  get  possession  of  a  most  favorable  posi- 
tion unless  we  arrived  in  time  to  prevent  it ;  that  the  only 
question  was  whether  we  should  arrive  in  time  to  save  the 
position  or  retake  it  after  it  had  been  secured  by  the  enemy. 
This  only  occupied  a  few  minutes,  but  it  gave  the  tired  men 
these  few  minutes  to  recover  breath. 

The  announcement  of  General  Daniel  was  greeted  by  each 
regiment  with  a  shout.  The  brigade  was  ordered  into 
column,  and,  in  a  rapid  run,  we  passed  the  last  regiment  on 
Longstreet's  right  and  discovered  that  the  splendid  brigade  of 
General  Ramseur,  the  front  brigade  in  our  corps,  had  passed 
Longstreet's  last  regiment,  had  turned  by  the  left  flank,  and 


46  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

was  moving  forward  in  a  beautiful  line  to  meet  the  enemy 
that  had  just  arrived  and  was  advancing  to  turn  Longstreet's 
right.  Our  brigade  pressed  on  until  its  last  regiment  had 
passed  General  Ramseur's  right,  when  it,  in  turn,  halted  and 
closed  up  its  ranks,  fronted,  and  under  the  immediate  eye  of 
General  Eodes,  our  commander,  who  had  by  this  time  ar- 
rived on  the  spot,  raised  a  yell  and  dashed  at  the  enemy.  In 
rapid  succession  the  brigades  of  Generals  Doles  and  Battle 
passed  in  our  rear,  and  with  a  similar  movement  turned  the 
enemy's  flank,  whose  whole  advancing  line  was  driven  back. 
The  fight  continued  in  the  woods  until  after  nightfall,  the  two 
respective  lines  firing  at  the  flash  of  the  adversary's  guns. 
Slowly  the  firing  ceased,  the  litter-bearers  came  in  along  the 
line  and  bore  away  the  wounded.  The  dead,  for  the  time,  and 
in  many  instances  perhaps  for  all  time,  were  left  undisturbed 
where  they  fell. 

THE  HORSE  SHOE. 

Soon  after  the  firing  ceased,  our  lines  were  drawn  back 
for  a  short  distance  and  preparations  for  the  next  day's  fight 
were  begun.  A  sergeant  from  each  regiment  of  our  brigade 
was  called  for  and  assembled  at  brigade  headquarters.  I 
was  detailed  as  one.  We  were  placed  in  charge  of  Captain 
W.  L.  London,  now  of  Pittsboro,  IST.  C,  (and  I  could  write 
many  pages  about  the  courage  and  faithfulness  of  this  staff 
officer).  Captain  London  carried  us  forward  in  the  dark, 
and  selected,  what  appeared  to  be,  the  highest  point  of  a  low 
ridge  between  the  lines.  He  posted  us,  one  at  a  place,  along 
the  crest  of  this  low  ridge,  until  he  had  posted  each  guide 
about  the  length  of  a  regiment  apart,  giving  each  instructions 
to  remain  in  the  pine  thicket  where  we  were  placed,  "until 
we  heard  the  signal  come  down  the  line  from  our  right,"  and 
then  to  take  it  up  and  repeat  it  as  often  as  it  came,  until  the 
regiment  formed  upon  us.  In  leaving  the  place  where  I 
stood.  Captain  London  cautioned  me  not  to  sit  down,  for  fear 
I  might  go  to  sleep,  but  to  stand  and  rest  upon  my  gun.  I 
must  have  stood  there  for  more  than  an  hour  listening  to  the 
strange  cries  of  the  wounded,  doubtless  of  both  armies,  some 
begging  for  water,  and  one  poor  fellow,  as  I  remember,  who 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  47 

had  perhaps  been  wounded  in  the  head,  was  delirious,  and 
now  and  then  would  change  his  cries  and  groans  into  a  sound 
like  the  bark  of  a  dog.  After  what  seemed  to  me  a  long 
time,  I  heard  away  on  my  right  coming  down  the  line,  a  low 
"Halloo."  This  passed  down  the  line  and  continued  until  we 
heard  the  tramp  of  the  regiments  as  they  came  up  and  formed 
upon  us.  This  was  doubtless  done  all  along  most  of  the 
lines  of  Ewell's  Corps,  and  done  in  many  places  in  the  dark- 
ness of  a  pine  thicket.  I  have  never  been  able  to  account  for 
the  forming  of  this  salient,  which  was  soon  to  become  what  is 
known  as  the  historic  "Bloody  Angle,"  except  in  this  way ; 
we  threw  up  breastworks  all  night,  and,  when  daylight  came^ 
we  found  that  a  part  of  our  division,  and  perhaps  all  of 
Johnson's  Division  and  a  part  of  Hill's  men,  were  occu- 
pying breastworks  formed  in  the  shape  of  a  horse  shoe, 
with  the  toe  upon  elevated  ground  and  the  sides  running  back 
to  the  caulks,  which  were  not,  as  I  now  see  the  ground,  more 
than  500  yards  apart. 

All  day  of  the  9th  we  encountered  a  deadly  fire  from  the 
sharpshooters  and  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  from  the  enemy, 
to  which  we  replied  in  kind.  This  died  away  after  nightfall 
and  was  renewed  in  more  aggravated  form  on  the  morning 
of  the  10th,  and  continued  until  late  in  the  afternoon.  Sud- 
denly, at  about  an  hour  by  sun,  the  enemy  broke  from  cover 
to  our  right,  and  poured  in  overwhelming  numbers  upon  the 
line  occupied  by  General  Doles'  Georgians.  These  gallant 
men  were  overpowered  by  sheer  force  of  numbers  and  driven 
from  the  works.  The  enemy  poured  through  the  breach, 
captured  quite  a  number  of  men  on  the  extreme  right  of  our 
brigade;  forced  the  brigade  to  retire  to  avoid  the  enfilading 
fire,  and  caused  us  the  temporary  loss  of  sixteen  pieces  of 
artillery.  Our  brigade  slowly  fell  back  firing  as  it  retreated, 
the  enemy  advancing  and  taking  possession  of  our  abandoned 
guns.  In  a  short  time  we  were  in  line  at  right  angles  to  the 
works ;  the  enemy  massing  in  great  numbers  in  our  front.  It 
seemed  even  to  the  eye  of  a  private  soldier  that  a  dangerous 
crisis  was  upon  us.  Suddenly  a  single  horseman  came  dash- 
ing up  to  the  rear  of  our  regiment.  He  was  instantly  recog- 
nized by  the  men  who  saw  him,  as  General  Ewell,  our  corps 


48  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

coininaiKk'r.  lie  had  outstripped  his  staff  officers  who  were 
following-  him,  but  not  then  in  sight.  He  luilted  in  the  rear 
of  the  Forty-lif  th  Keginient,  and  called  out,  "Don't  run  boys ; 
I  will  have  enough  men  here  in  five  minutes  to  eat  up  every 
d — d  one  of  them."  His  eyes  were  almost  green.  The  line 
steadied  and  poured  volley  after  volley  into  the  enemy. 
Presently  we  heard  a  yell  up  the  line  in  our  rear  as  we  stood, 
and  Battle's  Brigade  of  Alabamians  were  seen  coming  to  our 
support.  They  ran  down  the  line  by  us.  We  raised  a  yell 
and  dashed  forward.  jS^ow,  what  became  of  Battle's  men, 
whether  they  passed  around  us  forming  a  line  parallel  with 
the  works  and  then  charged  with  us,  I  cannot  tell.  I  did  not 
then  know.  I  only  know  that  we  went  forward  in  a  full  run ; 
found  the  enemy  standing  where  we  had  left  our  batteries ; 
the  gnins  all  withdrawn  from  their  embrasures,  turned  upon 
us,  but  not  firing,  while  the  infantry  fired  into  our  faces. 
They  stood  their  ground  until  there  were  but  a  few  paces  be- 
tAveen  the  lines.  A  fine-looking  Federal  officer  stood  in  the 
front  of  their  line  wuth  drawn  saber,  encouraging  his  men. 
He  fell  dead,  within  a  few  paces  of  the  writer,  shot  through 
the  neck.  I  ascertained  the  next  morning  that  his  name  was 
Colonel  Huling,  of  the  Sixth  or  Seventh  Maine  Regiment, 
temporarily  connnanding  the  front  brigade  in  this  assault.  He 
was  a  brave  fellow  and  deserved  a  better  fate.  When  he  fell, 
his  men  breaking  in  confusion  leaped  over  the  breastworks, 
and  we  went  in  near  the  same  place  we  had  left  them.  My  re- 
collection is  that  these  lines  were  restored  by  our  brigade.  Bat- 
tle's Alabama  Brigade,  one  or  two  regiments  from  Bamseur's 
Brigade  and  a  part  of  the  brigade  of  General  B.  D.  Johnston. 
But  I  reiiKMubor  well  that  a  few  days  thereafter,  we  had  in 
the  company  a  Richmond  paper,  giving  an  account  of  the 
battle  as  connnunicated  by  an  army  correspondent,  as  having 
been  won  and  the  lost  line  recovered  by  certain  Virginia 
brigades ;  this,  indeed,  was  (]uite  a  common  thing  with  the 
Richmond  papers.  As  we  recaptured  the  line  the  brave  artil- 
lerymen, one  company  of  which  was  the  Richmond  Howitz- 
ers, as  fine  a  body  of  men  as  ever  wore  a  uniform,  rushed 
up  with  rannners  in  hand ;  wheeled  the  guns  to  their  places 
and  commenced  pouring  canister  into  the  ranks  of  the  re- 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  49 

treating  foe.  We  then  saw  why  it  was  that  we  had  not  been 
fired  upon  by  our  own  guns.  The  artillerymen  had  carried 
away  the  rammers.  Thus  ended  the  bloody  engagement  of 
10  May.  The  gTound  was  covered  with  the  dead  and 
wounded  from  both  armies.  The  gallant  Colonel  Brabble,  of 
the  Thirty-second  ]^orth  Carolina,  of  our  brigade,  was  among 
the  former. 

If  space  permitted,  I  would  be  glad  here  to  give  instances 
of  individual  acts  of  heroism  witnessed  by  me  in  this  and 
subsequent  engagements  in  this  bloody  angle.  The  morning 
after  this  fight,  I  was  asked  by  a  wounded  Sergeant  belong- 
ing to  the  Sixth  Maine  Regiment,  to  help  him  down  under 
the  hill  where  he  would  not  be  exposed  to  the  artillery  fire 
from  his  own  batteries.  I  did  so,  and  made  him  as  comfort- 
able as  I  could.  I  filled  his  canteen  with  water,  and  learned 
from  him  the  name  and  rank  of  the  officer  killed  the  evening 
before.  I  observed  among  the  enemy's  dead  inside  our  lines, 
what  I  thought  was  an  unusual  proportion  of  non-commis- 
sioned officers.  I  asked  this  Sergeant  how  this  happened. 
He  answered  that  the  evening  before,  just  before  his  brigade 
led  the  assaulting  column  upon  our  works,  that  this  same  Col- 
onel Huling  addressed  the  regiments  of  the  brigade ;  re- 
minded them  that  during  the  preceding  battles  many  com- 
pany officers  had  been  killed  or  permanently  disabled,  and 
that  he  expected  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  non-commissioned  of- 
ficers of  the  brigade  and  see  to  it  that  commissions  should  be 
given  the  deserving  ones.  He  said :  "We  came  in  front 
looking  for  promotion,  and  you  see  the  result."  He  himself 
had  a  badly  shattered  leg  below  the  knee.  The  11th  of  May 
passed  with  nothing  more  than  heavy  skirmishing  and  severe 
artillery  firing  at  intervals.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the 
11th,  General  Rodes  placed  our  brigade  at  the  right  of  the 
division  and  in  the  space  previously  occupied  by  General 
Doles.  The  brigade  took  this  as  a  compliment,  and  General 
Daniel,  soon  after  the  brigade  was  so  placed,  passed  down 
the  line  behind  the  men  and  said  to  ns :  "I  want  you  boys 
to  remember  that  if  the  enemy  come  over  these  breastworks 
today,  you  are  to  receive  them  on  your  bayonets." 
4 


50  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

The  night  of  tho  11th  was  dark  and  drizzly.  We  sat  with 
guns  in  hand  the  entire  night,  with  a  man  to  eaeh  company 
whose  business  it  was  to  see  that  the  men  kept  awake.  We 
were  so  near  the  enemy's  lines  that  I  heard  them  knocking 
open  cracker  boxes  and  heard  them  call  to  the  men  to  come 
and  get  their  rations  (giving  '*a''  the  long  sound).  We  could 
hear,  during  the  night,  the  sound  of  axes.  They  were  evi- 
dently engaged  in  clearing  away  the  pine  bushes  near  the  toe 
of  the  horse  shoe  to  unmask  their  batteries.  Just  as  the  light 
was  beginning  to  show  on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  we  heard 
a  sharp  rattle  of  musketry  away  to  the  right,  and  suddenly 
the  enemy  came  rushing  over  the  line  of  works  occupied  by 
Edward  Johnson's  Division.  They  did  not  come  in  front  of 
our  brigade.  The  Forty-fifth  Regiment  occupied  the  posi- 
tion at  the  extreme  right  of  the  brigade  next  to  Johnson's 
Division.  It  seemed  to  me  then,  as  I  remember  now,  that 
they  captured  almost  the  entire  division  down  to  the  extreme 
left,  and  up  to  our  right.  I  saw  very  few  men  go  to  the  rear. 
We  instantly  sprang  to  our  guns  at  the  first  firing.  Our 
brave  brigade  commander  came  running  up  the  line  from 
near  the  center  of  the  brigade  to  our  regiment  and  observed 
that  the  enemy  on  our  immediate  right  was  confused  in  gath- 
ering up  prisoners.  He  called  the  regiment  to  attention; 
gave  the  command,  "About  face,"  and,  as  I  remember,  moved 
the  regiment  at  a  right  wheel,  thus  turning  the  regiment 
upon  a  pivot  on  the  left  company,  and  in  this  movement 
threw  our  backs  to  the  enemy.  While  we  were  executing 
this  movement,  we  were  ordered  to  fire  to  the  rear,  which  we 
did  as  rapidly  as  we  could.  When  we  had  reached  a  point  at 
almost  right  angles  Avith  the  works,  we  were  halted,  ordered 
to  about  face,  where  we  stood  for  a  minute  or  two  firing  into 
the  enemy's  lines  enfilading  them.  We  were  shortly  com- 
manded to  right  face  and  double-quick,  the  brigade  following 
us.  This  threw  us  partly  across  the  lines  between  the  two 
•caulks  of  the  horse  shoe,  perhaps  half  the  brigade  occupy- 
ing that  position.  In  the  meantime  the  battalion  of  artil- 
lery, down  the  line  to  our  left,  drew  their  guns  from  the 
breastworks  and  threw  them  into  line  about  fifty  yards  to  our 
rear,  in  a  position  several  feet  higher  than  the  position  we 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  51 

occupied.  We  dropped  upon  our  knees  and  opened  fire  upon 
the  enemy,  every  man  loading  and  firing  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble. Immediately  the  artillery  in  our  rear  opened  fire  over 
our  heads.  For  a  little  while  the  rush  of  canister  and  shrap- 
nel above  us  seemed  dangerous,  but  the  conflict  was  on  and 
in  a  short  time  we  became  accustomed  to  it.  By  the  time 
the  prisoners  of  Johnson's  Division  had  been  disposed  of,  the 
enemy  in  unbroken  lines  reaching  back  as  far  as  we  could 
Bee,  came  sweeping  on  in  our  front,  but  this  combined  fire  of 
infantry  and  artillery  was  more  than  human  flesh  could  stand 
and  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  reach  our  line.  The  first 
men  that  came  to  our  assistance  was  that  brigade  of  North 
Carolinians  commanded  by  the  peerless  Ramseur.  This 
brigade  always  seemed  to  be  in  the  right  place  at  the  right 
time.  It  came  up  and  formed  on  our  right,  as  I  remember, 
in  an  open  field,  lay  down  for  a  moment,  but  soon,  at  the 
command  of  its  leader,  sprang  up  and  dashed  forward  into 
the  horse  shoe.  For  a  moment  it  seemed  to  me  our  brigade 
ceased  firing  and  held  its  breath  as  these  men  went  forward, 
apparently  into  the  very  jaws  of  death.  They  were  soon  en- 
veloped in  smoke,  which  the  heavy  atmosphere  of  a  misty 
morning  caused  to  linger  over  the  field.  Now,  from  this 
time  until  dark  I  know  nothing  of  what  took  place,  except  that 
which  occurred  in  my  immediate  neighborhood.  Without 
moving  at  times  for  hours,  we  fired  into  the  advancing 
columns  of  the  enemy  who  were  trying  to  carry  our  position, 
while  Ramseur's  Brigade,  and  doubtless  many  other  brigades, 
were  fighting  on  our  right.  We  made  during  the  day  during 
the  little  intervals  between  the  enemy's  assaults,  a  little 
temporary  protection  composed  of  fence  rails,  poles  and 
earth,  behind  which  w^e  sat  on  our  knees  and  fired.  We  went 
in  with  sixty  rounds  of  cartridges  each.  This  supply  of 
ammunition  was  replenished  from  time  to  time  during  the 
day.     How  many  rounds  were  fired  no  man  knew. 

The  pine  saplings  standing  at  intervals  in  the  field  in  front 
of  us  and  along  on  the  sides  of  the  old  breastworks  of  John- 
son's Division,  were  torn  and  shattered  by  minie  balls.  The 
enemy  would  take  shelter  sometimes  behind  the  captured 
works,  which  formed  an  acute  angle  with  the  line  we  occupied 


52  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

and  several  times  during  the  day  I  saw  pine  saplings  perhaps 
six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter,  finally  bend,  break  and  fall, 
from  the  fire  of  musketry  aimed  at  the  top  of  the  breast- 
works. From  some  point  along  this  line,  the  stump  of  a 
white  oak,  perhaps  ten  inches  or  more  in  diameter,  that  was 
cut  down  in  this  way,  during  the  day,  was  taken  up  by  the 
Federal  forces  after  the  battle  and  carried  to  Washington, 
and  is  there  now  presented  to  show  the  efl^ect  of  the  mus- 
ketry fire.  There  was  not  a  moment,  as  I  now  remember, 
from  daylight  in  the  morning  until  long  after  dark  that  the 
battle  did  not  rage  in  this  horse  shoe.  The  fire  of  the  en- 
emy's artillery  from  the  higher  ground  near  the  toe  of  the 
horse  shoe,  and  also  from  the  right  where  Hill's  men 
fought,  was  terrific  the  entire  day.  Just  after  a  severe 
cannonading,  I  heard  General  Daniel,  who  was  sitting  at  the 
root  of  a  little  tree  in  the  rear  of  my  company  with  watch 
in  hand,  say  to  Captain  London:  ''London,  how  does  this  ar- 
tillery fire  compare  with  the  second  day  at  Gettysburg."  I 
do  not  remember  Captain  London's  reply,  but  General  Dan- 
iel continuing,  said :  "I  have  been  holding  my  watch  and 
counting  the  shells  as  they  came  into  these  lines,  and  part  of 
the  time  they  have  averaged  more  than  one  hundred  to  the 
minute."  I  do  not  think  I  am  mistaken  in  my  figures.  When 
night  came  on,  the  tired  regiments  fell  asleep  upon  the  wet 
ground.  The  men  were  in  no  condition  to  sit  up  and  discuss 
the  losses.  We  knew  that  General  Daniel  had  been  borne 
from  the  field  mortally  wounded.  We  knew  that  two  senior 
Colonels  succeeding  him  in  command  of  the  brigade  during 
the  day  had  also  fallen,  and  that  when  night  came  on  the 
brigade  was  in  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Jas.  T.  More- 
head,  of  the  Fifty-third  Regiment.  After  the  night's  sleep, 
the  soldiers  looked  about  tliem  and  found  that  our  losses  had 
been  terrific. 

The  next  morning  we  occupied  a  new  intrenched  line  that 
had  been  fortified  during  the  night,  by  whom  I  know  not,  and 
we  were  again  ready  for  the  enemy.  There  was  little  fight- 
ing of  any  consequence  along  our  part  of  the  line  until  the 
morning,  as  I  remember,  of  the  16th,  when  the  enemy  ad- 
vanced just  at  daylight  in  heavy  forces,  but  were  easily 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  53 

driven  back  without  much  loss  on  our  side.  On  the  17th  or 
18th  and  after  the  enemy  had  drawn  back  their  line  into  the 
woods,  giving  up  the  entire  field  where  the  conflict  raged  on 
the  12th,  I  asked  permission  of  Lieutenant  Frank  Erwin, 
commanding  my  company,  to  pass  the  picket  line  and  go  over 
into  this  angle  to  make  observations.  It  was  a  bright  May 
day.  There  was  no  fighting  on  any  part  of  the  line,  and  by 
his  permission  I  went.  The  pickets  permitted  me  to  pass, 
and  I  went  over  the  breastworks  to  that  portion  of  the  field 
which  had  been  occupied  by  our  brigade,  and  then 
to  the  right,  to  the  position  which  had  been  occupied  by 
Eamseur's  Brigade.  On  my  arrival  in  this  angle,  I 
could  well  see  why  the  enemy  had  withdrawn  their  lines. 
The  stench  was  almost  unbearable.  There  Avere  dead 
artillery  horses  in  considerable  numbers  that  had  been  killed 
on  the  10th  and  in  the  early  morning  of  the  12th. 
Along  these  lines  of  breastworks  where  the  earth  had  been 
excavated  to  the  depth  of  one  or  two  feet  and  thrown  over, 
making  the  breastworks,  I  found  these  trenches  filled  with 
water  (for  there  had  been  much  rain)  and  in  this  water  lay 
the  dead  bodies  of  friend  and  foe  commingled,  in  many  in- 
stances one  lying  across  the  other,  and  in  one  or  more  in- 
stances I  saw  as  many  as  three  lying  across  one  another. 
All  over  the  field  lay  the  dead  of  both  armies  by  hundreds, 
many  of  them  torn  and  mangled  by  shells.  Many  of  the 
bodies  swollen  out  of  all  proportion,  some  with  their  guns 
yet  grasped  in  their  hands.  Now  and  then  one  could  be  seen 
covered  with  a  blanket,  which  had  been  placed  over  him  by  a 
comrade  after  he  had  fallen. 

These  bodies  were  decaying.  The  water  was  red,  almost 
black  with  blood.  Offensive  flies  were  everywhere.  The 
trees,  saplings  and  shrubs  were  torn  and  shattered  beyond 
description ;  guns,  some  of  them  broken,  bayonets,  canteens 
and  cartridge  boxes  were  scattered  about,  and  the  whole  scene 
was  such  that  no  pen  can,  or  ever  will  describe  it.  I  have 
seen  many  fields  after  severe  confiicts,  but  no  where  have  I 
seen  anything  half  so  ghastly.  I  returned  to  my  company 
and  said  to  old  man  Thomas  Carroll,  a  private  in  the  com- 
pany, who  was  frying  meat  at  the  fire,  "You  would  have 
saved  rations  by  going  with  me,  for  I  will  have  no  more  appe- 


64  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

tite  for  a  Avcck."  On  tlie  19th  our  corps  marched  in  the  af- 
ternoon around  the  enemy's  right,  crossed  one  of  the  prongs  of 
the  Mattapony  River,  and  attacked  the  enemy  on  his  right 
flank  and  rear.  We  carried  no  artillery,  and,  as  it  happened, 
that  which  we  had  hoped  would  be  a  successful  surprise  to  the 
enemy  turned  out  to  be  a  desperate  and  unsuccessful  battle. 
We  found  a  large  body  of  fresh  troops  coming  up  as  re- 
inforcements from  Fredericksburg.  We  attacked  them.  The 
engagement  began  perhaps  two  hours  by  sun  and  lasted  until 
in  the  night,  and  under  cover  of  darkness  our  corps  returned 
to  its  former  position.  In  this  engagement  our  regiment  suf- 
fered severely.  The  Colonel  of  our  regiment,  the  brave 
Samuel  H.  Boyd,  was  killed  while  leading  a  charge.  My 
own  company  came  out  of  tlie  fight  with  not  an  officer  nor 
non-commissioned  officer  left.  In  this  last  charge  the  writer 
received  a  severe  wound  from  which  he  has  never  entirely  re- 
covered. The  next  day  the  armies  commenced  a  movement 
toward  Richmond,  confronting  each  other  and  fighting 
almost  daily,  which  finally  culminated  in  the  great  battle  of 
Cold  Harbor,  3  June,  in  which  battle  the  enemy  received 
awful  punishment,  and  our  regiment  again  suffered  severely. 
While  this  battle  was  raging,  I  was  lying  helpless  in  the  Win- 
der Hospital  in  Richmond,  listening  to  the  roar  of  the  guns. 
After  nightfall  the  wounded  began  to  arrive  from  the  field. 
I  remember  liow  the  wounded  in  my  ward  lay  upon  their 
beds  and  inquired,  as  the  Avounded  were  brought  in  from 
their  companies  and  regiments,  as  to  the  result  of  tlic  battle 
and  as  to  friends  engaged.  There  I  first  learned  of  the  death 
of  Major  Smith.  The  Avard  masters  and  nurses  were  prin- 
cipally composed  of  disabled  men,  assigned  to  liglit  duty.  I 
remember  that  about  10  o'clock  tliat  night,  a  man  was  brought 
in  from  an  ambulance  upon  a  stretclier,  and  when  brought 
to  the  light,  was  found  to  be  the  only  brother  of  our  ward  mas- 
ter, and  iiKirtally  wounded.  The  next  morning  I  learned  of 
the  death  of  a  dear  friend  and  school  mate,  a  meud)('r  of 
Manly's  Battery,  M.  F.  Cummins.  He  was  sliot  tlirough 
the  head  while  mounted  ou  the  breastworks,  ea]i  in  liand, 
watching  the  effect  of  a  sliell  fired  from  his  gun  ;  a  brave, 
gallant  fellow.      Soon  after  this  battle,  the  regiment  was  sent 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment,  55 

to  join  General  Early,  and  with  his  comma;id  marched  down 
the  Valley,  crossing  the  Potomac  about  5  or  6  July,  and  had 
a  severe  engagement  with  the  enemy's  forces,  commanded  by 
General  Lew  Wallace,  near  Monocacy  Junction.  The  regi- 
ment marched  from  there  to  the  suburbs  of  Washington  and 
lay  there  for  a  day  or  twO'  drinking  water  from  the  spring 
of  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair,  and,  as  the  boys  afterwards  told 
me,  they  interfered  with  the  milk  and  butter  in  his  spring 
house,  but  this  is  hearsay  and  therefore  not  evidence.  On 
14  July  the  command  recrossed  the  Potomac  with  quite  a 
number  of  prisoners  and  camped  about  Martinsburg  and 
Winchester  for  some  time,  occasionally  skirmishing  with  the 
enemy  until  19  September,  when  Sheridan  advanced  with  an 
overwhelming  force  and  attacked  Early's  Corps,  driving  it 
from  the  field.  In  this  battle  our  division  lost  its  com- 
mander, General  R.  E.  Rodes,  He  was  a  superb  officer  and 
beloved  by  every  man  in  his  division.  The  army  retreated 
to  Fisher's  Hill,  where  it  was  again  attacked  on  22  Septem- 
ber, both  of  its  flanks  turned,  resulting  in  a  disastrous  rout. 
On  this  occasion,  as  I  was  afterwards  informed  by  the  men 
of  my  regiment,  the  regiment  held  a  position  across  the  turn- 
pike, which  it  maintained  after  the  troops  both  on  the  right 
and  left  had  fallen  back,  and  retired  in  good  order  but  not  till 
it  became  apparent  that  to  remain  longer  would  result  in  its 
capture.  The  courage  and  fortitude  of  the  regiment  on  this 
disastrous  day  served  the  purpose  of  holding  back  the  enemy 
and  covering  the  retreat  of  the  arm3^  It  was  on  this  occa- 
sion that  Colonel  John  R.  Winston,  coming  up  the  pike  with 
his  regiment  in  the  rear  of  the  retreating  army,  was  accosted 
by  one  of  his  soldiers,  who  was  lying  on  the  roadside  disabled 
by  a  wound,  and  who  pleaded  with  his  Colonel  not  to  leave 
him  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  He  rode  to  where 
he  was  lying,  reached  down  and  took  him  by  the  hand,  pulled 
him  to  his  feet,  removed  his  own  foot  from  tlie  stirrup  of  his 
saddle,  assisted  the  soldier  in  placiug  his  foot  in  the  empty 
stirrup,  lifted  him  into  his  lap  and  brought  him  off  the  field. 
The  army  fell  back  to  Cedar  Creek,  where  it  remained 
until  19  October.  On  the  night  of  the  18th  the  regiment 
participated  in  the  flank  movement  which  resulted  in  the 


56  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

rout  of  Sheridan's  army  in  the  early  morning  of  the  19th, 
which  splendid  victory  in  the  early  morning  was  turned  into 
a  disgraceful  defeat  later  in  the  day,  through  the  inexcusable 
blunder  of  some  one.  This  ended  Early's  campaign  in  the 
Valley.  Later  in  the  fall  the  brigade  returned  to  Lee's  army 
and  took  a  position  in  the  line  engaged  in  the  defense  of  Pe- 
tersburg. Here  it  remained  through  the  winter  of  1864  and 
1865  in  the  trenches,  almost  continually  under  fire. 
The  regiment  had  suffered  severely  during  the  Valley  cam- 
paign and  by  the  spring  of  1865  had  become  a  mere  skeleton. 

During  the  month  of  March,  the  regiment  occupied  a  posi- 
tion a  little  to  the  right  of  Petersburg  and  just  to  the  left  of 
Port  Mahone  and  near  the  Crater.  Just  in  front  of  the  left 
of  the  regiment  stood  Fort  Steadman  which  the  boys  called 
Port  ""Hell,"  a  powerful  earthw'ork  of  the  enemy. 

On  the  night  of  25  March,  the  regiment  participated  in  an 
assault  upon  Port  Steadman  directed  by  General  Gordon, 
and  again  suffered  severely.  Hence  Proctor^  a  private  in 
my  company,  was  one  of  the  skirmishers  who  first  entered  the 
fort  about  daybreak.  Inside  of  the  fort  bomb  proofs  were 
occupied  by  officers  and  men.  Llence  was  a  fine  soldier,  full 
of  fight  and  fun.  He  poked  his  head  into  one  of  these  bomb 
proofs,  and  called  out  with  ugly  words,  to  give  emphasis  to 
his  command,  "Come  out  of  there.  I  know  you  are  in  there." 
He  wore  long  hair.  An  officer,  startled  by  this  unexpected 
command,  sprang  out  of  his  bertli  in  his  night  clothes, 
snatched  his  saber  from  its  scabbard,  seized  Hence  by  the 
foretop  and  commenced  to  slash  him  about  the  head  with  his 
saber.  Hence  backed  out  of  the  bomb  proof,  the  officer  con- 
tinuing his  hold,  coming  out  with  him.  On  getting  outside 
in  the  open,  the  fight  became  an  uiuMiual  one.  Hence's  fixed 
bayonet  on  the  end  of  liis  gun  while  thus  held  by  the  hair, 
was  no  match  for  the  saber  in  the  hands  of  liis  adversary, 
and  but  f<ir  timely  aid  from  one  of  his  comrades,  he  would 
have  been  (piiekly  overcome.  As  it  was,  he  came  out  of  the 
fight  with  many  gashes  on  his  head  and  face.  The  assault 
upon  the  fort  was  unsuccessful. 

Along  the  line  of  works  we  occupied  we  had  but  one  man 
to  five  or  six  feet,  an  ordinary  skirmish  line.     On  the  morn- 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  57 

ing  of  2  April,  just  before  daylight,  the  enemy  advanced 
upon  our  works  in  massed  columns  ;  brushed  aside  iliechevaux 
de  frise,  cutting  the  chains  that  linked  the  parts  together  with 
axes,  and  poured  over  the  line  occupied  by  a  part  of  Battle's 
and  a  part  of  our  brigade.  Then  commenced  a  struggle 
which,  to  my  mind,  was  the  most  desperate  of  all  the  war, 
and  which  lasted  until  into  tlie  night.  Our  main  line  of 
works  stood  about  four  feet  high,  and  was  very  strong.  In 
the  rear  of,  and  at  right  angles  with  the  line,  had  been  built 
traverses,  made  by  building  log  pens  about  five  feet  high  and 
filling  them  with  earth.  They  extended  back  perhaps  forty 
or  fifty  feet.  The  purpose  of  these  traverses  was  to  protect 
the  men,  standing  in  line,  from  the  enfilading  artillery  fire 
from  Fort  Steadman  away  to  our  left.  There  was  just  room 
enough  between  the  end  of  these  traverses  and  the  main  line 
for  a  man  to  pass.  When  the  enemy  broke  over  the  line  they 
filled  the  spaces  between  these  traverses,  the  traverses  being 
about  200  feet  apart.  About  200  yards  in  the  rear  of  this 
line  had  been  placed  batteries  of  heavy  howitzers,  which,  up 
to  this  time,  had  been  masked  to  conceal  them  from  the  en- 
my.  As  these  traverses  filled,  with  the  Federal  troops,  these 
batteries  in  the  rear  opened  upon  them  with  gTape  and  can- 
ister. Major-General  Bryan  Grimes  commanded  our  divis- 
ion, and  I  need  not  say  that  at  this  perilous  moment  he  was 
with  the  men  at  the  point  of  greatest  danger,  for  he  was 
always  at  such  places.  All  day  long  the  men  of  this  division 
fought  between  these  traverses,  slowly  yielding  one  after  an- 
other when  compelled  to  do  so  by  overwhelming  forces.  The 
fire  from  the  enemy's  artillery  up  and  down  the  line  was 
concentrated  on  our  struggling  troops. 

Huge  mortar  shells,  12  inches  in  diameter,  came  plunging 
down,  sometimes  exploding  between  these  traverses  and  some- 
times burying  themselves  in  the  earth  and  harmlessly  burst- 
ing six  feet  under  gi'ound.  Long  before  noon  all  of  our  bat- 
teries had  been  silenced,  and  the  conflict  on  our  side  was 
maintained  by  infantry  alone.  I  saw  the  men  of  my  regi- 
ment load  their  guns  behind  the  traverses,  climb  to  the  top, 
fire  down  into  the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  roll  off  and  reload  and 
repeat  the  same  throughout  the  day.     While  in  the  midst  of 


58  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

this  din  of  battle,  time  after  time  they  woiild  send  up  the  old 
time  defiant  rebel  yell.  Late  in  the  evening,  I  asked  Matt. 
Secrest,  of  my  company,  whose  cheeks  from  the  corner  of  his 
mouth  to  his  ears  were  almost  black  as  lampblack  from  the 
frequent  tearing  of  cartridges,  how  many  rounds  he  thought 
he  had  fired.  His  answer  was :  ''I  know  from  the  number  of 
times  I  have  replenished  my  supply  of  cartridges  that  I  have 
fired  more  than  200  rounds." 

It  was  a  matter  of  surprise  to  us  during  the  day  that  we 
did  not  receive  reinforcements.  We  did  not  know  that  our 
lines  were  broken  throughout  their  length  and  that  every  sol- 
dier in  the  army  of  General  Lee  was  doing  five  men's  work, 
but  it  was  a  fact.  In  the  afternoon,  the  Petersburg  battalion 
of  Junior  Reserves,  composed  of  boys  without  beard,  were 
sent  to  our  assistance  and  fought  like  veterans.  At  last,  night 
came,  and  under  cover  of  darkness  the  army  that  had  been  so 
long  engaged  in  defending  the  gallant  little  city,  retired  from 
its  lines  crossed  the  Appomattox  and  started  on  the  long  re- 
treat which  ended  at  Appomattox  Court  House.  If  General 
Grant  had  succeeded  in  successfully  breaking  through  our 
lines  at  Fort  Mahone,  he  w^ould  have  cut  the  army  in  two, 
and  the  war  would  have  ended  at  Petersburg  instead  of  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House.  I  have  recently  been  along  the 
lines  at  Petersburg,  and  it  now  seems  to  me  a  mystery  how 
those  lines  were  maintained  so  long  with  so  few  defenders. 

The  rest  of  my  story  is  short.  We  fell  back  to  Amelia 
Court  House  on  the  old  Richmond  &  Danville  road,  where  we 
expected  to  draw  rations.  It  is  hard  to  imagine  our  disap- 
pointment when  we  ascertained  at  this  point  that  by  some 
cruel  mistake,  the  train  loaded  with  provisions  for  our  sus- 
tenance had  gone  through  to  Richmond  and  was  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy. 

On  6  April,  wc  started  toward  Lynchburg.  Shortly  after 
sunrise  we  were  attacked  l)v  Sheridan  on  our  loft  flank,  and 
all  day  long  we  retreated  and  fought  and  fouglit  and  retreated, 
arriving  at  Farmville  after  night,  leaving  thousands  of  pris- 
oners in  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  We  continued  our  retreat  on 
the  7th  and  8th  with  little  fighting.  On  the  night  of  the  8th  we 
camped  in  the  woods  near  the  village  of  Appomattox,  and 


Forty-Fifth  Regiment.  59 

before  day  the  next  morning  again  started  on  the  march  to- 
ward Lynchburg.  Our  division,  commanded  by  General 
Grimes,  marched  up  the  red  road  through  the  little  village, 
passed  the  Court  House  and  halted  and  formed  a  line  of  bat- 
tle just  behind  the  crest  of  a  ridge  that  lay  at  right  angles 
with  the  road.  As  soon  as  the  line  was  established,  the 
division  was  ordered  forward  in  line  of  battle,  no  enemy  in 
sight.  As  we  reached  the  top  of  the  hill,  we  were  greeted 
with  a  fire  of  artillery  and  infantry.  We  did  just  what  we 
had  always  done  before;  raised  a  shout  and  made  a  dash 
at  Sheridan's  line.  The  line  was  broken,  of  course,  and  his 
troops  driven  from  the  field.  The  division  was  halted  and  the 
men  lay  down  to  rest  awaiting  further  orders.  It  was  a 
supreme  moment,  and  the  fate  of  that  division  rested  with 
General  Lee,  the  man,  who  was  almost  worshipped  by  his  sol- 
diers. It  was  for  him  to  say  whether  the  conflict  should 
there  end  or  whether  the  remnant  of  his  army  should  close 
the  last  scene  of  the  mighty  drama,  by  submitting  to  annihi- 
lation. In  the  kindness  of  his  great  heart,  he  determined 
that  his  soldiers  had  done  enough,  and  he  yielded  to  "over- 
whelming numbers  and  resources."  During  the  seven  days' 
retreat  many  of  the  regiments  of  that  army  had  not  eaten 
what  was  sufficient  for  one  full  day's  rations.  The  ceremo- 
nies and  capitulation  having  ended,  the  men  returned  to  their 
homes.  The  course  pursued  by  these  scarred  veterans  during 
years  following  that  surrender,  in  helping  to  build  up  waste 
places  and  establish  stable  government,  in  the  Southern 
States,  is  a  part  of  the  country's  history,  and  is  as  glorious 
as  were  their  actions  on  the  field.  I  venture  to  say  that  the 
conduct  of  the  Confederate  soldiers  since  the  war,  in  submit- 
ting to  its  results,  in  bearing  the  burdens  of  taxation  to  raise 
enormous  sums  of  money,  with  which  to  pay  pensions  to 
their  old  enemies,  and  all  without  scarcely  a  murmur,  finds 
no  parallel  in  the  history  of  the  human  race. 

The  foregoing  sketch  has  been  written  from  time  to  time, 
between  pressing  professional  engagements.  I  greatly  re- 
gret that  it  had  not  been  written  years  ago,  while  facts  might 
have  been  furnished  by  the  actors,  most  of  whom  are  now 
dead. 


60  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

I  trust  I  may  be  permitted  to  say  that  my  name  does  not 
appear,  as  Second  Sergeant  of  Company  K,  in  the  Roster, 
published  some  years  since,  while  the  name  of  C.  B.  Mabson, 
Second  Sergeant,  does. 

Some  people  do  not  believe  in  bad  luck.     I  do. 

Gyrus  B.  Watson. 
"Winston,  N.  C. 

9  April,  1901. 

NOTE. 

On  19  May,  1901,  I  attended  the  unveiling  of  a  monument 
by  the  survivors  of  the  First  Regiment  Massachusetts  Heavy 
Artillery,  on  the  battle  field  of  19  May,  1864,  the  thirty-sev- 
enth anniversary  of  the  battle.  I  here  met  about  sixty-five  of 
the  said  survivors,  some  of  them  attended  by  wives  and  daugh- 
ters. I  spent  a  day  or  two  with  them  and  at  their  request 
took  part  in  the  ceremonies  and  delivered  a  short  address. 
This  regiment  fought  immediately  in  front  of  the  Forth-fifth 
N^orth  Carolina,  and  the  conflict  was  bloody.  The  monu- 
ment bears  the  following  inscription: 

'^'iN  COMMEMORATION  OE  THE  DEEDS  OF  THE  FIRST  REGIMENT 

HEAVY  ARTILLERY;, 

MASSACHUSETTS  VOLUNTEERS. 

Three  hundred  and  ninety-eiglit  of  whose  members  fell  ivith- 
in  an  hour  around  this  spot  during  an  action,  May  19th, 
1S64,  between  a  division  of  the  Union  Army  coinmanded  hy 
General  Tyler,  and  a  corps  of  the  Confederate  forces  under 
General  Eicell. 

Erected  hy  the  survivors  of  the  Regiment. 

1901." 

Together  with  these  gallant  men  of  New  England  I  went 
over  every  part  of  the  field  and  was  surprised  to  find  how 
familiar  the  fields,  woods  and  houses  appeared. 

I  also  went  into  the  Bloody  Angle  about  a  mile  distant,  and 
had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  places  where  the  regiment 
fought  for  days  and  nights.  The  fortifications  arc  pre- 
served without  clianoe  all  round  the  horse  shoe.     The  old 


Forty- Fifth  Regiment.  61 

McCool  house  is  just  as  it  was  thirty-seven  years  ago,  the 
weatherboards  perforated  with  bullets ;  the  Harrison  house 
almost  ready  to  fall  down  from  neglect ;  the  trees  that  suffer- 
ed during  the  battles  are  mostly  down  or  dead,  yet  quite  a 
number  living,  with  marks  of  bullets  and  shells  healed  over, 
but  plainly  visible.  There  is  considerable  growth  of  young- 
er pine  trees.  I  brought  away  three  blocks  from  a  dead  pine, 
with  bullets  embedded  in  two  and  a  grape  shot  in  another, 
which  lies  almost  at  the  spot  where  the  brave  General  Daniel 
fell.  Another  section  from  the  preserved  heart  of  the  dead 
pine,  too  large  for  me  to  bring  away,  had  nine  bullets  in  it, 
partly  concealed  by  the  wood  that  had  grown  around  them  in 
the  effort  of  the  tree  to  outlive  its  injuries ;  many  of  the 
wounded  trees  seem  to  have  recently  died.  It  seems  that 
after  the  armies  left  this  dreadful  angle,  the  dead  of  both  ar- 
mies were  buried  in  shallow  graves,  or  rather  covered  with 
earth,  and  the  ground  in  the  pine  woods  along  these  trenches 
plainly  shows  where  the  remains  had  since  been  removed.  The 
survivors  of  Daniel's  brigade  should  erect  a  monument  on 
the  spot  where  he  fell. 

C  B.  Watson. 
3  June,  1901. 


FORTY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  W.  L.  Saunders,  Colonel.  4.    Robt.  Preston  Troy,  Captain,  Co.  Q. 

2.  A.  C.  McAll  sler,  Lieut-Colonel.  5.    J.  R   Heflin,  Captain.  Co   E. 

3.  R.  A.  Bost,  Captain.  Co.  K.  6.     O.  W.  Carr,  Captain,  Co.  G. 

7.    Adolphus  Theodorus  Bost,  Captain,  Co.  K. 


FORTY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 


By  J.  M.  WADDILL,  Second  Lieutenant,  Company  B. 


Well  may  ISTortli  Carolina  be  proud  of  the  part  taken  by 
her  sons  in  the  war  between  the  States — proud  of  the  large 
number  of  full  regiments  furnished,  and  of  the  promptness 
and  willingness  with  which  they  were  kept  full,  as  shot,  shell 
and  saber  thinned  their  ranks ;  proud  of  their  gallantry  on 
the  battle  field,  of  their  patient  endurance  in  camp  and  on 
the  march ;  of  their  steadiness  and  reliability  under  all  cir- 
cumstances. Truly  she  has  good  cause  to  be  proud  of  her 
sons.  But  of  the  long  list  of  gallant  regiments  which  march- 
ed away  from  her  soil,  none  shed  greater  luster  on  the  mother 
State  than  the  Forty-sixth  (Infantry)  the  subject  of  this 
sketch. 

Others  may  have  been  as  brave,  others  as  patient  and  true, 
but  few,  if  any,  united  all  these  virtues,  which,  combined 
with  the  perfect  hamiony  prevailing  among  its  officers  and 
men  all  through  those  bloody  years,  entitle  it  to  a  topmost 
place  in  the  record  of  the  many  faithful  ones. 

The  writer  (a  boy  in  the  early  60's)  has  little  more  than 
memory  to  rely  on  in  outlining  the  experiences  of  his  regi- 
ment. A  third  of  a  century  casts  a  mist  of  uncertainty  about 
even  these  historic  events  of  the  long  ago,  which  is  his  apology 
for  any  errors  as  to  dates,  or  other  inaccuracies  which  may 
appear. 

Promoted  to  the  line  from  the  Quartermaster's  Depart- 
ment after  much  of  the  history  of  the  Forty-sixth  was  made, 
he  gives,  prior  to  that  event,  the  story  as  heard  from  partici- 
pants, not  having  been  an  eye-witness  of  some  of  the  facts  nar- 
rated. 

The  many  acts  of  individual  gallantry,  then  so  brilliant 
and  conspicuous,  have  in  large  measure,  faded  from  his  mem- 
ory, leaving  but  a  shadowy  recollection  of  a  group  of  heroes. 


64  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

bound  together  as  a  band  of  brothers,  vieing  with  eath  other 
on  the  battleiield,  affectionately  helping  each  other  on  the 
march  and  in  camp,  or  tenderly  caring  for  each  other  in  the 
hospital. 

The  memory,  indistinct  though  it  be,  of  the  daily,  hourly 
sacritices  of  these  gallant  ones  Ijrings  even  now  the  tears  to 
his  eyes  as  he  recalls  how,  on  the  weary  march,  the  last  crust 
or  the  blood  warm  contents  of  the  canteen  were  divided  with 
those  less  fortunate — how,  in  the  winter,  on  the  bleak  hill- 
sides of  Virginia,  those  begrimed,  nnkempt  knights  sat  in 
the  blinding  smoke  about  the  camp  fires,  all  through  the  long 
nights,  lest  if  they  lay  on  the  threadbare  blankets  they  should 
be  frozen  at  reveille — and  above  all,  how  those  thin,  grey  lines 
marched  gallantly  to  their  death  in  unbroken,  unwavering 
ranks,  closing  up  the  gaps  made  by  shot  and  shell,  as  they 
rushed  onward  to  their  graves. 

Grand  and  glorious  record  is  that  of  the  hosts  of  the  South 
which  emblazons  the  page  of  history  with  a  brilliancy  sur- 
passed only  l)y  that  l)loodless,  but  no  less  heroic  battle  of  life, 
w^hen  returned  to  their  blasted  homes,  they  began  the  struggle 
for  bread  and  raiment  for  loved  ones,  absolutely  empty 
handed. 

What  success  has  crowned  their  efforts  is  best  illustrated 
in  the  well-filled  barns,  the  numberless  tall  factory  chimneys, 
and  the  busy  marts  of  numerous  populous  cities  all  over  the 
once  Southern  Confederacy. 

ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  REGIMENT. 

The  Forty-sixth  ]*^orth  Carolina  Infantry  had  its  birth 
in  March,  1862,  at  Camp  Mangum,  a  camp  of  rendezvous 
and  instruction  four  miles  from  Raleigh,  and  was  composed 
of  ten  companies,  as  follows : 

Company  A- — From  Robeson  County — Captain,  Tx.  M. 
Norment. 

Company  B — From  Bowcun  and  Burke — Captain,  W.  L. 
Saunders. 

Company  C — From  Warren — Captain  W.  A.  Jenkins. 

Company  D — From  Richmond — Captain,  Calvin  Stewart. 

Company  E — From  Granville — Captain,  R.  J.  Mitchell. 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  65 

Company  F — From  Randolph — Captain,  A.  C.  McAlister. 
Company  G — From  Randolph — Captain,  R.  P.  Troy. 
Co:vrPANY  II — From  Moore — Captain,  ]^.  McK.  MdNTeill. 
Co:mpany  I — From  Sampson — Captain,  Owen  Holmes. 
Co:NrPANY  K — From  Cataicha — Captain,  A.  T.  Bost. 

The  organization  of  the  field  and  staff  was  as  follows: 

E.  D.  Hall,  Colonel,  Wilmington. 

W.  A.  Jenkins^  Lientenant-Colonel,  Warrenton. 

R.  J.  Mitchell,  Major,  Oxford. 

S.  T.  Green,  Snrgeon,  Warren  county. 

V.  O.  Thompson,  Assistant  Surgeon,  Warren  county. 

J.  A.  Maesh,  Quartermaster,  Randolph  county. 

G.  Holaies,  Commissary,  Sampson  county. 

Richaed  Mallett,  Adjutant,  Cumberland  county. 

T.  S.  Teoy,  Sergeant-Major,  Randolph  county. 

J.  M.  Waddill,  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  Warrenton. 

O.  P.  Shell,  Commissar}^  Sergeant,  Warrenton. 

T.  C.  Hussey,  Hospital  Ste^vard,  Missouri. 

The  changes  occurring  in  the  composition  of  the  field  and 
staff  from  the  organization  until  the  final  end  at  Appomattox 
were  as  follows : 

Resignations — Colonel  E.  D.  Hall,  November,  1863; 
Lieutenant-Colonel  W.   A.    Jenkins,   August,    1863 ;   Major 

R.  J.  Mitchell,  June,  1862;  S.  T.  Green,  Surgeon,  — ;. 

J.  A.  Marsh,  Quartermast-er,  March,  1864;  Major  R.  M. 
I^orment,  11  September,  1862. 

Deaths — Lieutenant  Richard  Mallett,  killed  August, 
1863. 

Promotions — Captain  W.  L.  Saunders,  Company  B,  to  be 
Major,  1  October,  1862  ;  to  be  Lieutenant-Colonel,  1  Janu- 
ary, 1863;  to  be  Colonel,  1  January,  1864;  Captain  R.  M. 
JSTorment,  Company  A,  to  be  Major,  4  August,  1862 ;  Cap- 
tain A.  C.  McAlister,  Company  F,  to  be  Major,  1  January, 
1864;  to  be  Lieutenant-Colonel  about  June,  1863;  Captain 
:N'.  McK.  McXeill,  Company  H,  to  be  Major,  18  March, 
1864;  Surgeon  Jenkins,  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  appointed  sur- 
geon upon  the  resignation  of  Surgeon  S.  T.  Green ;  Sergeant- 

5 


66  North  Carolina  Troops,    1861 -'Go. 

Major  T.  S.  Trov,  to  be  Second  Lieutenant  of  Company  F., 
succeeded  by  T.  W.  Wright,  of  Wilmington ;  Quartermaster- 
Sergeant,  J.  M.  Waddill,  to  be  Second  Lieutenant  Company 
B.  September,  IS 64. 

For  a  few  weeks  after  its  organization  the  regiment  re- 
mained at  Camp  Mangum,  receiving  instruction  in  the  art 
of  war  at  the  hands  of  sundry  drill  masters,  removing  thence 
to  Goldsboro,  X.  C,  when  after  a  stay  of  a  few  weeks  it 
was  hurried  to  Richmond,  Va.,  arriving  there  on  the  day 
of  the  battle  of  Seven  Pines. 

Xear  Richmond  the  Forty-sixth  was  brigaded  with  the 
following  commands,  under  Brigadier-General  J.  G.  Walker, 
as  follows :  Twenty-seventh  North  Carolina  Regiment, 
Forty-eighth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  Third  Arkansas  Reg- 
iment, Thirtieth  Virginia  Regiment,  Second  Georgia  Bat- 
talion, Cooper's  Battery  of  Artillery. 

Previous  to  the  Seven  Days  battles  the  regiment  was  sta- 
tioned at  Drewry's  Bluff  in  support  of  the  batteries  at  that 
place,  when  it  was  recalled  to  Richmond  and  sent  to 
strengthen  the  army  already  engaged  in  the  struggle  with 
McClellan,  which  resulted  in  that  officer's  now  historic 
^X'hange  of  Base." 

During  these  trying  days  the  regiment  was  but  little  under 
fire,  being  usually  in  reserve,  though  it  sustained  a  few  cas- 
ualties at  Malvern  Hill  from  the  shells  of  the  gunboats  in 
the  river. 

Pending  the  removal  of  the  Federal  army  to  its  new  field 
of  operations  in  Maryland,  the  Forty-sixth  occupied  various 
positions  around  Richmond,  mainly  at  Hanover  Junction. 

The  larger  portion  of  tlie  Confederate  army  had  proceeded 
northward  before  marching  orders  were  received  to  follow, 
and  thus  was  lost  the  opportunity  of  a  participation  in  the 
brilliant  victory  at  Second  Manassas. 

Following  the  main  body,  the  regiment  marched  toward 
Rapidan  Station,  where  it  bivouacked  for  some  days — thence 
on  toward  Culpepper,  encamping  on  the  battlefield  of  Cedar 
Run ;  thence  on  to  Warrenton,  passing  over  the  field  of  Sec- 
ond Manassas,  over  which  lay  scattered  hundreds  of  dead 
bodies,  rotting  in  the  sun — thence  to  Leesburg  and  beyond, 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  67 

crossing  tlie  Potomac  at  ''The  Upper  Ford"  to  the  music  of 
^'My  Maryland"  from  hundreds  of  soldiers'  throats. 

At  Buckeyetown,  Md.,  a  halt  was  made,  at  which  place 
the  tired  and  footsore  men  rested  for  three  days,  moving 
thence  to  Frederick  City,  ^fd.  Thence  the  regiment  moved 
at  night,  in  a  southeasterly  direction,  for  the  destruction  of 
something  in  the  nature  of  an  acqueduct  or  canal  lock  (the 
Monocacy  Bridge),  but  exactly  what  it  was,  few  in  the  regi- 
ment knew,  as  the  night  was  pitch  dark  and  the  country 
totally  unknown. 

Xothing  was  accomplished,  however,  and  at  dawn  a  hur- 
ried movement  southward,  was  begun,  continuing  all  day 
and  far  into  the  succeeding  night,  when  the  Potomac  was 
again  crossed  at  a  ford  near  Point-of-Rocks  just  before  day- 
light. This  ford  will  ever  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  many 
impossibilities  (  i)  triumphed  over  by  Lee's  foot  cavalry. 

The  chill  of  the  water,  the  multitude  of  boulders  which  lit- 
erally covered  the  bottom  of  the  river,  coupled  with  the  depth 
of  the  stream  (which  came  to  the  shoulders  of  the  shorter  men) 
all  served  to  impress  this  bit  of  experience  indelibly  upon  the 
memories  of  those  who  took  that  early  morning  dip. 

Here,  in  the  early  gray  of  the  dawn,  by  some  mistake,  the 
Forty-sixth  received  a  volley  from  one  of  General  Ransom's 
regiments,  resulting  in  a  few  minor  casualties. 

Having  rested  for  a  day  on  the  Virginia  shore,  line  of 
march  was  taken  up  for  Harper's  Ferry,  where  the  regiment 
took  part  in  the  operations,  resulting  in  the  surrender  of  that 
stronghold  with  11,000  prisoners,  with  slight  loss  to  the  Con- 
federates. 

From  Harper's  Ferry  the  command  moved  to  Shepherds- 
town,  Va.,  arriving  on  16  September,  crossed  immediately 
over  into  Maryland  and  w^as  once  more  united  with  the  Army 
of  ISTorthern  Virginia. 

In  the  great  battle  of  the  17th,  near  Shaii3sburg,  Md.,  the 
Forty-sixth  bore  a  conspicuous  part,  calling  forth  from  the 
division  commander  especial  mention  of  its  gallant  colonel 
and  staff  for  distingiiished  bravery  and  coolness  under  fire, 
as  well  as  for  the  line,  which  received  the  shock  of  battle  like 
veterans  of  an  hundred  fields. 


68  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

It  was  said  by  an  eye-witness  of  one  of  the  charges  of  the 
Forty-sixth,  in  which  a  force  of  the  enemy  was  driven  from 
its  position  and  his  guns  captured,  that  "he  hoped  for  their 
own  sakes  that  the  Forty-sixth  North  Carolina  would  soon 
learn  the  difference  between  the  deliberation  of  a  dress  parade 
and  a  charge  over  an  open  field  in  the  face  of  largely  supe- 
rior numbers."  During  the  day  the  regiment  occupied  sev- 
eral different  positions  of  importance  and  great  danger,  in 
which  on  every  occasion  it  exhibited  that  steadiness  and  cool- 
ness which  was  to  characterize  its  record  all  through  the 
eventful  years  to  follow.  Space  allotted  to  this  sketch  for- 
bids details  of  this  or  other  engagements  in  which  the  regi- 
ment participated.  The  losses  for  the  day  aggregated  about 
eighty,  being  fully  one-fourth  of  the  number  in  line.  It  is 
proper  to  explain,  in  view  of  the  small  number  of  men  in  line 
at  Sharpsburg,  that  this  was  the  first  forced  march  under- 
taken by  the  regiment,  and  in  the  mad  rush  from  Harper's 
Ferry  to  Sharpsburg,  many  of  the  men  were  physically  une- 
qual to  the  task  and  fell  by  the  wayside  from  exhaustion,  re- 
joining the  regiment,  some  during  the  engagement,  others 
coming  up  during  the  next  two  or  three  days. 

The  Potomac  was  again  crossed  on  the  night  of  18  Septem- 
ber with  the  army  in  perfect  order,  and  position  taken  up  near 
Martinsburg,  where  for  several  days  the  men  were  engaged  in 
destroying  railway  tracks  and  bridges  in  that  vicinity. 

The  next  stop  of  importance  was  at  Winchester,  where  a 
stay  of  two  or  three  weeks  was  made.  Here,  in  this  then  land 
of  plenty,  the  men  revelled  in  the  best  of  fresh  beef,  vegeta- 
bles, fruits,  not  forgetting  the  honey,  needing  nothing  for  the 
stomach's  sake,  save  "salt,"  which  commanded  a  price  near 
its  weight  in  gold. 

A  short  time  after  Sharpsburg  General  J.  G.  Walker,  who 
had  comuiaudcd  tlie  brigade,  was  promoted  to  a  division  in 
the  West,  and  Brigadier-General  John  R.  Cooke  was  assigned 
to  the  command  and  held  this  position  to  the  close  of  the 
war. 

The  men  of  the  Forty-sixth  parted  with  General  Walker 
with  unusual  regret,  having  learned,  in  the  brief  period  in 
which  he  commanded  the  brigade,  to  regard  him  with  the 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  69 

highest  esteem,  for  his  care  of  the  force  under  his  command, 
as  well  as  for  his  courage  and  coolness  under  the  most  trying 
conditions. 

General  Cooke  assumed  command  of  the  brigade  almost  a 
stranger  to  the  men  of  the  Forty-sixth,  and  many  a  doubt 
was  expressed  as  to  the  ability  of  "that  kid"  (as  he  was  at 
first  called)  to  handle  the  brigade,  being  almost  boyish  in  his 
appearance. 

A  year  or  less  thereafter  all  doubts  had  vanished,  for  "that 
kid"  had  proven  his  ability  on  many  occasions.  It  is  doubt- 
ful if  any  general  officer  in  the  army,  with  the  exception  of 
Lee  and  Jackson,  was  more  beloved  by  the  men  of  his  com- 
mand than  was  John  R.  Cooke.  Young,  brave,  generous  and 
kindly  in  his  dealings  with  officers  and  men,  there  ever  ex- 
isted the  strongest  ties  between  commander  and  men,  which 
lasted  to  the  end.  No  braver  cavalier  ever  rode  to  death  than 
General  Cooke. 

From  Winchester  the  next  move  was  down  the  valley  and 
through  Ashby's  Gap,  encamping  for  several  days  at  Upper- 
ville,  on  the  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge. 

From  Upperville,  on  31  October,  the  command  moved  in 
the  direction  of  Culpepper  Court  House,  stopping  for  a  brief 
rest  at  Orleans. 

Marching  by  easy  stages,  pausing  here  and  there  for  a  day 
or  tw^o,  the  regiment  made  its  way  to  Fredericksburg,  arriv- 
ing in  front  of  that  place  22  ISTovember.  The  last  five  days  was 
a  forced  march  in  a  continuous  downpour  of  rain. 

The  experiences  of  the  men  on  this  march  across  Virginia 
were  very  severe — poorly  clad,  many  barefooted — little  or  no 
camp  equipage  and  with  an  almost  unprecedented  spell  of 
bad  w^eather,  all  conspired  to  the  utterance  of  some  bad  lan- 
guage, which  history  does  not  require  should  be  reproduced 
literally. 

From  22  March  to  11  December  the  regiment  remained  in 
camp  two  or  three  miles  from  Fredericksburg,  when  it  took 
position  at  the  foot  of  the  heights  fronting  the  little  city,  and 
immediately  behind  the  stone  wall  on  Marye's  Heights. 

Here  it  awaited  the  attack  of  Burnside,  and  bore  a  full 
share  in  that  historic  slaughter.     In  comparative  security, 


70  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

protected  by  the  wall  about  breast  bigh,  all  day  long  it  shot 
doAvn  the  brave  men  who  charged  again  and  again  acros?  the 
level  plain  in  front,  vainly  yeit  most  gallantly  striving  to  ac- 
complish an  impossibility.  The  loss  in  the  regiment  in 
killed  and  wounded  during  the  (hiy  was  seventy-one.  Among 
the  wounckMi  was  Colonel  W.  L.  Saunders,  shot  by  a  minie 
ball  through  the  mouth.  It  was  rehited  by  those  near  the 
Colonel,  that  during  a  lull  in  the  tiring,  he  was  enjoying  a 
hearty  laugh  at  some  remark  when  the  luinie  entered  the 
wide  open  mouth,  making  its  exit  through  llie  check.  It  was 
said  to  have  been  the  most  abruptly  ended  laugh  heard  during 
the  war. 

Among  the  lamented  dead  in  this  engagement  was  Lieu- 
tenant Samuel  P.  Weir,  a  young  otticer  of  great  promise — a 
gentlenum  and  a  ( 'hristian. 

The  command  remained  in  front  of  Frederiekslnirg  until 
3  January,  1863,  when  orders  were  received  to  move  to  a  new 
camp  ground,  a  mile  away,  which  had  been  carefully  pre- 
pared the  day  before. 

Accordingly,  the  men  moved  the  next  morning  loaded  down 
with  rude  benches,  tables,  tubs,  etc. — such  accumidation  of 
conveniencies  as  come,  no  one  knows  how,  in  a  camp  of  some 
days.  Instead  of  moving  a  mile,  as  was  expected,  the  next 
sto]i  with  any  scml)hiucc  of  pcnuaueucy  was  at  Holly  Shelter 
near  Wilmington,  X.  C'.,  which  found  the  men  in  much 
lighter  marching  order,  having  laid  aside  their  burdens  of 
benches,  buckets,  tables,  etc.  Holly  Shelter  pro\'e(l  a  haven  of 
repose  after  the  Virginia  campaign.  Some  weeks  were  spent 
in  this  vicinity,  the  time  being  divided  between  Holly  Shelter, 
Burgaw  and  Wilmington. 

From  this  agreeable  stay  the  regiment  was  called  to 
Charleston,  S.  C,  on  8  April,  where  a  stay  of  a  few  days  was 
made  at  the  "Four  ^lile  House,''  whence  the  command 
moved  to  Pocataligo,  S.  C.,  a  cam]i  dubltcd  liy  tlic  rcuimcutal 
wit  as  '"The  Devil's  ]\risery  Hole.'' 

Insects  in  millions  iiivad(Ml  the  camjt  by  day  and  night, 
dev(>loping  a  biting  and  stinging  power  hitherto  unknown  to 
tlie  up-country  men  composing  the  regiment. 

Rations  were  scarce  and  Commissary  Sergeant  Shell  made 


PUBLIC  1I«8ARY. 
A8T0R,  a*«o«  A»» 


FORTY-SIXTH  REGIjyiENT. 

1.  Thomas  Troy.  Lieutenant,  Co.  G.  3.    W.  C.  Bain,  Sergeant,  Co.  G. 

2.  Henry  C.  Latta.  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  E.  4.    James  A.  Crews,  Sergeant,  Co.  E. 

(Killed  at  Petersburg,  Nov.  12, 1864.)  5.    C.  R.  Thomasson,  Private,  Uo.  E. 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  71 

affidavit  before  Serg'eant-Major  Troy  that  "thirteen  typical 
South  Carolina  cattle  yielded  only  eleven  hundred  pounds  of 
blue  beef." 

With  shouts  of  joy,  the  regiment  bade  adieu  to  Pocataligo 
about  20  April,  proceeding  to  Topsail  Sound,  near  Wilming- 
ton, where  the  usual  anny  ration  was  totally  disregarded  for 
the  luscious  oyster,  to  be  had  in  the  sound  for  the  getting. 

8  ]\lay  camp  was  broken  and  the  regiment  moved  to 
Goldsboro,  from  whence  it  took  a  bloodless  part  in  the  Kin- 
ston  campaign. 

6  June  the  command  left  Xortli  Carolina  for  Virginia, 
where  it  was  stationed  near  Hanover  Junction. 

Various  camps  were  occupied  near  Richmond,  the  brigade 
being  stationed  here  for  the  protection  of  the  city,  while  the 
main  army  marched  to  Gettysburg. 

Nothing  of  interest  occurred  here  except  a  most  brilliant 
engagement  at  South  Anna  bridge,  between  Company  B, 
of  the  Forty-sixth,  supporting  a  battery,  and  a  force  of 
T'uion  cavalry,  about  6  July,  in  which  that  company  covered 
itself  with  glory.  Thirty-three  fresh  graves  were  counted 
on  the  Federal  position  of  the  engagement.  Loss  in  Com- 
pany B,  four  killed  and  ten  wounded. 

Late  in  July,  1863,  found  the  regiment  near  Fredericks- 
burg, where  it  remained  until  30  Augiist.  During  this  time 
the  death  of  Adjutant  ]\lallett,  at  the  hands  of  deserters  from 
another  regiment,  whom  he  was  endeavoring  to  arrest,  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  entire  regiment. 

Tliis  gallant  young  officer  had  endeared  himself  to  every 
member  of  the  regiment  by  his  excellent  bearing  in  the  field, 
as  well  as  the  genial  good  nature  manifested  in  his  daily 
duties  in  camp.  A  detail  under  Lieutenant  Mallett  had  been 
sent  in  pursuit  of  the  party  of  deserters.  By  some  means  he 
became  separated  from  most  of  his  small  force  and  coming 
up  Avith  the  refugees  he,  with  his  usual  fearlessness,  rode  up 
to  them,  demanding  their  surrender,  when  one  of  the  party 
shot  the  noble  fellow  dead. 

1  September,  1863,  the  regiment  bade  a  final  adieu  to 
Fredericksburg,  proceeding  by  the  way  of  Guinea's  Station  to 
Taylorsville,  where  it  remained  some  days,  when  on  25  Sep- 


72  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

tember  orders  were  received  to  repair  to  Gordon sville,  wliere 
a  quiet  sojourn  was  had  until  9  October,  removing  on  that 
day  to  Madison  Court  House,  this  being  the  first  day's  march 
in  the  fatal  flank  movement  to  Bristoe.  On  this  date  Cooke's 
brigade  (now  composed  of  North  Carolina  regiments,  as  fol- 
lows. Fifteenth,  Twenty-seventh,  Forty-sixth,  Forty-eighth 
and  Fifty-fifth)  was  attached  to  General  Harry  Heth's  Divis- 
ion, and  was  thus  attached  until  the  close.  The  Division  w^as 
composed  of  following  brigades:  Cooke's  North  Carolina, 
Kirkland's  North  Carolina,  Davis'  Mississippi,  Archer's 
Tennessee,  Walker's  Virginia.  Heth's  Division  formed  a 
part  of  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps,  composed  of  the  divisions  of  Heth, 
Wilcox  and  Anderson. 

From  9  to  14  October  the  command  made  a  series  of  most 
difficult  marches  over  the  ridges  and  across  the  rapid  run- 
ning streams  which  characterize  the  foothills  of  the  Blue 
Ridge — in  the  effort  to  reach  Manassas  ahead  of  Meade,  who 
was  being  pressed  toward  that  point  by  General  Lee. 

Much  of  the  distance  was  covered  at  night,  over  such  roads 
as  language  fails  to  describe. . 

On  the  morning  of  14  October,  Cooke's  Brigade  took  the 
advance  and  in  the  afternoon  struck  the  Union  forces  in  a 
strong  position  behind  the  railway  embankment  at  Bristoe 
Station,  with  a  number  of  field  guns  on  the  eminence  in  the 
rear.  Before  any  support  came  up  General  Cooke,  under 
orders,  imme.liately  attacked  with  great  gallantly.  In  the 
charge  ma(k>  hy  this  devoted  brigade,  the  gallant  Cooke 
fell,  shot  in  the  forehead,  when  the  connnand  devolved  on 
Colonel  E.  D.  Hall,  of  the  Forty-sixth. 

The  unequal  struggle  was  waged,  with  no  result,  save  the 
loss  of  valuable  lives ;  indeed  a  disaster  was  only  averted  by  a 
rapid  change  of  front  by  the  Forty-sixth  under  Colonel  Hall's 
immediate  lead  by  which  the  enemy's  left  flank  movement 
was  checked.  This  movement,  made  under  a  heavy  fire  from 
both  infantry  and  artillery,  elicited  great  praise,  and  added 
new  laurels  to  the  record  of  the  Forty-sixth  for  steadiness  and 
deliberation.  The  effort  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  liis  posi- 
tion proving  fntile,  the  command  was  withdrawn  in  g(^od  or- 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  73 

der,  out  of  rifle  shot,  which  position  it  held  until  the  next 
morning,  bj  Avhich  time  the  enemy  had  disappeared. 

It  was  said  that  General  Lee  most  severely  criticised  Gen- 
eral A.  P.  Hill  for  this  blunder — that  of  sending  a  force 
of  only  two  small  brigades  (Cooke's  and  Kirkland's)  against 
overwhelming  odds  strongly  intrenched,  with  ten  or  twelve 
regiments  in  reserve,  who  never  fired  a  gun.  Such  a  course 
was  then,  and  is  yet  unaccountable,  on  the  part  of  a  command- 
ing officer  of  undeniable  ability. 

In  this  unfortunate  affair  the  Forty-sixth  had  about  sixty 
casualties — the  configuration  of  the  ground  over  which  it 
fought  only  saving  it  from  a  much  severer  loss. 

On  18  October  the  command  crossed  the  Rappahannock  on 
pontoons,  which  were  necessary,  the  river  being  much  swollen, 
and  went  into  what  was  at  the  time  supposed  to  be  winter 
quarters. 

About  this  time  the  Forty-sixth  lost  its  brilliant  Colonel, 
E.  D.  Hall,  who  resigned  to  accept  a  civil  office  in  ISTorth  Car- 
olina. Col.  Hall  had  brought  the  regiment  up  to  a  high  stand- 
ard in  every  respect — a  brave  man,  a  good  disciplinarian,  the 
service  lost,  in  his  resignation,  a  most  valuable  and  efficient 
officer — and  it  was  with  much  regi'et  that  his  regiment  bade 
him  farewell.  On  the  hillside,  near  the  Rapidan,  huts  were 
built  and  the  men  proceeded  to  make  themselves  comforta- 
ble, but  the  hope  of  a  winter's  rest  was  rudely  dissipated  by 
being  suddenly  ordered,  on  8  November,  to  a  position  two 
miles  from  Culpepper  Court  House  to  oppose  Meade's  threat- 
ened advance,  who  had  already  captured  a  large  portion  of 
Hoke's  and  Hayes'  Brigades.  Expectations  of  a  general  en- 
gagement were  not  realized,  and  12  I^ovember  found  the 
Forty-sixth  in  camp  near  Rapidan  Station,  on  the  south  bank 
of  the  river,  from  which  on  27  of  l^ovember  it  again  moved 
to  confront  IMeade  at  Mine  Run.  Here  the  army  entrenched 
and  awaited  the  attack,  which  never  came.  The  artillery 
was  at  times  engaged,  and  there  were  a  few  casualties  in  the 
brigade,  but  no  loss  in  the  Forty-sixth. 

From  this  date  until  8  February,  1864,  the  regiment  oc- 
cupied its  winter  quarters  near  Rapidan,  the  monotony  varied 


74  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801 -'65. 

by  one  or  two  bloodless  and  brief  expeditions  to  tbe  left  wing 
of  the  annj,  caused  by  Federal  cavalry  demonstrations. 

On  8  February,  new  quarters  near  Orange  Court  House 
having  been  constructed,  the  command  again  moved.  This 
cam])  was  the  best  yet  occupied,  in  a  well-wooded  and 
w-atered  section,  and  the  severe  winter  of  1863-'6-i — what  re- 
mained of  it — was  spent  here  in  comparative  comfort. 

The  monotony  here  was  unbroken  by  any  event  w^orth  re- 
cording save  possibly  the  gTcat  battle  of  ''The  Snow,"  which 
took  place  on  23  March,  the  snow  being  about  fifteen  inches 
deep  and  is  thus  chronicled.  On  the  morning  of  this  eventful 
day,  the  Twenty-seventh  North  Carolina  challenged  to  mortal 
combat  the  Forty-sixth  North  Carolina.  As  the  two  regi- 
ments were  getting  into  position,  a  long  line  of  gTay  skir- 
mishers from  the  direction  of  Kirkland's  camp  announced 
the  fact  that  Cooke's  command  was  to  defend  itself  from  the 
onslaught  of  that  gallant  brigade.  Hastily  sending  word  to 
the  other  Cooke  regiments  to  come  to  the  support,  the  Twen- 
ty-seventh and  Forty-sixth  rushed  upon  Kirkland. 

For  an  hour  the  fight  raged  furiously,  ending  in  the  utter 
rout  of  the  brave  Kirklandites  who  were  driven  pell  mell  out 
of  their  quarters,  the  victors  appropriating  to  their  own  use 
and  behoof  all  the  cooking  utensils  to  be  found  therein. 
That  evening  orders  were  issued  to  company  commanders  to 
see  that  all  such  utensils  were  promptly  returned. 

Diligent  search  was  made,  but  as  every  man  found  in  pos- 
session of  a  cooking  vessel  vowed  tliat  *iie  liad  owned  it  for 
many  months,"  it  is  doubtful  if  a  single  article  was  ever  re- 
turned. 

Tlie  Kirkland  men  being  dissatisfied,  sent  a  foi-nial  chal- 
lenge to  r\:>oke,  for  a  "settlement"  the  next  day,  which  was 
had  in  a  ceremonious  Avay  in  ]iresence  of  an  immense  crowd 
of  onlookers,  including  a  nuniher  of  general  officers  with  their 
staft's  from  other  commands. 

The  result  was  disastrous  in  the  extrt'iiic,  to  (^toke's  com- 
mand, which  was  utterly  rontccl,  losing  nearly  one-half  its  of- 
ficers and  men  as  prisoners  of  war,  who  were  confineil  and 
informed  that  they  would  be  detained  until  the  "skillets" 
were  prodnceil,  l)nt  the  approach  of  night  an<l  rlie  increasing 
cold  frustrated  this  ])urpose  and  all  lian<ls  retnrned  to  tlieir 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  75 

huts,  good  friends.  A  number  of  minor  casualties  resulted 
from  this  wholesale  fun,  but  only  one  of  a  serious  nature. 

On  30  March,  Governor  Z.  B.  Vance  addressed  the  brigade, 
closing  with  a  series  of  anecdotes,  which  sent  the  men  to  their 
quarters  in  excellent  good  humor.  It  was  observed  that  the 
Governor  did  not  once  allude  to  Holden  and  his  adherents, 
these  being  the  then  absorbing  topics  in  Xorth  Carolina. 

The  months  of  March  and  April  witnessed  a  series  of  re- 
vivals of  religion  throughout  the  army.  It  was  hoped  that 
the  Forty-sixth  derived  great  and  lasting  good  from  these 
meetings,  more  to  be  prized  than  any  earthly  blessing. 

1  May  found  the  regiment  with  comparatively  full  ranks, 
and  by  the  restored  health  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  number- 
ing over  500  strong.  The  efficient  Colonel,  W.  L.  Saunders, 
who  had  succeeded  Colonel  Hall,  having  lent  his  best  energies 
during  the  winter  to  bring  it  up  to  a  high  state  of  discipline, 
it  marched  away  from  its  comfortable  quarters  on  4  May, 
1864,  in  better  condition  than  ever  to  meet  the  trials  and 
struggles  of  its  last  and  most  terrible  campaign. 

On  5  May,  in  the  dense  undergrowth  of  the  "Wilderness," 
the  Union  army  was  encountered — the  Forty-sixth  l^eing  in 
line  immediately  on  the  plank  road,  Company  B  being  in 
the  road.  The  record  of  that  day  of  butchery  has  often  been 
written.  A  butchery  pure  and  simple  it  was,  unrelieved  by 
any  of  the  arts  of  war  in  which  the  exercise  of  military  skill 
and  tact  robs  the  hour  of  some  of  its  horrors.  It  was  a  mere 
slugging  match  in  a  dense  thicket  of  small  growth,  where 
men  but  a  few  yards  apart  fired  through  the  lu-ushwood  for 
hours,  ceasing  only  when  exhaustion  and  night  commanded 
a  rest. 

The  fight  in  General  Cooke's  front  was  opened  by  the  gal- 
lant Wishart  with  his  skirmishers,  who  in  the  dense  brush, 
ran  right  into  the  enemy  before  he  knew  their  whereabouts, 
receiving  a  volley  at  but  a  few  paces  distance,  which  laid  low 
more  than  half  our  nund)er,  including  their  fearless  com- 
mander severely  wounded. 

All  during  that  terrible  afternoon,  the  Forty-sixth  held  its 
own,  now  gaining,  now  losing — resting  at  night  on  the  ground 
over  which  it  had  fought,  surrounded  by  the  dead  and  wound- 


76  North  Carolina  Trooi's,  1801 -'05. 

ed  of  both  sides.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  6th,  the  bat- 
tle was  renewed  with  increased  vigor  by  the  enemy  who  had 
received  reinforcements  during  the  night,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  heavier  weight  of  the  Union  attack  began  to  slowly 
press  back  the  decimated  Confederate  line.  Matters  were 
assuming  a  serious  aspect  \\hon  T.ongstreet's  Corps,  fresh 
from  the  west,  with  Lee  at  its  head,  trotted  through  the 
weakened  line  and  forming  under  lire,  soon  liad  the  enemy 
checked,  driving  him  back  to  his  original  position.  The 
writer  had  the  pleasure  of  witnessing  this  glorious  scene — the 
most  soul-inspiring  sight  the  imagination  can  conceive,  and 
one  never  to  be  forgotten. 

The  night  of  the  6th  the  list  of  casualties  was  hastily  made 
up — possibly  not  accurate — as  follows:  Forty-sixth  Xorth 
Carolina,  killed  39,  wounded  251,  total  200,  out  of  an  effec- 
tive strength  of  540  men.  The  following  were  instantly 
killed :  Captain  N.  N.  Fleming,  of  Company  B ;  Lieutenant 
George  Horah,  of  Company  B;  Lieutenant  J.  A.  B.  Blue,  of 
Company  H ;  Lieutenant  T.  S.  Troy,  of  Company 
G.  Wounded:  Colonel  W.  L.  Saunders,  Captain  A.  T. 
Bost,  of  Company  K ;  Lieutenant  F.  M.  Wishart,  of  Com- 
pany A ;  Lieutenant  T.  G.  Jenkins,  of  Company  C. 

After  the  6th,  Grant's  famous  left  flank  movement  began ; 
the  Forty-sixth  on  the  front  line  almost  daily  until  Appo- 
mattox. 

On  10  May,  the  regiment  was  again  engaged  at  Spottsyl- 
vania  Court  House,  where  Cooke's  Brigade  made  a  most  liril- 
liant  and  successful  charge  on  the  enemy's  batteries — -loss  not 
heavy,  except  in  Company  C,  (Captain  S.  W.  Jones)  who  lost 
three  killed  and  eight  wounded.  Officers  wounded :  Captain 
S.  W.  Jones,  of  Company  C;  Lieutenant  Kouib,  of  Com- 
pany K,  mortally. 

Again  on  12  May  was  the  Forty-sixth  engaged — suft'ering 
slightly.  From  the  12th  to  19th,  the  Forty-sixth  was  con- 
tinuously in  line,  confronting  the  enemy — with  suuill  loss. 

The  continual  lateral  movement  of  both  armies  brought 
them  near  Mechanicsville,  on  28  May,  being  a  series  of  skir- 
mishings to  this  date. 

On  2  and  3  June  the  entire  brigade  did  some  handsome 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  77 

work  near  Mechanicsville,  receiving  the  highest  encomiums 
from  the  Richmond  Examiner  which  was  said  to  have  praise 
only  for  Virginians. 

From  3  to  12  June,  the  Forty-sixth  well  entrenched,  con- 
fronted the  enemy  at  vei*y  close  quarters — so  close  that  con- 
versation could  be  carried  on  between  the  opposing  forces. 

12  June,  the  sidelong  movement  was  resumed.  15  June 
the  regiment  Avas  engaged  in  White  Oak  Swamp  for  some 
hours — losing  about  twenty-five  men.  Here  it  was  that 
Lieutenant  Robert  A.  Small,  of  Company  G,  met  his  death. 
Few  nobler  spirits  "passed  over  the  river"  during  those  ter- 
rible years  than  that  of  Lieutenant  Small — a  Christian  and 
one  of  nature's  noblemen. 

18  June  the  command  crossed  the  James  river,  above 
Drewu-y's  Bluff,  and  occupied  a  position  near  Petersburg,  in 
the  entrenchments. 

The  line  of  march  of  the  regiment,  from  the  beginning  of 
the  campaign,  was  as  follows :  Along  the  Fredericksburg 
turnpike  to  "The  Wilderness" — thence  to  Spottsylvania 
Court  House,  Hanover  Junction  via  Brooke  turnpike  to  new 
Mechanicsville — thence  via  ''ISTine  Mile  Road,"  Williams- 
burg road,  Charles  City  road,  Darbytown  road,  River  road, 
across  Drewry's  Bluff"  pontoon  bridge  to  the  Richmond  and 
Petersburg  turnpike,  thence  to  Petersburg — a  path  marked 
at  almost  every  step  wdth  blood. 

From  19  June  to  22  August,  the  regiment  occupied  various 
positions  on  the  front  lines  near  Petersburg,  being  moved 
hither  and  thither  as  emergency  required. 

22  August  the  Forty-sixth  took  part  in  a  brilliant  affair, 
on  the  extreme  right  of  the  lines,  on  the  Weldon  Raihvay, 
driving  from  their  works  two  lines  of  the  enemy,  but  was 
checked  in  its  mad  rush  at  the  third  line  by  a  wdthering  fire 
of  grape  and  canister — under  which  a  number  of  gallant 
spirits  sank  to  rise  no  more,  among  others  Captain  L.  Bran- 
son, Company  F,  shot  through  the  body  by  a  gi'ape  shot. 

25  August,  one  of  the  most  desperate  actions  of  the  year 
was  fought  at  Reams  Station,  mainly  by  Cooke's  and  Kirk- 
land's  Brigades.  The  enemy  was  strongly  fortified  with  a 
quantity  of  artillery.   Two  brigades  of  Wilcox's  Division  had 


78  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'Go. 

failed  to  drive  them,  when  Cooke's  and  Kirkland'.s  were  sent 
forward,  and  in  a  most  terrific  storm  of  tlnnnhn"  and  light- 
ning, steadilv  adxaiiced  over  tlie  lield,  facing  a  th'adlv  fire, 
and  with  a  veil  carried  everything  before  them,  capturing 
seven  stands  of  coh)rs,  nine  guns,  2,100  prisoners  and  a  large 
quatitv  of  camp  e(iui])age. 

The  bayonet  was  freclv  used  in  this  afl^air,  and  Lieutenant- 
(^olonel  A.  C.  McAlister  distinguished  himself  hy  his 
daring  in  leading  the  regiment  to  the  muzzles  of  tlie  cannon. 

Loss  in  the  Forty-sixth,  seventy-three  killed  and  wounded. 
Among  the  wounded  were  Captain  H.  R.  KcKinney,  of  Com- 
pany A ;  Captain  A.  T.  Bost,  of  Company  K ;  Captain  Troy, 
of  Company  G ;  Lieutenant  T.  R.  Price,  of  Company  C ; 
Lieutenant  M.  X.  Smyer  (both  eyes  shot  out)  ;  Lieutenant. 
J.  W.  Brock,  of  Company  G. 

After  Reams  Station  the  regiment  returned  to  the  lines 
around  Petersburg,  occupying  different  positions  until  De- 
cember, when  winter  quarters  were  built  on  llatclu-r's  Run, 
near  Burgess'  mill,  about  ten  miles  from  Petersl)urg  and  im- 
mediately in  front  of  the  enemy. 

About  7  December  took  place  the  famous  Bellfield  expedi- 
tion, noted  for  the  suffering  endured  by  the  men  from  cold 
and  exposure,  which  continued  for  five  days. 

From  7  December  to  4  February  the  Forty-sixth  re- 
mained in  winter  quarters,  with  little  to  vary  the  monotony. 

5  February,  1865,  took  place  the  affair  at  ILitcher's  Run, 
in  wliicli  the  regiment  was  engaged,  with  some  loss,  among 
tlie  killed  being  Lieutenant  T.  W.  Brock,  of  Comjiany  G,  by 
a  shell. 

27  February  Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  C.  McAlister  was  de- 
tached from  the  regiment  and  with  the  writer  as  Adjutant, 
assumed  command  of  a  force  of  about  six  hundred  men  and 
was  assigned  to  duty  in  the  counties  of  Randol]ili,  Chatham, 
Montgomery  and  Moore,  Nortli  Carolina.  This  force  was 
composed  of  the  Seventh  Xortli  Carolina,  ^lajor  James  G. 
ILii-ris  connnanding.  and  two  companies  each  from  the  Fif- 
teenth, Twenty-seventh,  Forty-sixth.  Forty-eighth  and  Fifty- 
fifth  Xorth  Carolina  Regiments,  designed  for  the  protection 
of  that  sectiitn  from  raiding  parties  of  the  enemy,  as  also  to 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  79 

preserve  order  in  enforcing  the  Conscript  Act.  This  force 
was  actively  emploved  until  General  Johnson's  army  arrived 
near  Greensboro,  when  it  was  attached  to  General  D.  H. 
Hill's  Division  until  paroled  by  General  Sherman. 

An  episode  of  this  bit  of  service  was  a  lively  engagement 
in  the  streets  of  Greensboro  with  a  portion  of  Wheeler's  dis- 
organized cavalry,  which  undertook  to  capture  the  Govern- 
ment stores  in  the  warehouses,  and  incidentally  the  town  gen- 
erally. The  cavalry  was  driven  out,  but  not  without  a  num- 
ber of  casualties  to  both  sides. 

By  reason  of  the  above  mentioned  detail  service,  the  writer 
can  give  no  particulars  of  the  regiment's  experience  from  Pe- 
tersburg to  Appomattox  from  personal  knowledge.  Those 
whose  duties  kept  them  at  the  front  near  Petersburg  state 
that  the  morning  when  Lee's  lines  near  Hatcher's  Run  were 
broken,  the  Forty-sixth,  with  the  balance  of  Cooke's  Brigade, 
retired  in  its  usual  good  order. 

On  the  retreat  to  Appomattox  its  experiences  were  those 
of  the  army  generally,  continued  fighting  and  starvation. 
Ever  ready  to  do  its  duty,  no  apparent  disaster,  however 
great  it  seemed,  shook  its  steady  column,  and  up  to  the  su- 
preme moment  at  Appomattox  its  unity  was  preserved,  its 
men,  those  whom  the  bullet  and  disease  had  spared,  an- 
swering promptly  "here,"  when  the  final  roll  call  was  had. 

At  Appomattox  the  remnant  of  this  band  of  heroes  laid 
down  their  arms  to  take  them  up  no  more  forever,  and  the 
Forty-sixth  Xorth  Carolina  passed  into  history  with  not 
one  member  who  but  feels  a  just  pride  in  its  record,  upon 
which  rests  no  blemish.  At  the  surrender  the  regiment  was 
commanded  by  Colonel  W.  L.  Saunders.  Its  strength  is  not 
recorded,  but  the  whole  Cooke's  Brigade  numbered  70  officers 
and  490  men.  Official  Records  Union  and  Confederate 
Armies,  Vol.  95,  p.  1278. 

Its  torn  and  tattered  battle  flag  which  waved  in  triumph 
over  many  a  bloody  scene,  was  never  lowered  until  by  order 
of  the  immortal  Lee  it  was  laid  down  forever,  but  not  in  dis- 
grace or  shame,  for  about  its  folds  shone  the  glories  of  Mal- 
vern Hill,  Harper's  Ferry,  Sharpsburg,  Fredericksburg,  Bris- 
toe,   Wilderness,    Spottsylvania,    Mechanicsville,    Cold   Har- 


80  NoKTH  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

bor,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Petersburg,  Eeams  Station,  Davis' 
Farm  and  Hatcher's  Run. 

]^ot  many  remain  to  tell  the  story  of  its  bivouacs,  marches 
and  battles,  its  patience  and  endurance,  its  hardships  and 
sufferings  for  three  years  of  hard  service  Soon  none  will 
remain,  but  its  glory  is  as  fadeless  as  is  that  of  "Lee's  Army," 
whose  fortunes  and  misfortunes  it  shared  to  the  end. 

OFFICERS    OF    THE    FORTY-SIXTH. 
(Compiled  mainh'  from  memory,) 

Company  A — R.  ]M.  Xorment,  Captain,  promoted,  succeed- 
ed by  Lieutenant  H.  R.  McKinney,  a  New  Yorker  by  birth, 
but  a  staunch  believer  in  States  Rights,  who  served  faithfully 
to  the  end,  wounded  several  times.  The  regiment  had  no  more 
capable  or  efficient  officer.  First  Lieutenant  Frank  M.  Wish- 
art,  for  many  months,  was  commander  of  the  regimental  skir- 
mish line.  (The  writer,  during  the  latter  months  of  the  war, 
w^as  intimately  associated  with  Lieutenant  Wishart,  then 
Captain  of  Company  B,  and  testifies  to  his  absolute  indiffer- 
ence to  danger  and  his  total  ignorance  of  fear,  laughing  and 
joking  under  fire  as  in  camp,  always  wanting  to  ''get  at  'em.") 
He  survived  the  war  only  to  be  treacherously  murdered  by 
Henry  Berry  Lowa-y.  Upon  the  promotion  of  Lieut.  Wishart 
to  Captaincy  of  Company  B,  his  brother,  Wellington  Wish- 
art, became  First  Lieutenant.  He  is  remembered  as  the 
most  silent  man  in  the  regiment,  and  as  brave  as  he  was  silent. 
Sergeant  J.  H.  Freeman  was  promoted  to  be  Second  Lieuten- 
ant and  John  Hammond  from  Ensign. 

Company  B — Captain  W.  L.  Saunders  having  been  ad- 
vanced to  a  Majority,  Lieutenant  IST.  1^.  Fleming  became 
Captain -and  served  as  such  until  his  death  on  the  field  at  the 
Wilderness,  when  Lieutenant  Frank  M.  Wishart,  of  Com- 
pany A,  was  elected  Captain,  serving  in  that  capacity  until 
the  close.  Second  Lieutenant  George  Horah,  having  been 
advanced  to  First  Lieutenancy,  was  instantly  killed  at  the 
Wilderness.  Sergeant  W.  B.  Lowrance  was  promoted  to 
Second  Lieutenant  and  was  transferred  to  another  regiment. 
James  T.  Pearson  and  John  J.  Stewart  were  also  promoted 
to  Lieutenant.     Quartermaster-Sergeant  J.  M.  Waddill  was 


Forty-Sixth  Regiment.  81 

promoted  to  be  Second  Lieutenant,  serving;  as  sucli  until  sent 
on  detached  service  under  Lieutenant-('olonel  A.  C.  McAlis- 
ter. 

CoMPAXY  C — Upon  the  promotion  of  Captain  W.  A.  Jen- 
kins, Lieutenant  Stephen  W.  Jones  became  Captain,  serving 
gallantly  in  that  capacity  until  the  close.  Lieutenants,  W. 
A.  J.  Xicholson,  Samuel  M.  Southerland,  Leon  S.  Mabry, 
Thomas  R.  Price  and  Thomas  G.  Jenkins.  The  latter  two 
were  several  times  wounded  in  discharge  of  duty. 

Co:\rPAXY"  D — C^iptain  Colin  Stewart  was  with  his  com- 
pany in  the  one  capacity  from  the  organization  to  the  final 
ending,  and  (I  think)  never  received  a  wound.  Daniel  Stew- 
art and  S.  M.  Thomas  were  successively  First  Lieutenant, 
and  Hugh  Middleton,  Malloy  Patterson,  John  A.  McPhail 
and  John  W.  Roper  were  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company'  E — Captain  R.  J.  Mitchell  having  been  pro- 
moted to  Major,  Lieutenant  R.  L.  Hetlin  became  Captain, 
and  later  resigned,  being  succeeded  by  Lieutenant  Jesse  F. 
Heflin,  who  served  as  Captain  until  the  close — a  steady, 
brave,  capable  officer,  ever  at  his  post,  in  camp  or  field.  James 
Meadows,  First  Lieutenant,  resigned  and  was  succeeded  by 
Second  Lieutenant  J.  J.  Walker.  James  Wheeler,  John  C. 
Russell  and  Henry  C.  Latta  became  Second  Lieutenants. 

Co]MPAXY'  F — Captain  A.  C.  McAlister,  promoted  to  Ma- 
jor, Lieutenant  Thomas  A.  Branson  was  advanced  to  Cap- 
taincy, losing  his  life  on  the  field  at  Da\is'  Farm,  near  Peters- 
burg, 1864,  when  Sergeant  M.  M.  Teagiie,  a  gallant  young 
fellow,  was  promoted  Captain.  His  Lieutenants  were  J.  A. 
Spencer  and  R.  D.  McCotter.  James  A.  Marsh,  originally 
First  Lieutenant,  was  made  A.  Q.  M.  17  April,  1862.  Sam- 
uel P.  Weir,  killed  at  Fredericksburg,  was  Second  Lieutenant 
in  this  company. 

Company^  G — Upon  the  resignation  of  Captain  R.  P.  Troy, 
Lieutenant  O.  W.  Carr  was  advanced  to  Captain,  and  re- 
mained in  command  until  the  close — always  at  the  post  of 
duty,  alike  in  the  service  of  his  country  or  his  God.  Ransom 
H.  Steen,  First  Lieutenant,  was  succeeded  by  R.  S.  Small, 
and  T.  S.  Troy,  who  fell  at  the  Wilderness  and  was  suc- 
ceeded as  Second  Lieutenant  by  J.  W.  Brock,  killed  at  Ilatch- 
6 


82  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

er's  Run  5  February,  1865,  and  Robert  W.  Stinson  also  killed 
at  Petersburg. 

CoMPAKY  H — The  promotion  of  Captain  'N.  McK.  Mc- 
Neill to  Major,  led  to  the  advance  of  Lieutenant  George  Wil- 
cox to  a  Captaincy,  serving  until  the  close.  Charles  C.  Gold- 
ston.  First  Lieutenant,  having  resigned,  J.  A.  Blue  suc- 
ceeded him  and  fell  at  the  Wilderness,  being  succeeded  by 
Lieutenant  N.  A.  McNeill,  who  also  shared  the  fortunes  of 
the  company  to  the  end.  John  N.  McNeill  became  Second 
Lieutenant  3  September,  1863. 

Company  I — Captain  Owen  Holmes  commanded  the  com- 
pany from  beginning  to  the  end — was  in  nearly  every  en- 
gagement, with  never  a  wound,  if  memory  is  not  at  fault. 
First  Lieutenant  O.  P.  White  has  (I  think)  the  same  unusual 
record.  John  C.  Wright,  Second  Lieutenant,  was  succeeded 
by  Thomas  Owens.  John  D.  Herring,  Minson  McLamb  and 
Isaiah  Herring  were  also  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  K — ^Captain  A.  T.  Bost  (if  memory  be  not  at 
fault)  fell  at  Reams  Station,  and  was  succeeded  by  his 
brother,  R.  A.  Bost,  who,  as  Captain,  receiving  a  severe  face 
wound,  was  disabled  thereby.  No  steadier  men  ever  faced  a 
firing  line  than  these  two.  First  Lieutenant  A.  Routh  was 
mortally  wounded  while  charging  a  battery  at  Spottsylvania 
10  May,  1864.  Second  Lieutenant  M.  N.  Smyer  was  mor- 
tally wounded  at  Reams  Station  25  August,  1864.  Lieuten- 
ants J.  M.  Hoover  and  Sidney  Shuford  were  then  in  com- 
mand until  the  close. 

In  commenting  on  certain  names  here  mentioned,  it  will  be 
borne  in  mind  that  by  reason  of  longer  acquaintance  or  closer 
intimacy,  the  writer  knew  more  of  certain  ones  than  of  oth- 
ers. Some  company  officers  were  appointed  but  a  short  time 
before  the  writer  was  called  away  from  the  regiment,  and 
whom  he  knew  only  by  name. 

No  invidious  discrimination  is  intended,  for  it  is  distinctly 
remembered  that  no  officer  of  the  Forty-sixth  was  ever 
charged  with  doing  less  than  his  full  duty. 

J.  M.  Waddill. 
Gkeenvii.i-e.  i'^    C. , 

9  April.  1901. 


I  PUBLIC  LlSt^R?- 

|,STOR,  LEHOX   AND 


FORTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  Sion  H.  Rogers,  Colonel.  4.    J.  J.  Thomas,  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M. 

2.  W.  C.  Lankford,  Lieul. -Colonel.  5.    John  H.  Thorp,  Captain,  Co.  A. 

3.  Campbell  T.  Iredell,  Captain,  Co.  C.      6     Geo.  W.  VVestray,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  A. 


FORTY-SEVEriTH  REGIMENT. 


By  JOHN  H.  THORP,  Captain  Company  A. 


In  March,  1862,  amid  the  rush  to  arms  of  North  Carolina 
volunteers,  the  1,200  men  wlio  made  the  aggregate  of  its  ten 
companies,  organized  the  Forty-seventh  North  Carolina  Reg- 
iment. 

As  the  companies  were  coming  together,  New  Bern  was 
taken  by  the  Federal  General,  Euraside,  and  those  that  had 
arrived  at  Raleigh  were  sent,  without  guns,  below  Kinston 
under  Major  Sion  H.  Rogers,  to  assist  in  staying  the  Federal 
advance.  These  remained  there  a  week  or  two,  when  they  re- 
turned to  Raleigh,  and  with  the  other  companies,  now  ar- 
rived, completed  their  organization  with  Sion  H.  Rogers, 
Colonel ;  George  H.  Faribault,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  John 
A.  Graves,  Major. 

On  5  January,  1S63,  Rogers  resigned  to  become  Attorney- 
General  of  the  State,  when  Faribault  became  Colonel,  Graves 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Archibald  D.  Crudup,  Captain  of 
Company  B,  became  Major.  Graves  was  wounded  and  cap- 
tured at  Gettysburg  3  July,  1863,  from  which  he  died;  Cru- 
dup became  Lieutenant-Colonel  March,  1864,  and  William 
C.  Lankford,  Captain  of  Company  F,  Major  at  the  same 
time.  Faribault  and  Crudup  were  wounded  and  the  first  re- 
signed January,  1865,  and  the  latter  in  August,  1864,  where- 
upon Lankford  became  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  continued  the 
only  field  officer.  Hence,  mainly  by  casualties  in  battle,  the 
regiment  was  scant  of  field  officers  during  very  much  of  its 
severest  trials,  and  frequently  was  without  one.  On  such  oc- 
casions it  was  led  through  hard-fought  battles  by  a  Captain, 
and  some  times  by  a  Lieutenant.  W.  S.  Lacy  was  Chaplain ; 
R.  A.  Patterson,  first,  and  after  him  Franklin  J.  White,  were 
Surgeons ;  J.  B.  Wiustead  and  Josiah  C.  Fowler,  Assistant 
Surgeons,  of  the  regiment.  Thomas  C.  Powell  was  Adju- 
tant. 


84  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

CoMPAiNY  A — Nash  County — It  wa?  first  coiiiinanded  by 
Captain  John  W.  Bryan,  who  died  in  June,  1862,  when  Lieu- 
tenant John  II.  Thorp  became  Captain  and  commanded  to  the 
end  of  the  war.  The  Lieutenants  of  Company  A  were: 
George  W.  Westray,  who  was  kiUed  at  Cold  Harbor;  Wilson 
Baily,  who  died ;  Sidney  H.  Bridgers,  killed  at  Bristoe  Sta- 
tion ;  I>.  II.  Bunn  (since  menilx-r  of  United  States  Congress) 
and  Tlioiiias  Wostray. 

Company  B — Franklin  County — After  Crudup,  its  first 
Captain,  was  promoted,  Joseph  J.  Harris  was  made  Captain ; 
was  wounded,  captured  and  remained  a  prisoner.  Its  Lieu- 
tenants were  Harvey  D.  Griffin,  who  died ;  Sherrod  J.  Evans, 
Hugh  H.  Perrv  and  William  B.  Chamblee. 

Company  C — ^Vahe  County — The  first  Captain  of  Com- 
pany C  was  Edward  Hall,  who  died  1  September,  1862,  when 
Cameron  T.  Iredell  became  Captain,  was  killed  3  July,  1863, 
and  George  ^l.  Whiting  became  Captain,  taken  prisoner  at 
Gettysburg  and  died  after  the  war  of  disease  contracted  in 
prison.  The  Lieutenants  of  this  company  were  Xathaniel  L. 
Brown,  David  M.  Whitaker,  ]\larmaduk^  W.  Norfleet  and  A. 
H.  Harris. 

Company'  D — Nash  County- — John  A.  Harrison  was  first 
Captain  of  Company  D,  resigned  in  November,  1862,  and 
Lieutenant  Geo.  jST.  Lewis  became  Captain,  was  elected  to 
the  State  Legislature  in  August,  1864,  when  Richard  F. 
Drake  became  Captain.  Its  Lieutenants  were  Benjamin  F. 
Drake,  resigned  ;  William  H.  Blount  and  John  Q.  Winborne. 

Co:\rPANY'  E — Walxe  County — John  H.  Xorwood  was  the 
first  and  only  Captain  of  Company  E.  Its  Lieutenants 
were  Erastus  LI.  Ray,  Benj.  W.  Justice,  promoted  A.  C.  S. 
af  tlie  regiment;  Lconidas  W.  Robertson  and  William  A. 
Dunn. 

Company  F — FranJclin  County — W.  C.  Lankford  was  the 
first  Captain  of  this  company,  and  when  he  was  promoted, 
Julius  S.  Joyner  became  Captain.  Its  Lieutenants  were 
J.  J.  Tliomas,  promoted  A.  Q.  M.  of  the  regiment;  Sylvanus 
P.  Gill,  W.  I).  Harris  (resigned)  and  H.  R.  Crichton. 

Company  G — Franl-Jin  and  Granville  Counties — Joseph 
J.  Davis  was  the  first  Ca])tain  of  Com])any  G,  and  was 
wounded,  captured  and  a  prisoner  3  July,  1863,  and  remain- 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  85 

ing  a  prisoner,  no  other  could  succeed  to  the  Captaincy.  Its 
Lieutenants  were  P.  P.  Peace,  Richard  F.  Yarborough,  pro- 
moted to  Colonelcy  of  another  regiment ;  W.  H.  Pleasants, 
George  D.  Tunstall  and  George  Williamson.  Captain  Davis 
was  afterwards  member  of  United  States  CongTess  and  Jus- 
tice of  our  Supreme  Court. 

Company  H — Wake  Cotmty — Charles  T.  Haughton,  first 
Captain  of  Company  H,  died  in  June,  1863,  when  Lieuten- 
ant Sydney  W.  Mitchell  became  Captain  and  was,  to  the 
close  of  the  war.  Its  Lieutenants  Avere  T.  L.  Lassiter,  Syd- 
ney A.  Hinton,  J.  D.  Xewsom  and  John  T.  Womble. 

Company'  I — Wal-e  County — I.  W.  Brown  was  the  first 
Captain  of  Company  I,  and  killed  at  Reams  Station.  Its 
Lieutenants  were  Charles  C.  Lovejoy,  transferred  to  another 
regiment;  William  Henry  Harrison,  J.  Wiley  Jones  and  J. 
Rowan  Rogers,  a  brother  of  the  first  Colonel  of  the  regi- 
ment. 

Company  K — Alamance  County — Robert  H.  Faucette 
was  the  first  and  only  Captain  of  Company  K,  and  as  Senior 
Captain-  commanding  the  regiment,  signed  the  paroles  of  the 
commanders  of  companies  on  9  April,  1865.  Its  Lieuten- 
ants were  James  H.  Watson,  Thomas  Taylor,  Jacob  Boon 
and  Felix  L.  Poteat. 

After  a  short  stay  at  Camp  Mangaim,  in  Raleigh,  during 
which  time  it  was  drilled  incessantly,  the  regiment  was 
camped  between  Xew  Bern  and  Kinston,  where  several  weeks 
were  spent  in  guarding  our  outposts,  marching  to  near-by 
points  where  attacks  were  threatened,  but  never  escaping  to 
be  drilled  daily,  and  taught  the  duties  of  a  soldier  by  the 
never-tiring  General,  J.  G.  Martin.  It  was  here  the  men 
went  through  the  sick  period  consequent  upon  the  change 
from  civil  to  military  life ;  through  measles  and  mumps  and 
malarial  fevers,  from  which  quite  a  number  died.  Very  few 
escaped  sickness  in  passing  through  to  the  toughened  condi- 
tion. 

At  this  time  the  predominant  desire  was  to  g'o  to  the  scenes 
being  enacted  around  Richmond,  where  General  Lee  and  his 
illustrious  co-generals  were  entering  on  that  career  which  as 


86  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

leaders  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  made  them  so 
famous.  But  the  boon  is  not  jet  gi^anted  us.  In  July  we  go 
to  Drewry's  Bluff,  at  this  time  a  position  that  must  be  held, 
and  General  Martin  goes  with  us,  and  carrying  us  into  a  hot 
field,  in  view  of  delightful  shade,  continues  his  incessant 
drilling  from  morning  till  night.  After  a  stay  of  three  weeks 
the  regiment  is  appropriately  made  provost  guard  of  Peters- 
burg. So  thoroughly  trained  itself,  it  efficiently  executed  the 
delicate  duties  of  guard  in  this  important  city,  then  a  mili- 
tary center.  During  its  stay  the  strongest  of  friendship  was 
formed  between  civilian  and  soldier.  Not  a  single  unpleas- 
ant incident  is  recalled. 

Early  in  November,  to  meet  a  threatened  attack,  we  were 
taken  to  Weldon,  where  we  took  our  first  snow  storm  in  camp 
without  covering  except  such  as  the  men  hastily  made  with 
bark  and  boughs  and  dirt. 

The  regiment  had  returned  to  Petersburg  when,  on  14 
December,  it  was  rushed  by  rail  to  Kinston  to  resist  the  Fed- 
eral General  Poster  in  his  attack  on  that  town.  We  arrived 
late  in  the  evening  just  as  the  Confederate  General,  Evans', 
Brigade  was  retreating  across  the  bridge  over  the  Neuse.  In 
a  jiffy  we  were  unloaded  from  the  cars,  which  Averc  run  of? 
immediately,  ordered  to  pile  our  knapsacks,  overcoats  and 
blankets,  which  we  never  heard  of  afterwards,  and  double- 
quicked  to  tlic  rescue.  As  Colonel  Rogers  formed  us  in  line  of 
battle.  General  Evans  learning  of  our  arrival,  ordered  us  to 
the  north  of  the  town  to  cover  the  retreat  of  his  brigade  which 
had  been  overpowered,  and  showing  our  full  regimental  front 
received  General  Foster's  messenger,  who  bore  his  demand  to 
surrender,  and  replied  :  ''Tell  General  Foster  I  will  fight  him 
here." 

Foster  did  not  come,  but  night  soon  did,  and  Ave  had  again 
escaped  a  battle.  At  nightfall  General  Evans  collected  his 
scattered  brigade  and  retreated  to  Falling  Creek.  The  next 
day  Company  A,  of  the  Forty-seventh,  reconnoitered  tAVO 
miles  toAvard  Kinston  Avithout  finding  the  enemy,  and  aftei* 
night  A  and  K  Avent  to  Kinston  to  learn  that  Foster  had  ad- 
vanced up  the  south  bank  of  the  Neuse.  He  attempted  to 
cross  at  White  Hall,  but  Avas  driven  back  and  continued  his 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  87 

march  toward  Goldsboro,  to  which  the  Forty-seventh  was 
inarched  on  the  following  day.  On  our  arrival  at  Goldsboro 
we  were  marched  across  the  county  bridge  and  formed  line  of 
battle,  in  which  we  remained  all  this  cold  December  night, 
to  find  at  light  that  Foster  had  retreated  and  was  now  far 
away. 

A  few  days  afterwards  the  regiment  is  on  Blackwater  un- 
der General  Roger  A,  Prior,  protecting  Eastern  Virginia. 
I^ow  for  rigid  marching.  Every  day  marching  thirty  miles. 
All  foot  logs  and  small  bridges  are  cut  away  ahead  of  us  that 
the  men  may  lose  no  time  in  breaking  from  column  of  four, 
and  we  must  take  the  mud  and  water  in  the  roads  through 
this  boggy  section.  And  so,  as  we  had  been  perfected  in  the 
drill  and  tactics  by  Martin,  we  were  now  Romanised  by 
Prior.  Frequently  during  this  time  a  battle  was  immo- 
nent,  but  one  did  not  occur.  It  was  skirmishing,  retreat- 
ing, advancing  on  another  distant  point,  over  a  large  extent 
of  territory  to  keep  the  6nemy  pushed  within  his  limited 
lines. 

ATTACK   ON   NEW   BEKN. 

Thus  inured  to  the  vicissitudes  of  war,  except  actual 
battle,  the  Forty-seventh  was,  early  in  1863,  brigaded  with 
the  Eleventh,  Twenty-sixth,  Forty -fourth  and  Fifty-second, 
under  that  splendid  General,  J.  Johnston  Pettigrew,  and  re- 
turned to  Eastern  Xorth  Carolina.  The  points  of  Rocky 
Mount,  Magnolia  and  Goldsboro,  as  they  Avere  threatened, 
were  quickly  covered,  and  thence  we  were  marched  in  D.  H. 
Hill's  army  to  the  vicinity  of  New  Bern,  which  town  Hill 
threatened.  Here  about  the  middle  of  March,  1863,  after  a 
forced  march  of  several  days  in  bleak  winter,  Pettigrew,  in 
the  early  dawn,  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  and  passed  one 
of  his  block  houses,  which  protected  !N^ew  Bern,  but  by  failure 
of  other  troops  to  co-operate  time  Avas  lost  and  the  enemy  got 
one  of  his  gunboats  in  action,  Avith  wliich  our  brigade  was 
terribly  shelled.  PettigrcAv  being  unable  to  reply  with  can- 
non, or  to  cross  the  Avater  Avith  his  infantry,  Avithdrew  his  bri- 
gade in  regiments  by  echelon  in  such  masterly  manner,  the 
men  exhibiting  the  utmost  coolness,  that  not  a  man  Avas  lost, 


88  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

though  the  retreat  was  a  long  waj  over  an  open,  level  field. 
Soon  after  this  we  went  to  Greenville  and  thence  to  Wash- 
ington, crossing  the  Tar  in  canoes  in  high  water,  when  the 
regiment  threatened  the  town  and  waked  np  the  enemy's 
gnnboats  again ;  we  lost  one  man  killed  and  several  wounded. 

But  the  main  oliject,  on  the  part  of  the  Confederate  au- 
thorities, of  these  operations  in  Eastern  jSTorth  Carolina,  to- 
wit :  to  gather  in  the  supplies  of  this  rich  section,  having  been 
accomplished  and  General  Lee  making  preparations  for  his 
second  invasion,  Pettigrew's  Brigade,  early  in  May,  1863, 
became  a  part  of  Heth's  Division  in  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps. 

Thus  after  more  than  a  year,  perhaps  well  occupied,  both 
in  doing  arduous,  but  less  conspicuous  service  as  in  be- 
coming thoroughly  efficient  for  the  sterner  activities  of  ac- 
tual battle,  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  is  at  length,  and 
henceforth  to  the  end,  will  be  with  the  Army  of  JSTorthern 
Virginia.  It  was  well  it  had  a  thorough  training,  for  soon 
it  was  to  go  tlir(^ugh  fiery  trials,  its  ranks  to  be  torn  by  shot 
and  shell,  to  be  depleted  of  its  officers,  leaving  it  to  be  led  in 
great  emergencies  by  a  Captain,  and  the  companies  some 
times  by  a  private.  Whenever  and  wherever  tried  it  was 
equal  to  the  emergency.  It  responded  with  promptness  to 
the  command  "Charge!"  to  the  very  end. 

It  was  early  in  May,  1863,  when  we  arrived  at  Hanover 
Junction,  thence  we  marched  to  Fredericksburg,  thence  to 
Culpepper  Court  House,  across  the  Blue  Ridge  mountains, 
through  Winchester,  and  crossed  the  Potomac  at  Shepherds- 
town.  On  the  nortli  bank  of  the  Potomac  the  disciplinarian, 
Pettigrew,  delivered  his  strict  commands  against  interfering 
with  private  rights  and  property,  and  right  well  were  these 
commands  obeyed.  As  we  passed  through  Hagerstown,  the 
eyes  of  our  men  were  dazed  l)y  the  fullness  of  an  opulent  city, 
but  no  one  dared  to  loot  it.  On  20  June  we  camped  near 
(~^ashtown,  and  on  the  30th  were  marching  rapidly  into  Get- 
tysburg with  the  avowed  object  of  shoeing  our  bai'efooted 
men.  Already  the  non-combatants  had  gotten  (as  they 
always  do  when  danger  is  far  off)  to  the  front,  and  we  were 
almost  at  o\ir  destination  when  a  person  in  citizen's  dress, 
on  a  farm  horse,  rode  leisurely  from  the  adjacent  woods  up 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  89 

to  the  fence,  on  the  other  side  of  ^^'hich  we  were  moving,  in- 
quired for  onr  commander,  and  paced  up  to  the  head  of  our 
column.  On  his  arrival  there  the  command  ''Haiti"  rang 
down  our  line.  Was  this  a  spy  ?  ''About  face — quick  time, 
march  I"  and  back  we  went ;  but  not  without  several  shots  at 
long  range  being  fired  at  us  from  both  sides  of  the  road.  So 
we  escaped  the  ambuscade  that  had  been  set  for  us. 

GETTYSBURG. 

Early  on  1  July  the  Forty-seventh  was  in  the  line  which 
opened  the  battle  of  Gettysl)urg.  It  is  rememlxn-ed  that 
Company  A  had  eighty-two  trigger  pullers,  each  with  forty 
rounds  of  ammunition,  and  the  other  companies  were  per- 
haps as  large.  The  morale  of  the  men  was  splendid,  and 
when  it  advanced  to  its  first  grand  charge  it  was  with  the 
feelings  of  conquerors.  We  were  met  by  a  furious  storm  of 
shells  and  canister  and  further  on  by  the  more  destructive 
rifles  of  the  two  army  corps  confronting  us.  One  shell  struck 
the  right  company,  killing  three  men,  and  exploding  in  the 
line  of  file  closers,  by  the  concussion,  felled  to  the  earth  every 
one  of  them.  The  other  companies  were  faring  no  Ijetter. 
Still  our  line,  without  a  murmur,  advanced,  delivering  its 
steady  fire  amid  the  rebel  yells,  and  closed  with  the  first  line 
of  the  enemy.  After  a  desperate  struggle  this  yielded  and 
the  second  line  was  met  and  quickly  l)roken  to  pieces.  The 
day  was  a  hot  one,  and  the  men  liad  difficulty  in  ramming 
down  their  cartridges,  so  slick  was  the  iron  ram-rod  in 
hands  thoroughly  wet  with  perspiration.  All  expedients  were 
resorted  to,  but  mainly  jabbing  the  ram-rods  against  the 
ground  and  rocks.  This,  with  the  usual  causes,  undressed 
our  advancing  line;  still  all  were  yelling  and  pressing  for- 
ward througli  the  growing  wlieat  breast  high,  toward  a  body 
of  the  enemy  in  sight,  l)ut  beyond  the  range  of  our  guns, 
when  suddenly  a  third  line  of  the  enemy  arose  forty  yards  in 
front,  as  if  by  magic,  and  leveled  their  shining  line  of  gim- 
barrels  on  the  wheat  heads.  Though  taken  by  surprise  the 
roar  of  our  giins  sounded  along  our  whole  line.  We  had 
caught  the  drop  on  them.  Redoubled  our  yells  and  a  rush, 
and   the   work   is    done.     The   earth   just    seemed    to    open 


90  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

and  take  in  that  line  which  five  minutes  ago  was  so  perfect. 

Just  then  a  Federal  officer  came  in  view  and  rode  rapidly 
forward  bearing  a  large  Federal  flag.  The  scattered  Fed- 
erals swarmed  around  him  as  bees  cover  their  queen.  In  the 
midst  of  a  heterogeneous  mass  of  men,  acres  big,  he  approach- 
ed our  left,  when  all  guns  in  front  and  from  right  and  left 
turned  on  the  mass  and  seemingly  shot  the  whole  to  pieces. 
This  hero  was  a  Colonel  Biddle,  who  (if  he  were  otherwise 
competent)  deserved  to  command  a  corps.  It  was  with  gen- 
uine and  openly  expressed  pleasure  our  men  heard  he  was  not 
killed.  The  day  is  not  ended,  but  the  fighting  in  our  front  is 
over,  and  the  Forty-seventh  dressed  its  line  and  what  re- 
mained of  it  marching  to  the  place  whence  it  started  on  the 
charge,  bivouacked  for  the  night,  intoxicated  with  victory. 
Many  were  the  incidents  narrated  on  that  beautiful,  moon- 
light night. 

On  the  2d  we  were  not  engaged  save  in  witnessing  the  mar- 
shaling of  hosts,  with  much  fighting  during  the  day,  and  at 
night  a  grand  pyrotechnic  display,  this  being  the  struggle  on 
the  slope  of  Little  Round  Top  for  the  possession  of  the  hill. 

On  3  July  the  Forty-seventh  was  put  in  the  front  line  pre- 
paring to  make  that  celebrated,  but  imprudent  charge,  famil- 
iarly called  Pickett's  charge,  though  just  why  called  Pickett's 
instead  of  Pettigrew's  charge,  is  not  warranted  by  the  facts. 
And  why  it  has  been  said  that  PettigrcAv  supported  Pickett 
instead  of  Pickett  supported  Pettigrew,  is  also  incompre- 
hensible. It  is  certain  that  the  two  divisions  (PettigreAV  led 
Heth's  Division  to-day)  started  at  the  same  time,  in  the  same 
line.  Pickett's  distance  to  traverse  was  shorter  than  that  of 
Pettigrew.  Both  went  to  and  over  the  enemy's  breastworks, 
but  were  too  weak  from  loss  of  numbers  to  hold  them.  Pick- 
ett's Division  was  perfectly  fresh.  Pettigi'ew's  had  just 
passed  through  1  July  in  which  even  its  commander  (Heth) 
had  been  knocked  out. 

If  further  witness  be  sought,  the  respective  numbers  of 
dead  men  in  the  correctly  recorded  spots  where  they  fell,  sup- 
ply it.  But  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  Pettigrew's  men 
appreciate  that  it  was  not  the  brave  Pickett  and  liis  men,  who 
claimed  for  themselves  pre-eminence  in  this  bloody  affair. 


^0"E^^1 


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{^ 


FORTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 


1.  J.  D.  Newsom,  2d  IJeut ,  Co.  I. 

2.  J.  Wilie  Jones,  2(1  Lieut.,  Co.  I. 

3.  J.  Rowan  Rogers,  2(1  Lieut.,  Co.  I. 

4.  Thomas  Westray,  2(i  Lieut.,  Co  A. 

5.  B.  H.  Buim,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  A. 


George  B.  Moore,  Sei'tjeant,  Co.  C. 
Luke  E.  Estes,  Private,  Co  E. 
Jolin  Wesley  Bradford,  Private,  Co.  G. 
(Picture    in    Supplementary  Group, 
4tli  volume.) 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  91 

They  remember,  vividly  remember,  how  Pickett  chafed  while 
waiting  to  make  his  spring,  like  an  untamed  lion  for  hia 
prey.  Perhaps  the  assault  was  a  Confederate  mistake.  So 
good  an  authority  as  General  Lee  is  quoted  as  saying  this 
much,  but  that  the  stakes  for  which  he  was  playing  was  so 
great  (it  being  Harrisburg,  Baltimore  and  Washington)  he 
just  could  not  help  it.  Later  a  similar  excuse  was  plead  by 
General  Grant  for  the  slaughter  at  Second  Cold  Harbor.  The 
late  Captain  Davis,  ''Honest  Joe,"  who  led  Company  B  in 
this  charge,  and  who  charged  over  the  enemy's  breastworks 
and  became  a  prioner,  said  the  enemy  was  literally  torn  to 
pieces.  But,  then  our  "hind  sights  are  better  than  our  fore- 
sights." And  may  be,  after  all  the  best  conclusion  is  that  a 
kind  Providence  had  heard  the  prayers  for  the  Union  that 
has  ascended  from  both  sides,  though  uttered  not  so  loud 
from  the  South,  and  in  answer,  just  wrote  doAvn  in  the  book 
of  Fate:  "Gettysburg,  3  July,  1863,  the  beginning  of  the 
end."  The  writer,  who  was  in  the  line  of  sharpshooters 
which  preceded  the  main  line  of  battle,  witnessed  an  incident 
which  (although  not  belonging  to  the  Forty-seventh  Regi- 
ment) ought  to  be  recorded.  Lie  saw  Brigadier-General  Jas. 
H.  Lane,  on  horseback,  quite  near  the  stone  wall,  riding  just 
behind  and  up  to  his  men,  in  the  attitude  of  urging  them 
forward  with  his  hand  ;  a  moment  later  a  large  spurt  of  blood 
leaped  from  the  horse  as  he  rode  up,  and  rider  and  horse 
went  down  in  the  smoke  and  uproar.  This  was  about  the 
time  of  the  climax  of  the  battle  when  darkness  and  chaos 
obscured  what  followed. 

Surely  the  rank  and  tile  of  the  army  of  Xorthern  Vir- 
ginia did  not  realize  the  bigness  of  the  event  that  had  just 
happened ;  nor  can  we  believe  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  did, 
inasmuch  as  it  behaved  so  nicely  while  we  spent  several  days 
in  the  same  neighborhood. 

The  Forty-seventh  now  had  had  its  ups  and  its  downs.  On 
the  1st  as  it  double-quicked  on  Reynold,  it  had  an  equal 
chance  with  the  enemy  and  had  hurled  80,000  bullets  in  their 
faces.  On  the  3d  they  had  attempted  to  march  1,000  yards 
in  quick  time  through  a  raking  fire  of  cannon  and  minies, 
with  virtually  no  chance  to  use  their  minies — a   soldier's 


92  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

main  weapon.  The  skeleton  of  its  foniier  self  it  returned  to 
the  ])lace  Avhence  it  l)eo-an  its  charo-c  and  l)eg'an  business  with- 
out a  held  (tthcer,  and  duriiiii"  tlie  balance  of  the  day  and  the 
succeeding-  night  welcomed  the  retuni  of  several  of  our  mem- 
bers who,  miscatlied  or  Avounded  in  various  degrees,  crawled 
from  the  field  of  cariuige,  for  the  space  between  the  armies 
continued  neutral  ground,  being  covered  bv  the  wounded  of 
both.  On  the  -itli  General  Pettigrew  t(dd  us  that  had  we 
succeeded  the  evening  before,  no  doul)t  onr  army  would  have 
been  on  the  road  to  Washington  and  ])erhaps  negotiations  for 
peace  would  then  be  on  foot.  Surely  the  c'6-prit  de  corps  of  our 
regiment  was  undaunted. 

On  the  night  of  the  4tli  we  moved  off  leisurely  toward 
Funktown,  where  we  stood  up  on  the  11th  to  meet  a  threat- 
ened attack  which  did  not  materialize,  and  on  the  14th  were 
in  the  rear  guard  of  the  army  at  Falling  Waters  to  cover  the 
crossing  of  the  Potonuic.  Here  a  drunken  squad  of  Federal 
cavalry  rashly  rode  on  us  while  resting.  Of  course  they  were 
dispatched  at  once,  but  in  the  melee  General  Pettigrew  re- 
ceived a  pistol  ball  in  the  stomach  from  which  he  died  in  a 
day  or  two.  Major  John  T.  Jones,  of  the  Twenty-sixth,  was 
now  the  only  field  officer  left  to  the  brigade,  and  as  we  began 
to  retire  to  cross  the  river  the  enemy  furiously  charged  up 
and  took  quite  a  nund^er  of  prisoners  mainly  by  cutting  our 
men  ofF  from  the  pontoon  liridge. 

BRISTOE    STATIOX. 

A  few  daA'S  rest  was  taken  at  Bunkei'  Hill,  tlience  we 
marched  to  Orange  Court  ILaise,  where  we  recu])erate(l  rap- 
idly by  the  return  of  those  who  had  been  wounded  and  a 
goodly  number  of  recruits  from  home.  So  that  on  14  Oc- 
tober the  Forty-seventh  carried  (piite  a  strong  foi-ce  into  the 
battle  of  Bristoe  Station.  In  this  battle  Kirkland's  and 
Cooke's  Brigades,  being  in  the  van  of  Lee's  army,  overtook 
Warren's  Corps  of  ^leade's  retreating  army,  and  without 
awatiug  reinforcements  made  a  furious  attack  against  it  thor- 
o\ighly  entrencli(Ml.  This  was  a  gross  Idunder  on  the  ])art  of 
our  corps'  general   (  A.   P.   Hill)   who  sent  ns  in.      Let  it  be 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  93 

recalled  that  the  gi-ciimd  over  which  we  charged  sloped  down  to 
the  railroad  embankment  behind  which  were  the  enemy's  in- 
fantry, and  sloped  np  from  their  infantry  to  their  artillery. 
Under  these  circumstances  their  artillery  would  have  driven 
back  any  infantry  in  indefinite  numbers.  Of  course  we  were 
repulsed  with  heavy  loss.  An  incident  in  this  fight  was 
that  the  skirmishers  of  the  Forty-seventh,  forty  strong,  in 
going  in  this  charge,  saw  a  space  of  the  enemy's  front,  not 
reached  by  the  left  of  our  advancing  line,  passed  the  front  of 
the  Eleventh  or  left  regiment,  and  filled  the  space.  The 
ground  was  more  favorable  for  us  on  this  end  of  the  line, 
and  the  Eleventh  and  the  skirmishers  of  the  Forty-seventh 
captured  the  breastworks  with  the  enemy  behind  them.  The 
Confederates  here  were  herding  the  enemy  in  squads  to  send 
them  to  the  rear  as  prisoners,  when  the  rest  of  the  line  l)eing 
repulsed,  these  too,  were  compelled  to  retire.  Our  loss  was 
heavy,  including  General  Kirkland  among  the  wounded.  As 
on  3  July,  at  Gettysburg,  we  fell  back  to  the  point  from  which 
we  started  the  charge,  and  for  the  same  reason  as  on  that  day 
could  not  bring  off  our  wounded  who  lay  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle all  night.  The  next  morning,  General  Meade  having 
made  good  his  retirement  on  the  fortifications  at  Manassas, 
we  returned  to  the  Rapidan.  Here  and  at  Orange  Court 
House  we  wintered  without  military  incident,  save  in  fre- 
quent manoeuvering ;  ^feade  and  Lee,  like  two  big  bulls,  each 
trying  to  put  his  head  into  the  other's  flank,  and  once  at 
Vidiers^'ille  an  imminent  battle  was  avoided  by  the  two  gen- 
erals doing  like  the  king  of  France  who,  ''with  40,000  men, 
marched  up  the  hill  and  then  marched  down  again."  The 
Forty-seventh  lost  a  man  or  two  at  Vidiersville  by  the  en- 
emy's artillery. 

The  health  of  the  men  of  the  Forty-seventh  is  excellent, 
perhaps  in  part,  because  of  short  rations,  and  by  the  spring 
the  regiment  is  pretty  full  again  by  returning  convalescents 
and  recruits  from  home. 

General  Grant  is  now  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac, and  by  his  hammering  process  proposes  "to  fight  it 
out  on  that  line  if  it  takes  all  summer,"  which  summer  ran 
sharply  into   the  following  spring.      General   Kirkland  has 


94  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

returned  to  the  command  of  the  brigade,  and  Colonel  Fari- 
bault to  the  command  of  the  Forty-seventh. 

THE    WILDERNESS. 

On  5  May,  1864,  Grant  moved  out  on  Mine  llun  and  the 
Forty-seventh  Regiment  deployed  as  skirmishers  in  the  van 
of  Lee's  army,  opens  the  battle,  beginning  with  that  of  the 
Wilderness  and  continuing  (with  little  intemiission  in  the 
winter)  till  9  April,  1865. 

We  first  struck  the  enemy's  cavalry,  dismounted,  and  grad- 
ually pushed  them  back  over  five  miles,  during  which  we  now 
and  then  lost  a  man,  till  the  middle  of  the  evening,  Avhen  we 
came  up  to  Cooke's  Brigade  just  engaging  the  enemy's  in- 
fantry in  the  tangled  brush,  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness.  The 
Forty-seventh  went  in  and  mingled  with  Cooke's  men  in  the 
fight,  and  so  severe  was  the  rifle  fire  and  the  opposing  armies 
so  near  each  other  that  neither  advanced  on  the  other.  The 
night  was  spent  in  this  position,  and  lines  were  not  put  in  or- 
der; our  men  having  been  ordered  to  rest,  as  Longstreet's 
Corps  was  to  relieve  Hill's  during  the  night.  Longstreet  did 
not  arrive,  and  at  dawn  the  enemy  having  ascertained  our  dis- 
ordered condition,  promptly  advanced.  Our  men  began 
to  retreat  sullenly,  and  fighting  back  at  first,  but  as  the 
day  grew  on  our  confusion  increased  until  about  10  o'clock, 
when  we  met  the  welcome  Longstreet.  This  splendid  Corps 
came  into  line  of  battle  by  the  order  of  "By  the  right  of  com- 
panies into  line,"  and  without  any  halt  continued  their  ad- 
vance in  the  face  of  the,  'till  now,  victorious  Federals.  It 
was  a  terrific  battle  in  which  the  Confederates  pushed  the 
Federals  over  the  same  ground  tliey  had  taken  in  the  morn- 
ing, mingling  vast  numbers  of  dead  Federals  among  the  Con- 
federates slain  a  few  hours  before.  The  Forty-seventh  lost 
no  prisoners  in  this  battle,  but  heavily  in  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  10th  the  Forty-seventh  was  prominent  in  the  battle 
of  Wait's  Shop,  when  General  Early  pressed  Hancock  back 
across  the  river  after  an  engagement  of  several  hours,  wherein 
the  Confederates  advanced  steadily,  the  Federals  retreating 
Avithout  much  resistance.  This  was  a  battle  in  Avhioh  the 
powder  used  far  exceeded  a  commensurate  loss  of  men  on 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  95 

either  side.  The  loss  of  the  Forty-seventh  was,  perhaps, 
twenty.  But  the  object  of  the  Confederates  was  effected. 
Hancock  left  the  important  place  at  which  he  tried  to  break 
through  our  lines. 

On  the  12th  at  Spottsylvania  the  Forty-seventh  was  but 
slightly  engaged.  It  supported  our  artillery  which  did  great 
havoc  near  the  bloody  angle. 

The  succeeding  fifteen  days  the  regiments  was  more  or 
less  engaged,  some  of  it  at  least  being  under  daily  fire,  under 
which  we  seemed  to  grow  stronger. 

BETHESDA   CHURCH. 

On  1  June  Kirkland's  and  Cooke's  Brigades  were  desper- 
ately charged  behind  breastworks.  The  Forty-seventh  was  in 
splendid  fighting  trim  on  this  occasion,  and  as  the  enemy 
started  across  an  open  field  the  order  was  given  us  not  to  fire 
until  a  certain  cannon  fired,  and  company  commanders  were 
to  order  the  fire  by  file.  The  Federal  officers  threw  them- 
selves in  front  of  their  men  and  most  gallantly  led  them,  but 
when  the  cannon  sounded  the  signal,  our  deadly  fire  opened 
on  them  within  fifty  yards  and  it  was  so  steady  and  accurate, 
for  our  men  were  perfectly  cool,  that  before  the  companies 
had  fired  a  round,  the  enemy  was  completely  broken  and 
routed,  a  large  number  of  them  killed  and  wounded.  Our  loss 
was  almost  nothing  as  the  enemy,  depending  on  giving  us  the 
bayonet,  withheld  their  fire,  until  they  were  repulsed.  The 
sharpshooters  of  the  two  brigades,  having  previously  been  or- 
dered, rushed  after  and  harrassed  their  rear  for  two  miles. 
This  was  the  battle  of  Bethesda  Church,  and  amid  the  tre- 
mendous events  occurring,  was  the  occasion  of  a  dispatch 
from  General  Lee  to  the  Secretary  of  War  complimenting  the 
two  brigades. 

While  the  sharpshooters  were  pursuing,  the  main  body  of 
the  two  brigades  was  ordered  off  towards  Cold  Harbor  and 
participated  in  another  battle  at  that  place  the  same  even- 
ing. In  this  last  fight  in  which  the  Confederates  charged 
the  enemy  out  of  their  good  breastworks,  General  Kirkland 
was  again  wounded  and  did  not  return  to  this  command. 
General  William  MacBae  succeeded  to  the  command  of  our 


96  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

bi"ii;;i(k'  al)out  rliis  lime,  and  tlii'nuiili  every  vicissitude  proved 
the  equal  of  any  brigadier  in  tlie  army,  (^uite  a  nnniber  of 
the  men  of  the  Forty-seventh  were  killed  and  wounded  in  the 
engagement. 

General  lletli,  with  his  division,  remaiue<l  on  the  ground 
taken  that  night,  fortihed  aiul  a\\aite(|  lo-moi'i'ow.  Karly 
on  to-morrow  the  enemy  massed  a  host  in  our  front  and  at- 
tem])ted  to  break  through  lis  all  day.  They  were  in  the 
Avoods,  we  on  the  edge  of  it  with  a  small  field  liehind  us.  This 
enabled  them  to  get  very  near  tis,  perhaps  forty  to  sixty  yards, 
and  we  learned  l)y  sound  rather  than  by  sight,  \yhen  they 
arose  to  charge,  and  kept  them  in  check  by  shooting  in  the 
direction  of  their  noise,  as  they  would  attem]~»t  to  encourage 
their  men.  It  was  literally  an  all-day  aifair.  .Vmong  our 
other  embarrassments  we  were  nearly  surrounded,  and  once 
when  the  enemy's  cannon  sent  a  shell  from  our  i-car  and  our 
men  had  craned  their  necks,  General  Heth  coolly  comman<led 
an  aid  "to  go  stop  that  battery — tell  them  they  are  firing  into 
my  men."  Fortune  was  propitious,  and  they  did  stop,  doubt- 
less, because  they  could  suppose  their  own  men  tO'  be  fired  into 
by  their  slielling,  so  close  were  we  together.  Our  loss  was 
considerable  during  the  day,  but  at  length  night  came.  At 
dark  a  detail  collected  every  canteen  and  bayonet  and  took 
them  out,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  dark  good,  we  silently  stole 
away  by  the  only  outlet  left  us. 

From  Cold  Harbor  we  went  to  Gaines'  ^Mill,  just  after 
Hoke  had  repulsed  the  enemy  at  that  place,  infiicting  heavy 
loss.  From  Gaines'  Mill  we  crossed  the  Chickahominy. 
Thence  about  the  middle  of  Jtme  we  crossed  the  James  and 
a  few  days  after  the  Appomattox  riv(>rs,  and  our  division 
took  position  on  the  extreme  right  of  General  Lee's  long  line 
of  defense  extending  from  the  Chickah<iminy  to  Hatcher's 
Kun.  a  distance  of  about  thii'ty-five  miles. 

Hatcher's  Kun  ami  its  vicinity  are  henceforth  to  be  tlie 
scene  of  our  operations,  and  it  was  around  this  flank  and  in 
this  vicinity  that  General  Grant  did  most  of  his  hammering, 
an<l  near  here  he  finally  broke  throngh  Lee's  linos  to  begin 
the    A])pomattox   campaign. 

Once,  in  July,  our  division  recrossed  the  A]ipomattox  to 


Forty-Seventh  1\egiment.  97 

meet  Grant's  feigned  attack  on  the  north  of  the  river,  when 
the  episode  of  the  crater,  on  30  July,  took  place. 

On  21  August  our  division  was  a  part  of  the  attacking 
column  to  dislodge  Warren's  Fifth  Corps  from  the  Weldon 
Railroad.  For  about  two  days  before  and  two  after  this  date, 
the  Forty-seventh  was  under  almost  daily  fire,  in  which  series 
of  fights  it  lost  several  killed  and  wounded. 

KEAMS    station. 

On  25  August  MacHae's,  with  Lane's  and  Cooke's  Bri- 
gades distinguished  themselves  in  the  battle  of  Reams  Sta- 
tion. Hancock  had  fortified  this  place  and  other  Southern 
troops  had  failed  to  dislodge  him,  when  these  Xorth  Caroli- 
nians were  assigned  the  honor  of  doing  so.  MacRae  pointed 
out  to  his  men  how  they  could  approach  under  the  protection 
of  an  old  field  of  pines,  and  we  imagine  the  heretofore  trium- 
phant Federals  must  have  smiled  as  they  beheld  the  small 
force  adA^ancing  against  them,  and  intended  to  withhold  their 
fire  mitil  we  should  reach  a  point  from  which  we  might  be 
unable  to  escape.  Suddenly  MacRae  ordered :  ''Don't  fire  a 
gun,  but  dash  for  the  enemy."  The  dash  was  made,  and  be- 
hold the  assault  is  successful.  The  result  is  several  flags  and 
cannon,  a  large  number  killed  and  wounded,  and  2,100  pris- 
oners. A  Federal  officer,  as  he  sat,  a  surprised  prisoner,  re- 
marked to  one  of  our  officers:  "Lieutenant,  your  men  fight 
well;  that  was  a  magnificent  charge."  The  loss  in  the  Forty- 
seventh  was  heavy,  and  it  included  an  over-proportion  of  our 
very  best  men.  This  was  notably  so  in  Company  A.  Men  who 
seemed  to  have  possessed  charmed  lives ;  who  struck  so  quick, 
and  were  so  cool  and  daring  to  pass  the  danger  line,  were 
struck  down  almost  in  a  body.  Many  of  them  returned  after 
recovery,  but  the  regiment  was  notably  weakened  after  this. 

On  30  September  General  Heth  attacked  two  corps  of 
Federals  trying  to  extend  to  our  right,  near  the  Pegram 
house,  and  captured  quite  a  number  of  prisoners.  On  1  and 
2  October  the  effort  to  extend  continued  and  we  continued  to 
resist  it ;  but  after  several  days  doggedly  fighting  and  putting 
in  fresh  troops,  they  succeeded  and  fortified  themselves.  It 
7 


98  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'05. 

was  Grant's  way,  a  continual  extending  his  left  with  fresh 
troops  and  making  his  line  impregnable  with  the  spade  and 
cannon. 

BUKGESS''  MILL. 

On  the  27th  the  enemy  again  felt  for  oiir  right  flank,  and 
at  Burgess'  jMill  General  MacRae's  Brigade  assaulted  them, 
repulsing  the  full  length  of  his  line  of  battle,  taking  a  battery 
of  artillery  and  passing  far  to  the  front,  discovered  that  the 
enemy  were  closing  from  both  his  flanks  the  gap  he  had  just 
made.  MacRae  was  on  foot  leading  his  command,  and  point- 
ing to  the  perilous  situation,  asked  them  to  follow  him  out, 
which  they  gallantly  did  by  cutting  their  way  out.  Our  loss 
here  was  very  heavy  in  killed  and  wounded,  but  none  were 
taken  prisoners.  Hill's  Corps  took  a  great  number  of  prison- 
ers. ^lacRae  complained  bitterly  about  his  superiors  in  com- 
mand allowing  him  to  be  cut  to  pieces  when  it  could  have 
been  prevented. 

Winter  had  now  set  in,  and  the  men  settled  down  with  some 
degree  of  comfort  in  their  rudely  constructed  quarters.  Some 
attended  religious  worship  by  our  Chaplain.  The  regiment 
in  early  1864  had  a  good  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion, but  no  sign  of  it  was  visible  at  the  close  of  the  cam- 
paign— the  members  of  it  having  been  knocked  out.  Some 
who  could  raise  a  Confederate  dollar  went  to  the  theatre  ;  yes, 
we  had  a  theatre  in  Davis'  Brigade,  built  of  logs  with  a  dirt 
floor  and  log  seats,  and  such  capers  the  soldier  comedians  and 
tragedians  cut  by  torch  light,  and  music  by  banjo  and  the 
fiddle!  Tt  was  said  the  theatrical  company  made  money. 
Camp  life,  however,  in  the  winter  of  1864-'65  was  a  hard 
one,  and  upon  the  whole  a  very  sad  one.  These  old  soldiers 
of  many  battle  fields,  though  they  murmured  not,  knew  a 
gi*eat  deal,  and  a  few  who  supposed  they  could  bear  no  more 
deserted  to  the  enemy,  who  stood  with  outstretched  ai-ms  to 
welcome  tliem.  The  Forty-seventh  furnished  very  few  of 
this  class. 

As  General  Grant  received  a  steady  flow  of  reinforcements 
he  invariablv  sent  them  to  extend  his  left  and  in  the  severest 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  99 

weather  tlie  Forty-seventh  was  several  times  called  out  to 
resist  the  extension. 

One  of  these  was  on  5  February,  1865.  It  was  sleeting 
and  very  cold  when  a  large  force  of  Federals  again  moved 
around  our  right  to  sever  our  communications.  The  Forty- 
seventh  formed  a  part  of  the  attacking  force  which  was  suc- 
cessful in  driving  them  back.  The  regiment's  loss  was  a  due 
proportion  of  our  total  loss,  which  was  perhaps  1,000,  while 
that  of  the  enemy  was  double  that  number. 

Toward  the  end  of  March  Grant  had  collected  an  irresisti- 
ble force  on  his  left,  which  was  daily  feeling  for  our  right, 
and  on  2  April  broke  through  our  attenuated  line  nearer  to 
Petersbui-g  and  moved  in  our  rear.  At  this  time  the  Forty- 
seventh,  lately  reinforced  by  the  last  recruits  from  home, 
were  further  to  the  right  to  try  to  stem  the  torrent  that  ap- 
peared in  that  quarter.  Lieutenant  Westray,  of  Company 
A,  ^^ith  tliirty  men,  were  engaged  on  our  old  picket  line  and 
they  held  their  position  so  well  that  even  the  enemy  passed  on 
both  sides  of  them  and  left  them  in  their  rear,  from  which 
situation  this  little  body  made  their  way  out,  and  the  next 
day  turned  up  for  duty  across  the  Appomattox. 

The  skii-mishers  of  the  Forty-seventh  had  done  picket  duty 
on  the  extreme  of  our  right  the  night  of  the  1st  and  were  re- 
turning on  the  morning  of  the  2d  along  the  breast%vorks  held 
by  some  Floridians.  These  were  dividing  out  their  day's 
rations,  and  if  they  had  pickets  out,  they  would  evidently  have 
been  quietly  captured.  The  head  of  a  Federal  cavalry  column 
was  approaching  the  breastworks  and  was  within  seventy-five 
yards,  when  our  skirmishers  halted,  had  a  parley  with  the 
Federals  and  ascertaining  they  were  enemies,  poured  a  volley 
into  them,  which  drove  them  off,  and  we  moved  off  again, 
without  having  halted  five  minutes  and  without  exchanging 
a  word  with  our  friends.  Thus  we  saved  them  from  a  com- 
plete surprise. 

Things  everywhere  on  our  side  were  now  getting  in  a  des- 
perate fix,  the  battle  raging,  seemingly,  everywhere.  Our 
skirmishers,  about  100  in  number,  of  whom  thirty  were  from 
the  Forty-seventh,  got  up  with  our  brigade  nea'^  Southerland's 
Station,  where  McEae  was  so  pressed  2  April  that  he  must 


•«a64072 


100  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'6o. 

need  tui'ii  and  tight.  Two  charges  of  the  enemy  were  repulsed 
and  the  third  was  being  made  when  a  column  of  the  enemy  ar- 
rived on  o\ir  left  and  rear.  A  fierce  struggle  ensued  in 
wliich  we  were  totally  defeated,  slain,  wounded,  captured,  or 
scattered.  Only  a  few  came  out,  the  river  being  in  front,  the 
victorious  enemy  in  rear.  By  order  all  means  of  crossing  the 
river  had  been  removed.  But  the  next  morning  when  Lee 
passed  up  the  northern  bank  tx)ward  Amcdia  Court  House, 
MacTiae  at  the  head  of  our  organized  brigade,  that  is  a  few 
from  each  of  his  regiments,  was  in  the  retreating  column  as 
chipper  as  ever.  Even  the  corps  of  such  of  his  sharpshooters 
as  had  escaped  retained  their  organization. 

Passing  through  Farmville  on  the  Ttli  our  men  snatched 
some  rations  from  a  government  commissary  store  wliich 
they  were  in  sore  need  of,  as  none  had  been  issued,  except  on 
one  occasion  two  ears  of  corn  to  a  man.  On  the  evening  of 
the  7th  we  arrived  on  the  field  by  a  run,  wdien  Fitz  Lee  and 
Gregg's  Cavalry  Brigades  charged  each  otlier,  in  which  Gre^g 
was  defeated  and  himself  captured. 

On  Sunday  morning,  9  April,  the  Forty-seventh  arrived 
at  Appomattox,  the  last  ditch,  and  was  surrendered  with  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  When  it  was  filed  to  the  right 
of  the  road  the  men  supposed  they  were  going  in  line  of  bat- 
tle to  charge  the  enemy  who'  were  visible  in  front,  but  when 
MacRae  commanded  "Halt,"  and  without  any  further  or- 
der as  to  rest,  etc.,  so  contrary  to  his  rule  as  a  disciplina- 
rian, all  stared  and  wondered  what  it  could  mean.  He 
dismounted  and  lay  down,  and  we,  too,  began  to  lay  down. 
The  sad  news  was  quickly  learned,  and  then  followed  that 
mighty  expression  of  blasted  hope,  which  a  witness  will  never 
forget.  The  Forty-seventh  Regiment  had  no  field  officer. 
There  were  two  Captains  of  companies,  Faucette,  of  Com- 
pany K,  who  was  in  command,  and  Thorp,  of  Company  A. 
Company  A  had,  in  addition.  Lieutenant  Westray  and  twelve 
men  ;  Company  D  had  three  men.  The  number  of  men  of  the 
other  companies  not  remembered,  but  were  about  seventy-five. 

The  United  States  troops  (now  seemingly  no  longer  ene- 
mies) flocked  among  us  by  the  liundreds  and  showed  tlieir 
highest  respect  for  their  late  antagonists.     To  see  General 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  101 

Lee  was  the  burden  on  every  tongue.  There  was  no  exulta- 
tion ;  on  the  contrary  they  showed  marked  consideration  for 
our  feelings.  If  the  whole  country  could  have  witnessed  this 
sympathetic  scene  between  the  old  Greys  and  the  old  Blues, 
seas  of  bitter  tears  and  mountains  of  hate  would  have  been 
spared. 

A  herd  of  fat,  young  steers,  and  many  wagon  loads  of 
crackers  were  brought  to  us,  with  which  we  appeased  our 
hunger.  Through  Monday  and  Tuesday  we  received  our 
guests.  On  Wednesday  we  were  paroled,  and  late  in  the 
evening  we  formed  in  our  organizations  for  the  last  time, 
marched  between  the  open  ranks  of  the  Federals  and  stacked 
guns.  1^0  Federal  officer  of  rank  was  in  sight.  There  was  no 
music.     'Twas  silenti — very  sad.     We  broke  ranks  for  home. 

And  now  old  comrades  (who  may  read  it)  this  skeleton  of  a 
sketch  is  an  attempt  to  write  only  the  truth,  though  a  very 
small  part  of  it,  of  the  Forty-seventh  N'orth  Carolina  Regi- 
ment. Praise,  criticism  or  even  mention  of  the  heroes  who 
composed  it  are  purposely  omitted.  The  merits  alone  of 
these  would  fill  a  large  volume,  and  partial  mention  would 
be  actual  wrong.  Is  it  not,  therefore,  better  that  whatever  of 
merit,  of  honor,  and  of  fame  the  dear  old  regiment  attained 
we  shall  share  in  common  ? 

John  H.  Thorp. 
BocKY  Mount,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


/\DDITIONAL    SF^ETCH    FORTY-SEVENTH 
REGinENT. 


By  J.  ROWAN  ROGERS,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  I. 


GETTYSBUKG. 

I  have  accepted  the  task  of  writing  this  additional  sketch 
of  the  Forty-seventh  I^orth  Carolina  Regiment  with  alacrity, 
because  I  love  so  well  its  memory,  and  its  many  heroes  of 
whom  so  many  have  passed  over  the  river,  though  a  few  yet 
linger  on  this  side. 

At  Gettysburg  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  had  the  honor 
of  being  in  the  advance  of  all  the  troops  and  nearest  to  Get- 
tysburg on  30  June,  1863.  We  had  our  pickets  out  on  that 
night  and  next  morning  when  the  line  of  march  was  taken, 
Pettigrew's  Brigade,  composed  of  the  Forty-seventh,  Fifty- 
second,  Twenty-sixth  and  Eleventh,  was  in  front  (Forty -fourth 
Regiment  was  on  detached  duty  near  Richmond).  The  Forty- 
seventh  Regiment  was  in  front  of  the  brigade.  After  march- 
ing some  distance  from  our  camp  on  the  morning  of  1  July, 
the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  was  fired  into  from  both  sides 
of  tlie  road  and  a  halt  was  immediately  called,  when  the  en- 
emy was  discovered  to  be  advancing  from  both  our  right  and 
left  flank  (being  dismounted  cavalry),  from  a  body  of  woods 
which  was  away  from  the  road  on  each  side  about  500  yards, 
l^otwithstanding  this  was  a  great  surprise  to  all  of  our  regi- 
ment, you  could  plainly  see  pleasure  depicted  upon  tlie  face 
of  every  ofiicer  and  man  in  the  regiment,  for  we  all  were  anx- 
ious for  the  fray.  Every  one  waited  anxiously  for  orders, 
which  were  given  by  our  Colonel,  G.  H.  Faribault,  who  or- 
dered Captain  Cameron  Iredell,  of  Company  C,  to  take  five 
men  from  each  company,  making  fifty,  and  charge  the  enemy 
on  our  right  and  ordered  Lieutenant  Westray,  of  Company 
A,  to-  take  five  from  each  company  and  charge  them  on  our 
left.     All  this  was  done  quicker  than  I  can  write  it.    Colonel 


104  North  CUrolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Farihnull  llieii  ii'avc  the  order  fur  our  regiinent  to  niarcli  in 
coliiiiiii  t(i  the  right  by  fours,  thus  heading  our  column  direct- 
ly towards  the  attacking  pjirty,  who  were  on  the  right  of  the 
road.  Colonel  Marshall,  who  was  just  in  rear  of  the  Forty- 
seventh  Regiment  with  the  Fifty-second,  made  the  same 
movement  with  his  galhmt  regiment,  to  the  left  of  the  road, 
thus  the  brigade  faced  three  waN's.  The  main  line 
composed  of  the  Forty-seventh  and  Fifty-second,  faced 
in  the  direction  of  Gettysburg,  while  the  two  skir- 
mish lines  faced  the  enemy  on  our  right  and  left  res- 
l)eetively.  As  soon  as  the  rear  and  left  of  the  Forty-sev- 
enth reached  the  cleared  ground  on  the  right  of  the  road  and 
the  rear  and  right  of  the  Fifty-second  had  reached  the  cleared 
ground  on  the  left,  both  regiments  were  ordered  to  halt.  The 
Forty-seventh  was  ordered  to  face  about  and  march  on  its 
side  of  the  road,  and  passedthe  Fifty-second  some  distance. 
Then  it  was  halted  and  the  Fifty-second  faced  about  and 
marched  the  same  distance  beyond  the  Forty-seventh,  thus 
constantly  keeping  one  regiment  facing  the  enemy  who  was 
in  our  front  trying  to  advance  from  that  direction,  while  the 
skirmishers  of  the  Forty-seventh  were  hotly  engaged  with 
them  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  road,  respectively.  This 
movement  and  fight  was  kept  up  then  until  the  Forty-seventh 
was  enabled  to  strike  the  enemy's  line  on  the  right  of  the 
road  and  the  Fifty-second  to  strike  the  enemy's  line,  which 
was  on  the  left  of  tli(>  road.  1'his  being  done,  a 
forward  iiio\-cnicnt  by  the  Fbrty-seventh  and  Fifty-second 
was  again  orth-rt'd,  one  on  the  right  and  one  on  the  left, 
which  was  gallantly  done  without  any  loss  cxccpi  four  or 
iiv(»  slightly  wounded.  The  <>neniy  broke  and  tied  to- 
wards Gettysburg  at  the  second  volley  from  the  two  regi- 
ments. The  Eleventh  ami  Twenty-sixth  wci'o  not  engaged  in 
this  skirmish.  Marching  in  the  rear,  thcv  did  u(>thave  room 
to  form  in  line  in  time,  for  the  Forty-seventh  and  Fifty-sec- 
ond had  alwjut  1,:>00  num  in  line  in  both  regiments.  After 
re])ulsing  llic  attack  at  this  ])oint  \\c  auaiii  mai"clu'(l  back  to 
the  road,  called  in  our  skirmishers  and  took  up  our  niai'ch, 
which  was  continual  about  one  mile,  when  we  were  sul)jeeted 
to  a  severe  eannonadiu"-  from  liattcries  in  our  front  and  here 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  105 

we  commenced  to  get  into  position  and  form  line  of  battle 
for  the  great  struggle  whicli  was  about  tO'  take  place  on  1 
July,  1863.  Then  the  Fifty-second  ISTorth  Carolina,  under 
Colonel  Marshall,  formed  on  the  right  of  the  Forty-seventh, 
being  thus  on  the  right  of  Pettigrew's  Brigade,  the  Forty- 
seventh  next,  it  being  on  the  right  center,  the  Eleventh  and 
Twenty-sixth  were  on  the  left  centre  and  extreme  left,  but  I 
have  never  known  which  one  of  these  regiments  was  next  to 
the  Forty-seventh.  The  line  being  thus  formed,  was  advanced 
for  a  short  distance  tO'  the  front,  where  it  was  again  halted 
with  its  line  stretching  far  to  the  right  and  left,  for  whatever 
history  may  say.  General  Pettigrew  had  in  line  of  battle  that 
morning  nearer  3,000  soldiers  than  he  had  2,500,  and  they 
were  all  good  and  gallant  men.  Before  night  the  Twenty- 
sixth  ami  Eleventh  ISTorth  Carolina  had  lost  two-tliirds  of 
their  numbers,  for  when  the  word  of  command  was  given  they 
iiished  forward  against  a  largely  superior  force  which  was 
statione^d  in  the  skirt  of  woods  just  in  their  front.  The 
Forty-seventh  suffered  less  severely  on  that  day  than  those  two 
regiments  because  of  their  disadvantages.  The  Forty-sev- 
enth was  the  next  in  loss,  the  Fifty-second  being  on  the  right 
of  the  line,  suffered  less  than  any  other  of  the  brigade  on  that 
day.  But  to  go  back,  after  our  line  was  formed  we  were  or- 
dered to  halt,  and  as  the  enemy  was  keeping  up  a  rather  hot 
fire  upon  our  main  line,  skirmishers  from  our  regiment  were 
ordered  to  advance  and  drive  them  back  out  of  reach  of  our 
line,  which  was  done,  but  not  until  several  of  our  regiment 
were  wounded  and  our  gallant  Lieutenant-Colonel,  John  A. 
Graves,  was  slightly  wounded  on  the  leg,  the  ball  first  having 
hit  the  iron  scabbard  of  his  sword,  which  was  hanging  by  his 
side.  But  see  on  our  left  our  boys  have  charged  the  Yan- 
kees who  are  stationed  upon  a  hill,  and  we  drive  them  down 
the  hill  on  the  other  side,  pell  luell.  But  now  our  gallant 
boys  are  met  half  way  down  the  hill  by  a  fresh  line  of  the 
enemy  and  a  severe^  contest  ensues ;  our  lines  are  thinned 
and  the  Yankees  are  continually  bringing  up  fresh  troops, 
but  our  boys  stand  it  manfully. 

A  part  of  Anderson's  Division  was  on  the  immediate  left 
of  Pettigrew's  Brigade  at  the  first  stage  of  heavy  fighting  on 


106  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801-'G5. 

the  morning  of  1  July.  Now  when  the  rattling  of  musketry  is 
gi'owing  to  a  perfect  line  of  fire,  the  Forty-seventh  is  ordered 
forward.  It  is  a  grand  spectacle.  In  the  line  of  the  Forty- 
seventh  there  are  over  650  muskets,  the  men  marching  stead- 
ily to  meet  the  foe,  who  are  on  their  own  soil  and  strongly 
posted,  with  a  heavy  infantry  force  and  with  artillery 
which  at  every  step  rakes  tlirough  our  lines,  cutting  great 
gaps,  which  are  quickly  filled  up  by  our  boys  closing  into 
the  places  of  those  who  have  just  fallen.  We  cross  a  stream 
and  then  up  a  hill  through  a  wheat  field,  and  then  in  our 
front,  not  over  seventy-five  yards  off,  we  see  the  heavy  lines 
of  Yankee  soldiers  with  their  guns  shining  and  flags  waving ; 
the  struggle  grows  hotter  and  hotter,  men  are  falling  in  every 
direction,  but  the  Forty-seventli  and  Fifty-second  are  push- 
ing the  enemy  steadily  back,  and  are  going  forward;  the 
Twenty-sixth  and  Eleventh  are  contending  with  heavy  odds 
both  as  to  numbers  and  position.  While  the  Forty-seventh  and 
Fifty-second  have  the  foe  in  an  open  field,  the  Twenty-sixth 
and  Eleventh  have  nothing  to  shelter  themselves  any  more 
than  we  have,  and  thus  it  is  that  the  Fifty-second  and  Forty- 
seventh,  having  driven  back  the  enemy  in  their  immediate 
front,  their  lines  swing  around  to  the  left.  In  this  position 
•  they  are  charged  by  Yankee  cavalry  in  our  rear  and  on  our 
right.  Colonel  Marshall  was  equal  to  this  emergency,  for  he 
faced  three  of  his  companies  about  and  met  this  charge, 
quickly  driving  the  cavalry  off  with  heavy  loss  to  them. 
While  tliis  was  going  on  the  infantry  in  our  front  tried  hard 
to  rally  their  somewhat  broken  lines  and  regain  the  gTound 
they  had  lost.  This  was  a  hot  time  for  the  Twenty-sixth  and 
Eleventh.  Men  had  fallen  woimded  and  killed  like  hail 
from  a  heavy  hail  storm.  The  attention  of  the  Forty-seventh 
was  diverted  from  the  enemy  in  our  immediate  front  and 
almost  before  we  knew  it  the  enemy  had  rallied  and  was  at- 
tempting to  charge  our  lines.  Besides,  they  had  a  number 
of  pieces  of  artillery  helping  them,  wherever  the  opposing 
lines  were  far  enough  apart  for  them  to  use  artillery  vdthout 
striking  their  own  men.  At  this  critical  moment  Captain 
Cam.  Iredell,  who  commanded  Company  C,  wliich  was  the 
color  company  of  the  Forty-seventli,  seeing  one  of  his  men 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  107 

fall  mortally  wounded,  rushes  to  his  side  and  says,  ''My  dear 
boy,  I  will  try  to  avenge  your  hurt."  He  took  his  musket  and 
continued  to  use  it  until  he  was  struck  by  a  shot  from  the  en- 
emy which  caused  his  death,  not,  however,  until  he  had  seen 
the  enemy  again  turn  and  flee.  The  Forty-seventh  lost  heav- 
ily in  this  fight  of  1  July. 

On  2  July  we  rested,  cleaned  our  guns  and  attended  to  the 
wounded.  Early  on  3  July  the  Forty-seventh  with  the  bal- 
ance of  Pettigrew's  Brigade,  was  ordered  considerably  to 
the  right  of  where  it  had  fought  on  1  July.  It  reached  its 
position  about  9  o'clock  3  July  and  remained  quietly  in  line 
just  in  the  rear  of  a  Confederate  battery  until  about  1 
o'clock  p.  m.,  when  a  very  heavy  cannonading  commenced 
between  the  opposing  batteries,  which  continued  until  aboiit 
3  p.  m,,  at  which  time  the  grand  advance  upon  Meade's 
lines  was  made.  On  that  part  of  the  line  where  the  Forty- 
seventh  advanced,  it  was  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  or  per- 
haps a  mile  from  our  batteries  to  the  enemy's  lines.  Our 
battery  was  situated  about  twenty-five  yards  in  front  of 
where  the  Forty-seventh  had  taken  up  our  line.  About  3 
o'clock  a  slight  cessation  in  the  firing  of  artillery  occurred 
and  then  the  voice  of  our  Colonel,  George  H.  Faribault,  was 
beard  loud  and  clear,  ''Attention,  Battalion,"  and  this  was 
repeated  by  the  brave  aiid  beloved  Lieutenant-Colonel,  John 
A.  Graves.  Every  man  sprung  into  line  and  was  ready  to 
go  forward,  the  men  knew  not  wjiere,  for  the  ridge  just  in 
front  of  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  obstructed  the  view  of 
the  Regiment  beyond  twenty-five  yards.  The  order  was 
soon  given  to  move  forward,  which  was  done  in  good  order 
and  without  any  confusion.  Passing  our  batteries  the  field 
was  before  us,  it  Avas  entirely  open  except  here  and  there  an 
old  homestead,  and  one  or  two  roads  with  a  number  of  strong 
rail  and  post  fences,  some  of  them  high  and  difficult  to  pass 
over,  i^o  one  hesitated,  no  one  faltered,  but  a  good,  steady 
quick-step  was  kept  up.  After  leaving  our  batteries  about 
fifty  or  one  hundred  yards  the  enemy  commenced  a  terrific 
cannonade  and  kept  it  up  until  we  were  soclose  that  they  could 
not  use  their  cannon.  As  our  regiment  advanced  great  gaps 
would  be  knocked  in  our  lines  by  the  Yankee  artillerymen, 


108  North  Carolina  Troops,  18G1-'65. 

at  almost  every  five  or  ten  steps,  but  they  were  immediatly 
filled  ill  by  our  brave  boys  closing  in  and  filling;  up  the  gaps. 
This  continued  until  our  line  of  battle  came  to  where  our 
skirmishers  were  situated,  when  we  received  a  few  shots  from 
the  enemy's  skirmishers  in  addition  to  the  cannon  shot  and 
shell  which  cou tinned  to  pom-  in  on  us  from  the  time  we 
started  until  we  were  so  close  under  their  iiims  that  they 
could  not  use  them  upon  us  without  shooting  their  own  men. 
As  our  regiment  advanced  its  ranks  were  thinned  at  every 
step  by  shot  and  shell  from  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  ]\Iany  a 
brave  man  from  our  regiment  fell  dead  upon  the  field  and 
many  more  were  slightly  and  others  badly  wounded.  Here 
it  was  that  Captain  J.  W.  Brown,  of  Company  I,  was  shocked 
by  the  bursting  of  a  shell  and  carried  back  to  the  rear  and 
almost  immediately  after  tliis  Lieutenant  J.  Wiley  Jones 
was  shot  through  the  thigh  heaving  Lieutenant  J.  Rowan 
Rogers  as  the  only  officer  with  Company  I.  x\s  Lieutenant 
Jones  was  wounded  and  fell  he  raised  his  sword  and  cheered 
his  men  on.  J.  D.  Newsom,  Lieutenant  of  Company  H, 
was  slightly  wounded  in  the  shoulder  almost  at  the 
first  shot  from  the  musketry,  whicli  was  fired  after 
the  charge  was  started  and  he  rushed  to  his  Captain  (Mitch- 
ell) and  says  to  him,  "Captain,  they  have  wounded 
me,  but  I  want  to  lead  Company  H,"  and  gallantly  did  he 
lead  it.  He  fell  terrildy  wounded  with  his  foot  u])on 
one  rail  of  the  fence  that  ran  along  the  road,  next  to  the  rock 
fence  l>ehind  which  the  Yankee  line  was  posted.  Our  color- 
bearer,  a  mendier  of  Company  K,  Faucett's  Company  from 
Alamance  county,  succeeded  in  passing  over  this  fence,  but 
fell  nioi'tally  wounck^d.  He  died  that  night  with  his  face  to 
the  enemy.  Our  cohn-s  fell  with  our  brave  color-bearer  not 
ten  steps  from  tli(^  rock  wall.  About  150  yards  from  the  rock 
wall,  while  crossing  one  of  the  many  fences,  which  i-an  across 
the  ground  we  were  charging  over,  1  was  shot  in  my  left  leg 
and  thrown  from  the  fence.  When  T  arose  the  ivmnant  of 
our  once  fine  regiment  was  redu('('(]  ti»  a  mci'c  handful  of 
brave  men,  still  going  forward  from  tliirty  to  as  close  u]i  as 
ten  steps  to  tlu^  rock  wall.  Seeing  this  and  having  recovered 
from  mv  fall  and  niv  leg  not  seeming  to  be  badlv  hurt,  T  made 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  109 

a  nish  to  join  the  set  of  brave  men  nearest  the  enenij,  when  I 
was  startled  to  hear  the  command  given  the  Yankee  skirmish- 
ers "To  the  front,"  and  immediately  I  heard  onr  brave  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Graves  give  the  order  for  the  handful  of  brave 
men  to  lie  down,  hoping  thus  to  hold  his  position  until  rein- 
forcements should  come ;  but  none  came.  The  Forty-seventh 
acted  bravely,  coolly  and  none  faltered. 

The  largest  number  of  those  who  got  out  of  that  charge 
were  those  who  had  been  slightly  wounded  before  they  got 
too  close  to  the  breastworks  to  fall  back,  and  those  who  were 
wounded  early  enough  in  the  charge  to  be  carried  back  by 
our  own  men.  Among  those  who  were  so  close  to  the  enemy's 
works  that  they  could  not  retreat  were  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Graves,  Captain  Jos.  J.  Davis,  aftei'\vards  member  of  Con- 
gress and  Justice  of  our  Supreme  Court ;  Lieutenant  Watson, 
of  Company  K,  and  a  number  of  others  I  cannot  recall,  in  all 
a  mere  handful,  for  they  had  all  been  shot  down  or  exhausted 
and  overcome  by  heat.  I  have  seen  somewhere  that  the 
Forty-seventh  Regiment  lost,  wounded  and  killed  and  miss- 
ing, 351.  This  is  certainly  a  mistake.  The  proportion  was 
larger  than  that  in  my  company  (I).  We  lost  57  and  we 
had  officers  who  were  present  and  could  report  correctly  the 
number  of  the  killed  and  wounded.  I  thinlv  three  companies 
lost  all  their  officers  and  no  correct  report  was  given  from 
those.  They  reported  the  smallest  number  of  men  killed, 
wounded  and  missing.  As  I  have  stated  above,  there  was 
no  faltering  on  the  part  of  the  Forty-seventh  on  3  July,  1863. 
All  did  their  duty  and  acted  the  part  of  brave  soldiers. 

FALLING   WATERS. 

After  General  Lee  left  Gettysburg  our  first  halt  for  more 
than  one  night  was  at  Hagerstown,  Maryland.  Here  the 
Forty-seventh  was  engaged  in  skirmishing  with  the  enemy's 
outpost  and  did  some  picket  duty  on  or  near  a  stream  called 
Antietam.  We  then  moved  in  line  of  battle  and  built  breast- 
works not  far  from  Hagerstown,  towards  Falling  Waters. 
When  General  Lee  recrossed  the  Potomac,  Pettigi*e\v's  Brig- 
ade was  again  given  the  post  of  honor  which  was  to  bring 
up  the  rear  of  our  retreating  army.     At  Falling  Waters,  or 


110  XoRTH  Carolina  Troops,   lSt)l-"65. 

abc'Ut  one  and  a  half  miles  from  there,  while  our  regiment 
was  halted  to  give  our  wagon  train  and  the  troc'ps  who  were 
to  cross  at  Falling  Waters  protection  while  passing  the  river, 
we  were  surprised  and  charged  by  a  squadron  of  chivalry. 
Our  beloved  General  J.  Johnston  Pettigrew  was  on  the  ex- 
treme right  of  our  line  and  was  shot  while  drawing  his  pis- 
toL  It  happened  thus :  General  Pettigrew  with  a  number  of 
his  staff  (Captain  Young,  of  Charleston,  being  one  of  them, 
who  I  understand  is  still  living)  were  resting  near  their 
horses,  when  the  word  passed  up  the  line.  "The  Yankees  are 
charging  us.*'  The  general  ordered  his  horse,  but  about  the 
time  he  took  hold  of  his  horse  to  mounts  a  Yankee  officer  rid- 
ing on  the  left  of  their  line  and  a  little  in  front,  ordered  him 
to  surrender.  General  Pettigrew  did  not  notice  the  Yankee 
farther  than  to  mount  his  horse  and  commence  drawing  his 
pistol,  his  horse,  however,  reared  and  plunged  and  the  Yan- 
kee seeing  that  Pettigrew  did  not  intend  to  stirrender.  fired 
and  hit  him.  General  Pettigrew  f eU  from  his  horse  and  the 
fight  was  hot  around  and  about  him  for  fifteen  or  twenty 
minutes.  We  succeeded  in  killing  all  the  Yankees  except 
eight.  The  men  in  the  charge  were  evidently  all  dnmk.  A 
heavier  force  coming  up,  we  fell  back  to  the  river  disputing 
every  step  with  the  enemy,  so  as  to  give  our  men  as  much 
time  to  cross  as  j)ossible.  When  a  few  days  thereafter  we 
camped  at  Btmker  Hill,  our  regiment  numbered  98  men  for 
duty.  My  company  (1)  lost  at  Falling  Waters  eight  men 
killed,  wounded  and  captured.  I  remember  the  loss  particu- 
larly, because  I  was  acting  adjutant  of  the  regiment,  our  gal- 
lant Adjutant  Thomas  Powell  having  been  captured  at  Get- 
tysbuig. 

WtLDEE2fZ.SS. 

At  the  Wilderness,  the  Forty-seventh  R^ment  had  the 
honor  of  bringing  on  the  fight.  We  were  in  front  of  our 
lines  and  struck  the  Yankee  pickets  about  9  o'clock,  driving 
them  with  our  skirmish  line  back  until  their  numbers  in- 
creased so  that  Company  I  was  first  ordered  to  reinforce  the 
skirmish  line,  then  another  company,  then  another,  until  the 
entire  regiment  was  engaged  and  then,  I  think  the  Forty- 


Forty-Seventh  Regiment.  Ill 

fourth  regiment  was  the  first  regiment  after  the  Forty-sev- 
enth to  l^ecome  engaged.  When  the  enemy  was  driven  back 
upon  their  main  line  and  the  fight  of  the  first  day  became 
general,  the  Forty-seventh  was  ordered  at  first  to  take  posi- 
tion on  the  left  of  the  road,  but  was  soon  moved  over  to  the 
right  of  the  road,  where  we  held  our  position  for  three  hourSj 
the  enemy  charging  us  almost  continuously.  During  this 
time  the  heaviest  fighting  took  place  which,  with  our  regi- 
ment, was  about  2  o'clock  p.  m.  The  black-jack  saplings  were 
skinned  by  the  bullets  like  a  yoimg  apple  tree  is  in  tiie  spring 
of  the  year  by  the  rabbits. 

Without  giving  more  of  the  particulars  of  this  battle,  here 
it  was  that  the  best  friend  of  my  boyhixwi  fell  mortally 
wounded  through  the  neck.  William  H.  Haywood,  son  of  the 
late  United  States  Senator  W.  H.  Haywood  and  brother  of 
Duncan  Haywood,  who  fell  at  Seven  Pines.  I  would  like 
if  I  could,  to  tell  about  the  fights  in  which  the  Forty-seventh 
was  engaged  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  Hanover  Jimc- 
tion.  Second  Cold  Harbor  and  the  battle  of  Turkey  Ridge  on 
2  and  3  June.  1864.  where  I  was  wounded  and  so  kindly 
treated  by  my  Brigadier  General  (Kirkland)  who  was 
wounded  in  the  same  battle. 

I  had  just  arrived  at  the  field  hospital  When  he  heard 
me  speak  he  knew  my  voice  and  called  me  to  his  tent,  had  my 
woimd  dressed  and  carried  me  to  Ward  B.  Jackson  Hospital. 
Richmond.  Va..  early  next  morning.  Had  it  not  been  for  his 
kindness  I  doubt  much  if  I  should  now  be  living,  for  I  was 
out  of  my  head  for  several  days  after  I  was  woimded.  On 
account  of  this  wounding  I  missed  the  battles  which  took 
place  from  then  tintil  the  day  after  the  Reams  Station  fight 
(25  August,  IS 64),  where  the  Forty-seventh  covered  itself 
with  glory  as  did  all  the  troops  engage«i.  all  being  Xorth 
Carolinians,  viz:  Cooke's.  Lane's  and  MacRae's  Brigades, 
the  last  being  the  one  to  which  the  Forty-seventh  then  be- 
longed. I  was  thenceforward  with  the  regiment  imtil  2 
April,  1865. 

2  APBTT.,  1865. 

On  that  day  I  was  captured  on  the  Cox  road  about  five 


112  North  Carolina  Troops,    15()1-'G5. 

miles  west  of  Petersburg,  while  with  the  skirmishers  of  the 
Forty-seventh  Kegiiuent  holding  the  enemy  back  till  the 
handful  of  Lee's  anny  crossed  to  the  north  side  of 
the  Appomattox  river,  thus  placing  a  barrier  between 
them  and  the  great  host  of  Grant's  army,  which  was 
then  pressing  him.  After  the  Reams  Station  tight  the 
Forty-seventh,  like  almost  all  the  Southern  troops  which 
were  on  the  south  side  of  Petersbiu-g,  was  engaged  in  a  daily 
battle,  and  often  nightly  ones,  until  the  close  of  the  war ;  some 
of  these  was  larger  and  heavier  than  others,  and  their  names 
are  recorded  in  history,  for  instance  "Davis'  Farm,"  "Jones' 
Farm,"  "Burgess'  Mill,"  "Battery  45,"  southwest  of  Peters- 
burg, and  a  number  of  other  battles  where  many  a  brave  man 
fell.  I  wish  it  was  so  that  I  could  meet  some  of  those  of 
the  Forty-seventh  who  were  at  the  final  scene  when  General 
Lee  surrendered,  but  I  have  met  only  two.  Lieutenant  J.  Wil- 
lie Jones,  of  Company  I.  and  Corporal  Rufus  Sandere  of 
Company  C,  who  are  now  living  in  Wake  county.  After 
2  April  the  Forty-seventh  had  very  few  men  but  its  organ- 
ization was  kept  up  till  General  Lee  surrendered.  On  the 
'2d  the  Forty-seventh  was  bringing  up  the  rear  of  Gen- 
eral Lee's  shattered  heroes  and  here  it  was  that  with  the 
larger  portion  of  the  remaining  members  of  the  Forty- 
seventh  I  was  captured.  I  had  orders  Avhen  placed  in  charge 
of  the  skinnishers  of  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  on  that  day 
to  hold  our  position  at  all  hazards.  The  enemy  was  never 
able  to  break  through  my  skinnish  line,  but  it  was  completely 
surrounded  and  we  were  captured  by  the  enemy  coming 
from  our  rear.  Gaston  H.  Mooneyham,  a  private  of  Com- 
pany E,  Forty-seventh  Regiment,  who  is  now  living  in  Bar- 
ton's Creek  To^^^lship,  this  county,  was  with  mo  when  I  was 
captured  and  stood  manfully  by  me  in  this  fight,  the  last 
fight  we  made  for  the  Confederacy. 

J.  RowAX  Rogers. 
Raleigh,  N.  C  , 

9  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,  LENOX    AND 
TILDSN  FOUNDATIONS. 


FORTY-EIGHTH  KKUIMENT. 

1.  Samuel  H.  Walknp,  Colonel.  4.    Jolin    R.    Winchester,   Adjutant    and 

2.  William  Hogan  Jones,  Major.  1st  Lieut. 

3.  W.  H.  H.  Lawhon,  Captain.  Co.  D.        5.    John  A.  Thompson,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  G. 


FORTY-EIGHTH  REQinE/NT. 


By  W.  H.  H.  LAWHON,  Captain  Company  D. 


The  great  civil  war  began  in  1861.  Several  companies 
made  up  in  the  summer  of  1S61,  composed  of  volunteers  for 
twelve  months,  in  the  Spring  of  1862  reorganized  for  three 
years  or  the  war.  The  battles  of  Big  Bethel,  First  Manassas 
and  others  had  been  fought ;  the  result  of  which  had  given  the 
Southern  troops  courage,  and  some  men  in  North  Carolina, 
who  had  been  opposed  to  secession,  were  now  changing  their 
minds,  so  that  in  the  Winter  of  1861  and  1862  preparations 
were  being  made  on  both  sides  for  the  next  summer's  cam- 
paign. The  Federal  aniiy  was  recruiting  so  rapidly  that  the 
authorities  of  the  Confederacy  saw  that  they  would  have  to 
meet  a  heavy  force  in  the  field  the  next  summer,  so  a  draft 
was  ordered  in  Xorth  Carolina  25  February,  1862. 

At  this  time  volunteer  companies  were  being  raised  in  all 
parts  of  the  State.  Many  of  the  patriotic  sous  of  North  Car- 
olina volunteered,  most  of  the  men  who  were  drafted  joined 
some  company  then  being  raised.  A  few  hired  substitutes 
Avho  joined  and  thus  the  companies  were  rapidly  filled  up 
and  hurried  off  to  the  camp  of  instruction,  near  Raleigh,  and 
as  they  arrived  they  were  formed  into  regiments.  The  For- 
ty-eighth was  composed  of  the  following  companies : 

Company  A — Union  County — Francis  L.  Wiatt,  Captain. 

Company  B — Davidson  County — Albert  A.  Hill,  Captain. 

Company  C — Iredell  County — Arthur  M.  Walker,  Cap- 
tain. 

Company  D — Moore  County- — Benjamin  R.  Huske,  Cap- 
tain. 

Company  E — Union  County — John  W.  Walden,  Captain. 

Company  F — Union  County — Samuel  H.  Walkup,  Cap- 
tain. 


114  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

Company  G— Chatham  County — William  H.  Jones,  Cap- 
tain. 

Company  H — Davidson  County — Jolin  Michael,  Captain. 

Company  I- — Union  County — Elias  C.  Alexander,  Cap- 
tain. 

Company  K — Forsyth  County — Jesse  W.  Atwood,  Cap- 
tain. 

It  was  organized  on  11  April,  1862,  choosing: 

Robert  C.  Hill,  Colonel,  of  Iredell  County. 

Samuel  II.  Walxup,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  of  Union 
County. 

Benjamin  E.  Huske,  Major,  of  Cumberland  County. 

As  many  drafted  men  had  furnished  substitutes,  some  being 
old  men  and  some  mere  boys,  the  Forty-eighth  Regiment  was 
made  up  of  men  of  all  sizes,  and  the  reader,  if  acquainted 
with  military  tactics,  will  at  once  see  the  difficulty  in  drilling 
such  troops  uniformly.  In  marching  the  old  men  would 
step  too  long  and  slow,  the  boys  too  short  and  fast.  But  Col- 
onel Hill,  who  was  a  military  man,  lost  no  time  in  drilling 
and  disciplining  his  regiment.  We  were  at  Camp  Mangum, 
but  in  a  short  while  we  moved  to  Goldsboro,  where  we  were  in 
camp  until  about  the  second  week  in  June,  when  we  went  to 
Petersburg,  Va.,  and  camped  on  Dunn's  Hill.  Here  we  were 
attached  to  General  Robert  Ransom's  Brigade. 

Under  his  orders  we  marched  one  evening  to  City  Point, 
arriving  about  dark;  threw  out  a  strong  skirmish  line,  and 
a  detail  was  made  to  load  some  wagons  with  ice  from  an  ice 
house,  which  was  near  the  bank  of  the  James  river.  The 
Yankees  were  near  by  in  gunboats.  (The  ice  was  to  be  car- 
ried to  Petersburg.)  The  next  morning  General  Ransom 
opened  fire  with  two  or  three  small  pieces  on  the  gunboats, 
which  were  down  the  river,  a  mile  or  more.  The  Yankees 
returned  the  fire  very  promptly  and  threw  out  among  us  what 
the  men  called  "churns,"  cutting  off  tree  tops,  and  digging 
holes  in  the  ground.  They  fired  the  woods,  and  it  looked  like 
they  would  clear,  burn  and  plow  the  ground  all  at  the  same 
time.  Only  a  few  rounds  were  fired.  We  fell  back  in  or- 
der and  disorder,  but  mostly  in  disorder.     A  horse  was  cut 


Forty-Eighth  Regiment.  115 

on  the  leg  witli  a  piece  of  shell.  This  was  all  the  blood  lost 
on  our  side,  and  I  do  not  suppose  there  was  much  lost  on  the 
other  side.  One  of  our  men  claimed  to  be  hit  on  his  shoulder 
with  a  piece  of  shell,  but  it  is  more  likely  he  tore  his  coat 
running  through  the  brush  ;  we  went  back  to  our  camp  having, 
as  we  thought,  tasted  a  little  of  war  and  seen  a  little  of  its 
danger.  And  we  all  knew  we  had  smelt  gunpowder.  ISTot  a 
few  of  the  men  told  of  narrow  escapes.  Some  of  them  were 
certain  they  felt  the  wind  of  the  shells,  while  others  felt  the 
heat  of  them  as  they  passed  by,  and  still  others  were  jarred 
by  the  explosions. 

On  24  June,  we  marched  to  Richmond  and  camped  that 
night  in  the  capitol  square,  ^ext  morning  we  marched  to 
the  front  line  and  about  4  p.  m.,  had  our  first  battle,  at 
French's  Farm.  General  Robert  Ransom  ordered  Colonel  Hill 
to  advance  through  an  open  field  on  a  brigade  of  Yankees,  who 
were  behind  a  fence  on  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  ordered  a 
Virginia  regiment  to  support  us  on  the  right,  but  from  some 
cause  the  Virginia  regiment  never  came  up,  and  the  Forty- 
eighth  fought  a  brigade  of  Federals  for  some  time.  They 
were  in  woods  beliind  a  fence  and  we  in  an  open  field.  How- 
ever, a  Georgia  battalion  flanked  the  enemy  on  our  left,  and 
thus  we  were  enabled  to  hold  the  ground.  We  lost  Major 
Huske,  Captain  Clegg,  Company  T),  and  Captain  Atwood, 
Company  K,  killed ;  and  Captain  Michael,  Company  H ; 
Captain  Walker,  Company  C ;  Lieutenant  Anderson,  Com- 
pany D ;  and  Lieutenant  Stilts,  Company  A,  were  wounded. 
We  lost  non-commissioned  oflicers  and  men:  Killed  21, 
wounded  46  ;  and  of  the  46  wounded,  19  died,  according  to 
the  Xorth  Carolina  Roster. 

Some  unpleasantness  occurred  between  General  Ransom 
and  Colonel  Hill,  which  resulted  in  the  Forty-eighth  Regi- 
ment being  detached  from  Ransom's  Brigade  and  on  the  next 
day,  the  26th,  we  marched  to  Gaines'  Mill,  on  the  extreme  left 
of  our  lines,  where  Stonewall  Jackson  had  been  fighting,  and 
when  we  arrived  Jackson  had  driven  the  enemy  some  two 
miles.  So  we  camped  on  that  battlefield  that  night  and  the 
next  morning  recrossed  the  Chickahominy  river  and  went 
from  place  to  place,  until  we  joined  General  Walker  at  White 


116  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Oak  Swamp,  on  1  Julj.  We  were  a  little  too  late  to  take  part 
in  the  Malveni  Hill  battle,  but  were  under  a  severe  shelling 
from  gunboats,  which  were  then  on  the  James  river  at  or 
near  Harrison's  Landing.  This  was  the  end  of  the  seven 
days'  battles  around  Richmond. 

We  then  went  back  to  Petersburg,  where  we  were  in  camp 
until  August.  Some  time  in  August  while  at  this  camp  oui* 
regiment  was  recruited  by  conscripts  and  before  we  had  time 
to  drill  them  we  M'ere  ordered  to  march  and  were  now  on  the 
memorable  Maryland  campaign.  We  took  part  in  the  cap- 
ture of  Harper's  Ferry  15  September,  1862.  General  J.  G. 
Walker  with  his  own  and  Ransom's  Brigade  occupied  the 
Loudon  Heights  between  the  Shenandoah  and  Potomac,  and 
we  were  in  full  view  of  the  town  when  it  was  surrendered.  We 
then  marched  to  Maryland,  crossing  the  Potomac  at  Shep- 
herdstown,  and  on  the  night  of  the  16th  were  placed  to  guard 
a  ford  on  the  Antietam  river,  about  two  miles  soutli  of  Sharps- 
burg.  The  battle  on  the  left  opened  very  early  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  17th,  and  about  0  o'clock  a.  m.  Walker's  Division^ 
(Ransom's  and  Walker's  Brigades),  were  ordered  to  the  left 
to  support  Stonewall  Jackson.  We  arrived  at  the  Dunkard 
Church,  one  and  a  half  miles  north  of  Sharpsburg,  at  about 
11  o'clock.  Jackson's  line  had  been  broken  at  that  point 
Kershaw's  and  Hood's  Brigades  had  been  driven  out  of 
a  piece  of  woods  west  of  the  church  and  the  enemy  was  com- 
ing into  the  gap.  Walker's  Division  drove  them  back  and 
held  the  field.  If  we  had  been  a  few  minutes  later  the  Con- 
federate army  might  have  been  destroyed.  The  Forty-eighth 
Regiment  occupied  that  part  of  the  line  at  the  church.  The 
church  was  about  the  center  of  the  regiment.  We  drove  the 
enemy  out  of  the  woods,  and  charged  their  line  east  of  the 
church,  but  >vere  cut  all  to  pieces.  We  lost  about  one-half 
of  our  men,  killed  and  wounded.  So  closely  were  we  pressed 
in  this  battle  that  brigades  were  divided.  The  Twenty-sev- 
enth ISToi-th  Carolina  Regiment  and  Third  Arkansas  Regi- 
ment, a  part  of  Walker's  Brigade,  were  sent  to  the  right,  and 
the  Forty-eighth  North  Carolina  and  Thirtieth  Virginia  Reg- 
iments to  the  left,  leaving  a  gap  between  us  that  would  have 
required  several  men  to  have  filled,  but  fortunately  for  us^ 


Forty-Eighth  Regiment.  117 

the  enemy  did  not  see  it.  Then,  about  4  o'clock  p.  m.,  Colo- 
nel Hill  was  ordered  with  his  regiment,  the  Forty-eighth,  to 
the  extreme  left  of  the  line,  where  there  was  some  hard  fightr 
ing.  We  marched  in  quick  time  a  little  over  a  mile,  but  when 
we  arrived,  Jackson's  men  had  driven  the  enemy  back  some 
distance.  We  then  marched  back,  and  arrived  at  the  Dunk- 
ard  Church  about  dark,  where  we  remained  until  the  night  of 
the  18th,  when  we  recrossed  the  Potomac. 

After  the  Army  of  ITorthern  Virginia  had  returned  south 
of  the  Potomac,  the  army  was  more  thoroughly  organized 
into  brigades,  divisions  and  corps.  Before,  it  seems,  we  had 
some  regiments  not  permanently  attached  to  any  brigade. 
The  Fifteenth,  Twenty-seventh,  Forty-sixth  and  Forty-eighth 
Regiments  formed  General  John  R.  Cooke's  Brigade,  belong- 
ing to  General  H.  Heth's  Division  and  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps. 

The  next  battle  we  were  in  was  at  Fredericksburg,  Va., 
13  December,  1862.  Here  the  Forty-eighth  suffered  another 
heavy  loss,  being  in  the  hottest  of  the  battle.  Major.  A.  A. 
Hill  was  wounded ;  Captain  J.  C.  Stafford,  Company  K ; 
Lieutenant  Peter  W.  Plyler,  Company  E ;  Lieutenant  M.  S. 
Brem,  Company  C,  and  Lieutenant  H.  C.  Banner,  Company 
K,  were  killed.  Captain  J.  D.  Dowd,  Company  D ;  Cap- 
tain John  Moore,  Company  I ;  Captain  J.  F.  Heitman, 
company  H ;  Lieutenant  J.  K.  Potts,  Company  C ;  Lieuten- 
ant H.  A.  Gray,  Company  F,  and  Lieutenant  Edwin  Tyson, 
Company  G,  were  wounded.  The  loss  of  non-commissioned 
officers  and  men  was  very  heavy. 

From  Fredericksburg  Cooke's  Brigade  was  sent,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1863,  to  Pocataligo,  S.  C,  where  we  remained  until 
April,  and  were  then  ordered  back  to  Eastern  !N'orth  Carolina 
until  July.  While  here  we  did  a  good  deal  of  marching, 
were  in  a  little  skirmish  at  Gum  Swamp,  and  drove  the  Yan- 
kees as  far  as  Red  Banks,  eight  miles  from  New  Bern.  Then 
we  went  from  place  to  place.  We  were  at  Little  Washington, 
Tarboro,  Weldon  and  other  places  until  about  1  July,  when 
we  went  to  Richmond,  and  were  around  Richmond  several 
days  guarding  the  city.  In  August  we  went  back  to  Freder- 
icksburg, were  there  about  a  month;  then  to  Gordonsville, 
where  we  joined  the  regular  army  and  marched  to  Bristoe 


118  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Station  on  14  October,  1863.  We  had  missed  all  the  hard 
marching  on  the  campaign  to  Pennsylvania  and  the  great 
battle  of  Gettysbui'g,  but  at  Bristoe  we  suffered  the  heaviest 
loss  of  any  battle  we  had  yet  been  in,  charging  a  heavy  body 
of  the  enemy  entrenched  behind  a  railroad.  From  here  we 
fell  back  to  Orange  Court  House,  where  we  went  into  winter 
quarters. 

The  next  battle  was  at  the  Wilderness,  4  May,  1864. 
Heth's  Division  fought  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy  for  two 
hours  before  we  were  relieved.  At  no  time  during  the  war 
did  his  division  do  better  fighting.  The  writer  heard  Gen- 
eral Lee  tell  General  Cooke  that  night  that  he  (Gen.  Cooke), 
and  Kirkland,  with  their  brigades,  had  held  25,000  Yankees 
in  check  for  more  than  two  hours.  Our  loss  was  not  heavy, 
but  the  enemy's  was  very  great.  There  seemed  to  be  as 
many  dead  men  in  our  front  as  we  had  men  engaged.  The 
ground  on  which  we  fought  was  a  dense  thicket  of  small 
grow^th,  which  was  cut  dowm  by  minie  balls  before  we  were 
relieved,  so  that  we  could  see  the  enemy's  lines  as  they  would 
come  up  to  relieve  one  line  after  another,  which  they  did 
about  every  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  And  to  show  that 
the  undergTowth  w^as  cut  down  principally  by  our  balls,  the 
tree  tops  in  the  rear  of  us  were  cut  all  to  pieces,  while  but  few 
balls  struck  trees  near  the  ground,  showing  that  the  enemy 
shot  over  us.  We  were  relieved  a  little  before  sunset  by 
Wilcox's  Division,  and  after  dark  were  marched  out  and 
formed  in  line  in  an  old  straw  field,  where  we  lay  until  morn- 
ing. At  daylight  the  skirmish  firing  began.  At  sunrise 
the  enemy  advanced  in  several  lines.  In  the  meanwhile  a 
battery  of  small  gims  was  brought  in  and  opened  on  the  ad- 
vancing lines  of  Federals  which  were  between  us  and  the  ris- 
ing sun.  This  was  all  the  cannon  used  in  the  battle.  The 
smoke  from  the  cannon  was  so  dense  the  Captain  could  not 
see  what  he  was  doing.  The  writer  was  ordered  by  General 
Cooke  to  go  in  front  to  see  where  the  shells  were  falling.  I 
soon  saw  that  they  were  going  over  their  lines  and  doing  no 
execution  at  all.  I  informed  the  commander  of  the  distance 
of  the  enemy.  The  next  fire  he  began  to  cut  lanes  through 
the  advancing  lines,  but  the  artillery  had  time  only  for  a  few 


Forty-Eighth  Regiment.  119 

rounds,  when  General  Longstreet's  Corps  advanced  and  drove 
them  back  into  and  out  of  their  breastworks  and  took  pos- 
session of  the  same.  This  was  a  most  gallant  act.  Long- 
street  with  one  line  drove  several  lines  of  Federals  back,  leav- 
ing the  ground  strewn  with  Federal  dead.  That  night  when 
we  were  in  the  captured  breastworks  and  all  was  perfectly 
still.  Gen.  Lee  rode  across  the  line  on  the  extreme  right.  Some 
one  cried  out  "Three  cheers  for  General  Lee,"  which  was 
taken  up  on  the  right  and  went  the  rounds  to  the  extreme 
left — the  grandest  rebel  yell  of  the  war.  The  rear  guard  of 
the  retreating  Federals  fired  and  ran.  Some  of  them,  cap- 
tured a  few  days  afterward,  reported  that  several  corps  were 
ordered  back  as  they  thought  we  were  advancing. 

The  reg-iment  had  a  heavy  skirmish  on  Po  river  and  was 
severely  shelled.  The  Federals,  in  falling  back  at  this  place, 
fired  the  woods  on  us,  but  the  fire,  like  their  shells,  did  not 
stop  us  in  our  advance.     This  all  amounted  to  but  little. 

At  Spottsylvania  Court  House  we  were  engaged  on  12 
May,  but  the  loss  of  the  Forty-eighth  was  not  so  great  as  that 
of  some  other  regiments,  as  we  were  not  in  the  hottest  of  the 
battle.  However,  we  did  some  hard  marching  through  the 
brush  and  some  fighting. 

From  here  we  were  on  the  memorable  march  to  Richmond, 
and  exposed  to  an  awful  heavy  shelling  on  25  May,  near  Han- 
over. The  solid  shot  were  falling  and  bouncing  thick  on  the 
ground.  The  only  casualties  I  remember  were  Sergeant  C. 
Lawhon  and  Corporal  M.  C.  Yon,  Company  D,  Forty-eighth 
ISTorth  Carolina,  both  killed  with  the  same  shot.  Our  next  en- 
gagement was  at  a  place  called  Turkey  Bend,  or  Turkey  Hill. 
Wilcox's  Division  was  fighting  in  front  of  us,  and  a  heavy 
body  of  Federals  were  moving  on  his  left  flank.  We  were 
preparing  to  meet  them,  throwing  up  some  temporary  breast- 
works under  a  sharp  skirmish  fire.  Lieutenant  W.  C.  How- 
ard, of  Company  F,  Forty-eighth,  was  killed.  Some  four  or 
five  men  wounded,  were,  I  think,  all  of  those  lost  by  the 
Forty-eighth  in  this  engagement.  The  enemy  was  moving  in 
line  of  battle  to  our  right.  We  were  ordered  to  move  in  quick 
time  and  make  no  noise.  While  on  this  rapid  march  an 
amusing  incident  occurred,  which  I  will  relate :    We  were 


120  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

passing  througli  a  ravine  where  some  Yankee  prisoners  were 
under  guard.  A  very  large,  gruff  looking  Yankee  was  stand- 
ing up  slurring  the  rebels.  He  asked :  ''Why  do  you  rebels 
wear  such  dirty,  ragged  clotlies  ?"  An  Irishman  by  the  name 
of  Forrest,  belonging  to  Company  D,  Forty-eighth  Kegimentj 
and  as  good  a  soldier  as  was  in  the  regiment,  answered: 
"Faith  and  be  jabbers,  we  Southerners  always  put  on  our 
sorriest  clothes  when  we  kill  hogs,  and  it  is  hog  killing  day 
wath  us  now,"  pointing  to  a  dead  Yankee  near  by.  This  Avit 
of  the  Irishman  caused  a  laugh,  and  forgetting  the  order  to 
be  quiet,  some  two  or  three  men  raised  a  yell,  which  was 
taken  up  along  the  line — -a  regular  rebel  yell.  The  enemy's 
lines  halted,  broke  and  fell  back,  so  we  did  not  get  into  any 
further  engagement.  Whether  it  was  this  yell  that  caused 
them  to  fall  back,  I  cannot  say,  but  I  don't  suppose  they  knew 
we  were  near  them  until  the  yell  betrayed  our  whereabouts. 

Our  next  engagement  was  at  Cold  Harbor,  on  3  June, 
1864.  Cooke's  Brigade  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Confed- 
erate lines,  only  some  cavalry  being  on  our  left.  This  was, 
with  us,  probably  the  very  hardest-fought  battle  of  the 
war.  Just  as  wc  got  in  position  on  an  old  road — and  it  was 
about  sun  up — the  Federals,  in  heavy  force,  made  a  charge 
Avhich  wc  met  and  after  a  hard  struggle,  which  lasted  some 
time,  repulsed.  They  soon  made  another  charge.  We  were  as- 
sisted in  repulsing  this  one  by  a  batteiy  of  artillery,  which 
had  just  come  up.  The  enemy  would  reinforce  and  come 
again,  but  we  repulsed  every  charge  and  during  the  day, 
working  between  attacks,  built  a  very  good  breastwork.  The 
last  of  the  several  charges  was  made  about  6  o'clock  p.  m. 
Several  lines  came  forward. 

One  line  would  fire  and  fall  down,  another  step  over,  fire 
and  fall  down,  each  line  getting  nearer  us,  until  they  got 
MTthin  sixty  or  seventy-five  yards  of  some  portions  of  our 
line,  but  finding  themselves  cut  to  pieces  so  badly,  they  fell 
back  in  a  little  disorder.  Our  men  seemed  to  rise  all  at 
once,  Avith  a  rebel  yell,  and  poured  lead  into  them,  cutting 
down  numbers  of  them.  Tlic  old  field  in  front  of  us  was 
almost  covered  witli  their  dead.  At  no  time  during  the  war 
did  the  Forty-eighth  and  Twenty-seventh  do  better  fighting. 


Forty-Eighth  Regiment.  121 

Our  position  was  a  good  one,  and  an  important  one  to  be  held. 
We  lost  several  good  men  in  this  battle.  Lieutenant  M.  D. 
Clegg,  of  Company  D,  was  wounded. 

At  9  o'clock  that  night  we  took  up  the  line  of  march,  went 
from  place  to  place  for  several  days,  spending  about  one  week 
at  Deep  Bottom.  At  this  place  we  had  no  battle,  except 
with  flies.  I  never  saw  so  many  flies  in  all  my  life.  Then  we 
went  to  the  right  of  Petersburg.  We  were  on  the  line  about 
one  half  mile  to  the  right  of  the  ''Blow-up,"  as  it  was  called. 
The  day  before  the  springing  of  that  mine  we  were  ordered  to 
the  left  of  Petersburg  and  had  crossed  the  Appomattox,  and 
were  marching  toward  Richmond,  when  we  heard  the  ex- 
plosion. We  returned  and  on  the  next  day  took  up  our  quar- 
ters in  the  trenches.  The  Forty-eighth  occupied  that  posi- 
tion which  had  been  blown  up.  Here  we  remained  for  sev- 
eral weeks,  when  Ave  were  moved  to  the  extreme  right  and 
built  our  winter  quarters  on  Hatcher's  Run.  General  Heth 
was  ordered  to  attack  the  enemy  whenever  he  attempted  to  ex- 
tend his  lines.  So  we  had  several  engagements,  one  at  the 
Yellow  House.  This  was  in  August,  1864,  and  on  the  25th 
of  the  same  month  we  were  in  the  battle  of  Reams  Station, 
where  we  charged  a  heavy  force  of  Federals  behind  a  breast- 
work, broke  their  line  and  captured  several  hundred  prisoners 
and  several  pieces  of  artillery.  This  was  a  brave  assault. 
Two  attacks  had  been  made  by  other  troops  (I  forget  which) 
that  had  failed  to  dislodge  them.  This  had  given  the  enemy 
courage,  and  was  rather  discouraging  to  us,  who  had  to  make 
the  third  attack.  The  timber  for  fifty  or  seventy-five  yards 
in  front  of  their  works  had  been  cut  down,  the  limbs  sharp- 
ened, making  it  very  difficult  to  reach  the  works.  The  posi- 
tion of  the  Forty-eighth  was  near  the  centre  of  the  line,  tlie 
timber  in  our  front  being  thinner  than  in  other  portions.  We 
succeeded  in  gaining  the  works  sooner  than  those  on  the  right 
or  left,  who  had  more  brush  to  go  through.  The  first  part 
of  the  line  broken  was  on  the  left  wing  of  the  Forty-eighth, 
but  the  whole  line  was  surrendered  in  a  very  few  minutes. 
We  lost  several  in  this  charge.  Lieutenant  M.  D.  Clegg,  of 
Company  D,  was  killed  on  the  works  about  the  time  the  line 


122  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'6o. 

was  broken.  Lieutenant  C.  W.  Shaw,  of  Company  D,  was 
wounded  before  be  reached  the  works. 

The  next  day  we  marched  back  to  Petersburg  to  our  posi- 
tion on  the  right  of  the  lines.  The  next  march  we  took,  and 
I  think  it  was  in  December,  was  to  Bellliekl,  where  we  had  a 
skirmish  with  Yankee  cavalry.  Sergeant  H.  B.  Cox,  of  Com- 
pany D,  lost  his  foot  by  a  shell.  This  was  all  the  loss  I  re- 
member. We  remained  on  Hatcher's  Run  until  the  Confed- 
erate lines  were  broken,  2  April,  1865.  We  had  several  skir- 
mishes while  here.  On  25  March  the  troops  on  our  left  had 
made  a  charge  on  the  enemy's  lines  at  Hare's  Hill  and  had 
carried  their  front  works  near  the  Appomattox  river,  but  had 
to  abandon  them  the  same  day.  We  were  ordered  around  there 
in  the  morning  and  returned  in  the  evening  to  our  quarters 
to  find  the  Yankees  in  possession  of  our  picket  post.  They 
had  captured  all  of  our  pickets  and  could  have  been  in  pos- 
session of  our  breastworks  and  winter  quarters  if  they  had 
known  it,  as  we  had  left  only  a  few  men  in  camp,  who  were 
unfit  for  duty.  Captain  Henry  R.  McKinney,  of  the 
Forty-sixth  Regiment,  who  was  commander  of  the  brigade 
sharpshooters,  formed  his  line  on  the  right,  near  the  creek, 
and  made  a  very  brave  and  successful  charge,  recapturing 
our  picket  post  in  this  charge.  Lieutenant  Austin,  of  the 
Forty-eighth  Regiment,  a  very  brave  and  good  officer,  was 
killed,  and  I  do  not  remember  that  any  other  was  killed  or 
wounded.  T  believe  that  Lieutenant  Austin  was  the  last 
man  killed  in  the  Forty-eighth  as  I  do  not  remember  any  oth- 
er being  killed  afterwards. 

We  only  liold  our  picket  post  about  two  days,  as  our  pickets 
Avere  captured  on  2S  or  29  March,  and  on  2  April,  the  lines  to 
our  left  were  broken.  We  took  up  the  line  of  Uiarch  to  the 
right,  and  crossing  the  creek,  moved  to  Jarrett's  Station, 
where  in  the  evening  we  had  a  skirmish,  but  were  about  to  be 
surrounded  and  made  haste  to  get  away  and  were  on  the  mem- 
orable retreat  to  Appomattox  Court  House,  losing  more  or  less 
of  our  men  every  day. 

The  last  skirmish  we  were  in  was  on  Thursday  evening 
before  the  surrender  on  Sunday,  0  April,  1865.  The  Twen- 
ty-seventh and  Forty-eighth  Regiments  were  ordered  out  to 


Forty-Eighth  Regiment.  123 

the  right  to  protect  the  wagon  trains,  but  before  we  arrived 
the  enemy  had  set  fire  to  a  part  of  the  wagons,  and  a  heavy 
force  of  infantry  was  marching  up  the  road  the  wagons  were 
on.  Here  we  had  a  narrow  escape.  A  squadron  of  cavalry  got 
in  our  rear,  cut  us  off  and  we  were  scattered  on  both  sides  of 
the  road.  Several  of  our  men  were  captured.  Every  man  was 
left  to  take  care  of  himself.  Company  D,  which  had  only 
thirty-seven  men  at  Petersburg  2  April,  had  been  reduced  to 
eleven  and  in  this  affair  lost  ten,  leaving  only  one  man  and  the 
Captain  to  witness  the  surrender.  On  Sunday  morning,  and 
in  the  race  through  the  woods  on  Thursday  evening,  the  Cap- 
tain lost  his  hat,  running  from  a  Yankee  horseman,  and 
would  have  been  captured  had  it  not  been  for  a  deep  gully 
near  by  into  Avliich  he  went  and  got  out  of  the  horse's  way. 

At  the  surrender  the  Forty-eighth  Regiment  had  been  re- 
duced in  number  until  we  did  not  have  men  enough  to  make 
more  than  one  full  company. 

K'ow  a  few  words  in  regard  to  the  officers  of  the  regiment, 
and  I  close. 

Colonel  R.  C.  Hill  was  a  very  fine  military  man,  very  strict 
and  much  beloved  by  his  men,  but  being  in  bad  health  he  was 
often  absent.  He  only  commanded  the  regiment  in  the  cam- 
paign of  1862  and  1863.     He  died  in  December,  1863. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  S.  H.  Walkup  was  made  Colonel.  He 
was  one  of  the  bravest  officers  in  the  Army  of  J^orthem  Vir- 
ginia. He  ^^■as  often  laughed  at  on  dress  parade  and  brigade 
drill  for  his  awkwardness,  but  when  in  battle  all  that  knew 
him  were  satisfied  that  Walkup  was  there  and  that  his  regi- 
ment would  do  its  duty. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  A.  Hill  was  a  good  and  kind  officer. 
All  his  men  liked  him.  He  made  a  very  fine  appearance  and 
was  always  with  his  men.  I  think  he  was  one  of  the  two 
or  three  officers  of  the  regiment  who  missed  no  part  of  the 
march  or  duty  imposed  on  the  regiment  during  the  memora- 
ble campaign  of  1864. 

Major  B.  R.  Huske  was  a  very  mild,  gentle  and  kind- 
hearted  man,  a  well  posted  and  good  officer.  The  whole  regi- 
ment was  grieved  at  his  death,  which  occurred  on  15  July, 


124  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

1862,  from  wounds  received  in  the  battle  of  French's  Farm, 
25  June. 

Captain  F.  L.  Wiatt,  of  Company  A,  vas  promoted  to 
Major  at  the  death  of  Iluske.  He  was  an  old  man,  and  won 
the  respect  of  the  whole  regiment;  was  wounded  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  15  September,  1862,  and  resigned  in  October  of  the 
same  year  and  was  with  us  only  a  short  while. 

Captain  W.  H.  Jones,  of  Company  G,  was  made  Major  on 
the  death  of  Colonel  Hill,  4  December,  1863,  but  owing  to 
bad  health  was  not  with  us  much.  He  was  a  very  good  man 
and  kind  hearted.  He  loved  his  men  and  was  loved  in  re- 
turn. 

H.  A.  Gunter,  of  Wake,  was  our  first  Adjutant.  From  some 
cause  he  was  not  with  us  in  the  battle  of  French's  Farm.  Lieu- 
tenant J.  H.  Anderson,  of  Company  D,  was  acting  Adjutant 
and  was  wounded  in  that  .battle.  Adjutant  Gunter  was 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Sharpsburg,  and  died  soon  after 
from  wounds. 

Lieutenant  John  R.  Winchester,  of  Company  A,  then  be- 
came Adjutant  and  was  with  us  all  the  while.  He  was  a 
very  good  officer  and  soldier.  He  was  a  cheerful  and  lively 
man  and  was  generally  ready  for  any  fun  with  officers  or 
men.     The  men  all  liked  Winchester. 

Several  of  the  company  officers  are  worthy  of  special  ref- 
erence in  this  history,  and  the  -svriter  would  be  glad  to  give 
it,  but  failing  to  get  any  answer  to  his  letters  of  inquiry  and 
having  to  depend  solely  on  his  memory,  can  not  recall  the 
names  and  company  to  which  they  belonged.  Each  company 
had  its  brave  men.  Many  of  these  are  entitled  to  mention  in 
this  sketch,  but  for  the  reason  stated  above  the  writer  will 
have  to  leave  them  out,  but  feels  assured  that  he  can  say  that 
the  Forty-eighth  Regiment  did  as  much  hard  marching  and 
fighting  as  any  regiment  from  North  Carolina.  From  first 
to  last,  it  had  about  1,300  men,  many  of  them  as  brave  and  as 
obedient  as  any  soldiers  in  the  Confederate  army. 

W.  H.  H.  Lawhon. 
Moore  Co.,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,   LENOX    AND 
TILDEN  POUNOATIONS. 


FORTY-NINTH  REGIMENT. 


1.    S.  D.  Ramseur.  Colonel. 
2     James  T.  Davis,  Lieut.  Colonel. 
3.     John  A.  Fleniniing,  Lieut. -Colonel. 
(Killed  at  Petersburg  ) 


4.  Cicero  Durliaiii.  Captain  and  A.  Q.  M. 

5.  Henry  A.  Chambers.  Captain,  Co.  O- 

6.  Edwin  V.  Harris,  Captain,  Co.  E. 


FORTY-NiniH  REGIMENT. 


By  THOMAS  R.  ROULHAC,  First  Lieutenant  Company  D. 


The  Forty-ninth  Kegiment  of  Xorth  Carolina  State  Troops 
was  composed  of  ten  companies  of  infantry,  raised  in  the 
counties  of  ]\IcDowell,  1  ;  Cleveland,  2 ;  Iredell,  2  ;  Moore, 
1 ;  Mecklenburg,  1 ;  Gaston,  1 ;  Catawba,  1  ;  and  Lincoln,  1, 
which  assembled  at  Garysburg,  in  the  month  of  March,  1862. 
It  was  constituted,  at  its  formation,  wholly  of  volunteers, 
many  of  whom  had  sought  service  in  the  earlier  periods  of 
the  war,  and  all  of  whom  had  responded  to  the  call  for  sol- 
diers, as  soon  as  it  was  practicable  to  furnish  them  with  arms 
and  equipments.  In  the  latter  part  of  March,  or  early  in 
April,  1862,  organization  of  the  regiment  was  effected,  by 
the  election  of : 

Stephen  D.  Ramseue,  Colonel. 
William  A.  Eliason,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 
Lee  M.  McAfee,  Major. 
Lieutenant  Richmond^  Adjutant. 
George  L.  Phifek^  Sergeant-Major. 
Captain  E.  P.  Geoege^  Commissary. 
Captain  J.  W.  Wilson^  Quartermaster. 
De.  John  K.  Ruffin^  Surgeon. 
Reginald  H.  Goode,  Assistant  Surgeon. 
Peter  iSTicholson,  Chaplain. 

The  non-commission  staff  was  completed  with  James  Hol- 
land, Quartermaster-Sergeant ;  Harrison  Hall,  Hospital 
Steward,  and  James  H.  Geiger,  Ordnance  Sergeant. 

The  history  of  Ramseur  is  known  to  all  the  people  of  J^J'orth 
Carolina,  ^o  one  of  her  sons  ever  contributed,  by  his  devo- 
tion to  her  service,  skill  and  heroic  bravery  on  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, and  fearless  exposure  and  ultimate  sacrifice  of  his  life, 
more  to  the  historic  lustre  of  the  name  and  honor  of  this,  one 


126  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'(55. 

of  the  greatest  of  the  American  States.  He  gave  untiring  en- 
ergy and  masterly  judgment  to  the  rapid  organization,  drill, 
discipline  and  preparation  for  active  service  in  the  field  of  his 
regiment.  A  graduate  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West 
Point,  and  fur  a  few  years  an  officer  in  the  regular  army,  en- 
doAved  A\ith  a  mind  of  great  strength  and  quickness,  constant 
in  purpose,  daring  and  brilliant  in  execution,  prepared  for 
the  science  of  war  and  revelling  in  its  dangers  and  fierce  en- 
counters, and  with  a  spirit  fired  with  a  determination  to  excel 
in  the  profession  of  arms ;  it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  that,  un- 
der his  capable  authority  and  the  influence  of  his  stirring  ex- 
ample, the  regiment  rapidly  took  form  and  shape  as  a  strong, 
disciplined  and  efficient  body  of  men ;  nor  that  the  impress  of 
his  spirit  and  the  effect  of  his  training  should,  as  its  subse- 
quent career  demonstrated,  be  retained,  not  alone  to  charac- 
terize the  natural  development  of  veterans,  but,  likewise,  as  a 
part  of  its  heritage  of  honor,  so  long  as  the  flag  under  which 
he  arrayed  them  claimed  an  existence  amid  the  heraldry  of 
nations.  Short  as  was  the  length  of  his  authority  over  them, 
the  force  of  his  activity,  zeal  and  fearlessness  was  felt  and 
recognized  by  the  Forty-ninth  (Ramseur's)  Regiment  through 
all  its  struggles  and  hardships,  in  the  camp,  on  the 
march,  in  making  or  meeting  assaults,  advancing  or  retreat- 
ing, in  sunshine  and  storm,  through  the  long  and 
w^earing  siege  of  Petersbnrg,  where  it  rushed  alone  into  the 
cavalier  line  after  Grant's  mine  was  sprung,  and  at 
skirmish  distance  in  the  works  held  the  Federal  advance 
at  bay  for  three  hours — the  slender  link  by  which 
the  two  halves  of  General  Lee's  army  were  united,  until  re- 
inforcements could  be  brought  seven  miles  to  retake  the  cra- 
ter; both  when  disaster  fell  fast  and  fierce  on  the  cause  for 
which  they  fought,  as  well  as  when  before  their  steady  charge 
the  foe  gave  Avay,  and  victory  perched  on  their  well-worn  bat- 
tle flag;  when  deatli  had  thinned  its  ranks  and  suffering  made 
gaunt  the  survivors,  until  at  last  its  lines  were  crushed — its 
shout  and  shot  the  last  to  be  heard — on  the  field  of  Five 
Forks.  N^orth  Carolina,  whose  soil  has  been  made  sacred 
by  the  ashes  of  so  many  great  and  strong  men,  her  jurists,  her 
statesmen,  her  magistrates,  her  teachers,  her  ministers  and 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  127 

priests,  lier  soldiers  and  her  patriots,  holds  within  her  bosom 
the  dust  of  no  nobler  or  more  perfect  man  than  that  of 
Stephen  Dobson  Ramseiir, 

The  regiment  was  officered  by  men  of  education,  and,  for 
the  most  part,  in  the  full  vigor  of  young  manhood. 

Its  rank  and  file  were  taken  from  the  Piedmont  region  of 
the  State,  which  then  contained,  as  extended  observation  ena- 
bles the  writer  to  say,  a  population  second  to  none  for  self- 
reliance,  integrity,  just  respect  for  authority  and  modest 
worth  and  courage.  Many  of  them  were  descendants  of  the 
people  who  made  the  Honiets'  Xest  of  North  Carolina  a 
fortress  of  independence  and  a  terror  to  their  country's  invad- 
ers. 

Soon  after  its  organization  Lieutenant-Colonel  Eliason  re- 
signed, Major  McAfee  succeeding  him,  and  Captain  John  A. 
Fleming,  of  Company  A,  was  promoted  to  Major. 

MALVERN    HILL. 

When  the  operations  of  McClellan's  army  around  Rich- 
mon,  culminating  in  the  seven  days'  battles,  began,  the  regi- 
ment was  assigned  to  General  Robert  Ransom's  Brigade  and 
participated  in  several  of  those  engagements.  At  Malvern 
Hill  it  bore  a  conspicuous  part,  leaving  its  dead  and  wounded 
on  the  field  next  in  proximity  to  the  enemy's  works  to  those  of 
the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  then  commanded 
by  Colonel  Zebulon  B.  Vance. 

In  this  ill-advised  assault  the  command  suffered  heavily  in 
killed  and  wounded.  Colonel  Ramseur  among  the  latter.  His 
handling  of  the  regiment  and  its  conduct  during  those  con- 
flicts led  to  his  prompt  promotion  to  Brigadier-General,  and 
to  his  assignment,  as  soon  as  he  recovered  from  his  wound,  to 
another  command. 

On  1  November,  1862,  Lieutenant-Colonel  McAfee  was 
commissioned  Colonel,  Major  Fleming  was  promoted  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, and  Captain  Pinckney  B.  Chambers,  of  Com- 
pany C.  was  made  ]\Iajor.  During  the  summer  of  1862  Ad- 
jutant Richmond  fell  a  victim  to  typhoid  fever,  and  the  life 
of  this  brave  and  capable  ofiicer  was  thus  destroyed — no  less 
an  offering  on  the  altar  of  patriotism  than  if  he  had  laid  it 


128  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

down  on  the  battletiokl.  Cicero  A.  Durham,  of  Cleveland 
county,  prior  to  the  war  a  cadet  of  the  Military  Institute  of 
General  D.  IT.  Hill,  at  Charlotte,  and  who  afterwards  became 
so  famous  throughout  the  army  as  the  fighting  quartermaster, 
was  appointed  adjutant.  He  sei-ved  in  this  capacity  with 
great  efficiency  and  distinction  until  2  May,  1863,  when  he 
was  promoted  Assistant  Quartermaster  to  succeed  Captain 
George,  who  was  transferred  to  other  duties.  William  H. 
Dinkins,  who  had  been  Scrgeant-Major,  was  appointed  Adju- 
tant, and  continued  in  that  position  during  the  remainder  of 
the  war,  actively  on  duty  until  some  time  in  the  spring  of 
1864,  wlion  bad  health  caused  his  absence  to  the  close  of  hos- 
tilities. 

By  reason  of  the  losses  in  front  of  Richmond  in  this  cam- 
paign, both  of  officers  and  men,  changes  in  the  roster  of  of- 
ficers were  numerous. 

It  has  been  impossible  at  this  late  day  to  procure  anything 
like  full  or  correct  reports  of  the  killed,  wounded,  or  missing 
in  these  battles.  The  aggregate  was  considerable,  and  the 
casualties  told  the  story  of  the  fierce  struggles  in  which  the 
command  was  engaged,  but  access  to  the  reports  cannot  be 
had. 

George  W.  Lytle  succeeded  to  the  Captaincy  of  Company 
A;  Henry  A.  Chambers  was,  on  10  December,  1862,  ap- 
pointed to  the  command  of  Company  C ;  Columbus  H.  Dixon 
was  made  Captain  of  Company  G,  on  lY  November, 
1862,  in  the  place  of  Captain  Rufus  Roberts;  Charles  F. 
Connor,  on  1  February,  1863,  succeeded  Captain  W.  W.  Che- 
nault,  of  Company  I,  and  George  L.  Phifer  became  Captain 
of  Company  K,  in  the  place  of  Peter  Z.  Baxter,  on  24  July, 
1863  ;  changes  occasioned  by  the  losses  of  1862.  Correspond- 
ing changes  ensued  in  the  other  grades  of  company  officers. 

sharpsbukg. 

Fi'oiii  Kiclnnond  the  scene  of  action  was  speedily  trans- 
ferred by  General  Lee  to  the  Potomac  and  beyond ;  and  tlien 
back  to  the  capture  of  Harper's  Ferry,  thence  to  Sharpsburg, 
or  Antietam,  the  command  moved  under  tlie  orders  of  that 
groat    fignre    in    our    military    history.      At    Shai'psburg    it 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  129 

shared  with  the  rest  of  the  brigade  the  honor  of  retaking 
and  holding  the  famous  "West  Woods."  Here  the  gallant 
Lieutenant  Greenlea  Flemming,  brother  of  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Flemming,  was  killed  and  a  dozen  men  of  his  com- 
pany killed  or  wounded  by  a  shell  which  fell  in  its 
ranks  as  the  brigade  was  moving  by  the  flank  to  change  its 
position  just  before  sunset.  It  was  the  rear  company  of  the 
Forty-ninth  and  Colonel  M.  W.  Ransoin  and  Adjutant  Wal- 
ter C*lark,  who  were  riding  at  the  head  of  the  Thirty-fifth^ 
were  close  behind  and  barely  escaped  the  shell  which  was  evi- 
dently directed  by  the  enemy's  signal  corps  at  the  moving 
line  of  bayonets,  glistening  in  the  setting  sunlight,  for  it 
came  from  a  battery  on  the  other  side  of  the  Antietam. 
Returning  to  Virginia,  the  regiment  was  in  the  battle  of  Fred- 
ericksburg, beginning  11  December,  1862,  where  it  took  posi- 
tion to  the  left  of  the  plank  road,  and  during  the  four  days 
that  the  fighting  there  continued  it  was  subjected  to  heavy 
cannonading  and  some  infantry  fighting,  several  officers  and 
men  being  killed  and  wounded. 

After  this  battle  the  Forty-ninth  remained  in  winter  quar- 
ters near  Fredericksburg  until  3  January,  1863,  when  it  was 
marched,  by  the  Telegraph  road,  to  Hanover  Junction,  thence 
to  Richmond,  and  from  there  to  Petersburg,  which  it  reached 
on  the  evening  of  the  7th,  and  remained  until  tlie  1 7th,  when 
it  left  for  eastern  ^North  Carolina. 

From  this  time  on  until  the  spring  of  1864,  the  regiment, 
w^ith  the  Twenty-fourth,  Tw^enty-fifth,  Thirty-fifth  and  Fifty- 
sixth  Regiments,  composed  Ransom's  Brigade  which  protected 
the  line  of  the  Wilmington  &  W^eldon  Railroad  from  those 
two  terminal  points,  and  that  of  the  road  from  Goldsboro 
to  below  Ivinston ;  being  constantly  on  the  move,  appear- 
ing one  day  at  the  other  end  of  the  line  from  that  at 
which  they  w^ere  the  day  before,  and  vigilantly  guarding  the 
teri'itory  of  Eastern  ^STorth  Carolina,  from  which  such  abund- 
ant supplies  w^ere  contributed  for  the  support  of  our  armies. 
Strategically,  it  was  the  right  wing  of  the  Army  of  Vir- 
ginia ;  and  General  Scott,  whose  plan  of  camy<aigu  delineated 
9 


130  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

ill:  the  beginning  of  hostilities,  of  intersecting  the  Confedera- 
cy, was  verified  by  events,  and  the  consummation  of  wliicli  re- 
sulted in  our  downfall,  declared  that,  after  the  opening  of  the 
Mississippi,  a  heavy  column  pushed  through  the  gateway  of 
Eastern  North  Carolina,  would  cause  the  abandonment  of 
Virginia,  and  the  dissevering  of  the  most  formidable  p()rti.)n 
of  the  Confederacy.  The  closing  events  of  the  war  demon- 
strated the  accuracy  of  his  judgment  and  his  consummate 
skill  as  a  strategist.  That  it  was  not  done  sooner  must  con- 
vince the  student  of  history  how  severely  taxed  were  the  pow- 
ers and  resources  of  the  Federal  government  to  meet  and  hold 
in  check  the  main  annies  of  the  South,  and  that  its  dismem- 
berment was  deferred  so  long  alone  by  the  magnificent  cour- 
age and  endurance  of  its  soldiery.  Ransom's  Brigade  was 
the  most  important  force  in  the  section  mentioned  for 
many  months ;  and,  occupying  in  <|uick  succession  Weldon, 
Warsaw,  Kenan sville,  Goldsboro,  Kinston,  Wilming-ton  and 
Greenville,  it  was  always  on  hand  to  confront  any  movement 
of  tlie  enemy  in  that  region.  Occasionally  a  sharp  brush 
with  the  enemy's  forces  was  necessary  to  warn  him  of  the  foe 
in  his  path.  From  'New  Bern,  Plymouth  and  Washington, 
in  Eastern  Carolina,  and  from  Norfolk  and  Suffolk,  in  Vir- 
ginia, the  Federals  Avould  send  out  expeditions ;  but,  in  each 
instance,  no  great  distance  would  be  traversed  before  they 
were  confronted  by  Ransom's  Brigade.  Besides  the  pro- 
tection thus  afforded  to  the  main  army  in  Virginia,  an  exten- 
sive and  fertile  section  of  the  country  was  thus  kept  open  for 
supplies  of  com  and  meat  to  the  Confederate  forces ;  and  it 
was  not  rare  for  other  supplies  and  needed  articles  to  reach 
our  lines  through  that  territory.  MeanAvhile,  the  ranks  of  all 
the  regiments  in  that  brigade  were  recruited ;  drill  and  disci- 
pline were  advanced ;  and  equipment  was  perfected ;  so  that, 
when  in  1864  we  were  made  a  component  part  of  General 
Beauregard's  command  between  Richmond  and  Petersburg, 
on  the  south  side  of  the  James,  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
there  was  not  in  the  Confederate  service  any  brigade,  con- 
taining a  greater  number  of  effective,  well-trained,  veteran 
soldiers. 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  131 


GUM   SWAMP. 


On  22  Maj,  1863,  a  sharp  affair  occurred  at  Gum  Swamp, 
in  Craven  or  Lenoir  county,  in  which  the  Fifty-sixth  and 
Twenty-fifth  Regiments,  owing  to  the  negligence  of  our  cav- 
alry, were  surrounded  by  a  considerable  force  of  the  enemy ; 
^nd,  after  losing  about  170  prisoners,  the  remainder  of  those 
two  commands  barely  escaped  capture  by  fighting  their  way 
through  the  surrounding  forces.  During  this  movement 
Companies  C,  D  and  H,  of  the  Forty-ninth,  were  picketing 
at  Moseley's  Creek,  a  parallel  road  from  ]^ew  Bern.  The  bal- 
ance of  the  regiment  being  moved  from  Kinston  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  troops  at  Gum  Swamp,  by  their  timely  arrival 
stayed  the  retreat  and  checked  the  attack. 

The  invasion  of  Pennsylvania  during  the  summer  of  this 
jear  by  General  Lee  occupied  the  attention  of  most  of  the 
Federal  troops,  and  movements  elsewhere  were  generally  of 
slight  importance. 

During  the  presence  of  our  army  across  the  Potomac  a  de- 
monstration in  considerable  force,  probably  with  the  hope  of 
recalling  some  of  the  troops  from  General  Lee  to  oppose  it, 
was  made  towards  Richmond  from  the  direction  of  the  Chick- 
ahominy ;  and  Ransom's  Brigade  was  hurried  by  rail  to  meet 
the  threatened  raid.  At  Bottom's  Bridge  the  Federal  column 
was  encountered ;  but  after  two  days  of  brisk  skirmishing  its 
commander  declined  to  attempt  the  passage  of  that  stream. 
Some  losses  in  killed  and  wounded  were  sustained  by  our 
forces,  and  the  enemy  suffered  to  as  great  an  extent,  with  the 
addition  of  some  prisoners  captured  by  us.  The  return  of 
the  raiding  column  to  York  river  was  precipitate ;  and  after 
a  few  days  our  command  was  back  at  its  old  duties  in  l^orth 
Carolina.  During  the  residue  of  the  summer  and  succeeding 
fall  and  winter  it  was  constantly  on  the  move. 

On  9  June,  18G3,  Thomas  R.  Roulhac  was  appointed  Ser- 
geant-Major  from  Manly's  Battery,  which  was  then  in  the 
army  of  Northern  Virginia.  In  the  latter  part  of  October 
he  joined  the  regiment  at  Garysburg,  and  served  in  that 
capacity  and  as  Acting  Adjutant,  until  appointed  First  Lieu- 
tenant of  Company  D,  in  June,  1864. 

On  28  January,  1864,  the  command  left  Weldon  for  Kin- 


132  North  Carolina  Troops,    18<Jl-'05. 

stoii,  and  there  became  a  part  of  the  forces  under  Generals 
Pickett  and  Hoke  in  the  movement  against  New  Bern.  Gen- 
eral Pickett  proceeded  ddwn  the  Dover  road  from  Kinston 
with  Corse's  Brigade  of  his  own  division,  and  those  of  Hoke 
and  Clingman,  of  North  Carolina,  and  attacked  a  camp  of  the 
enemy  at  Batclielor's  Creek,  capturing  about  four  liundred 
prisoners,  two  pieces  of  artillery,  a  large  numl)er  of  small 
arms,  horses  and  camp  equipage,  and  drove  the  entire  Federal 
force  precipitately  towards  New  Bern. 

ATTACK    on    new    BEKN. 

Ransom's  Brigade  with  Barton's  and  Kemper's  Virginia 
Brigades,  some  cavalry  and  artillery,  all  under  command  of 
General  Barton,  crossed  the  Trent  river,  and  proceeded  from 
near  Trenton  down  the  south  side  of  the  Trent  to  the  south  of 
New  Bern.  Meanwhile  General  J.  G.  Martin  had  moved 
with  his  brigade  of  North  Carolina  troops  from  Wilmington 
towards  Morehead  City.  About  daylight  on  the  morning  of 
1  P'eluMuiry  the  picket  post  of  the  Federals  was  reached  and 
surprised  without  the  escape  of  a  single  num.  Every  precau- 
tion had  been  taken,  by  the  detention  of  negroes  and  every 
other  person  likely  to  be  friendly  to  the  enemy  in  the  section 
through  which  we  had  hurriedly  moved,  to  prevent  informa- 
tion of  the  movement  from  reaching  the  commander  of  the 
Federals ;  and  it  is  now  certain  that  a  complete  surprise  to 
him  was  etfected.  As  soon  as  the  picket  post  was  takcTi,  each 
regiment  of  Ransom's  Brigade  was  ordered  to  throw  forward 
a  company  as  skirmishers.  Company  C,  of  the  Forty-ninth, 
being  selecte^l  from  that  regiment.  This  was  done  largely 
on  account  of  the  well-earned  reputation  of  its  couunander, 
Captain  Henry  A.  Chambers,  for  prudence,  vigor  and  cour- 
age. No  officer  of  his  rank  in  the  Confederate  service  was 
ever  more  faithful,  constant  and  zealous  in  the  discharge  of 
every  duty  on  every  occasion  and  in  every  position  than  this 
distingiiislied  and  conscientious  commander  of  Company  C — - 
youthful  in  age,  but  clear-minded,  steadfast  and  useful  in 
all  emergencies,  ripe  in  judgment  beyond  his  years,  and  as 
fearless  as  a  lion.  This  company  and  the  whole  line  of 
skirmishers  were  pushed  forward  rapidly  under  the  orders 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  133 

of  Captain  Cicero  A.  Durham,  the  fighting  Quartermaster, 
until  the  enemy's  fortifications  were  reached.  It  was  the 
opinion  of  the  oiRcers  above  mentioned  that,  if  the  cavalry 
had  been  dismounted  and  advanced  with  the  skirmishers,  the 
works  could  have  been  easily  taken.  Instead  of  this  being 
done,  the  artillery  was  moved  to  the  front  and  a  duel  was  be- 
gun between  our  few  field  pieces  and  the  heavier  guns  in  the 
redoubts,  which  resulted  in  nothing.  That  New  Bern  could 
have  been  taken  in  a  short  time  and  without  any  considerable 
loss,  if  any  vigorous  pressing  had  been  undertaken  by  our 
troops  on  either  side  of  the  river,  is  now  well  ascertained. 
Indeed,  General  Martin  captured  a  courier  from  General  Pal- 
mer, the  commander  of  the  Federals  at  New  Bern,  bearing 
a  dispatch  to  the  ofiicer  in  command  at  Morehead  City,  stat- 
ing that,  imless  reinforcements  were  quickly  sent  him,  he 
must  surrender. 

It  was  during  this  expedition  to  New  Bern  that  Com- 
mander Wood,  of  the  Confederate  Navy,  made  his  daring  at- 
tack upon  the  gunboat,  ''Underwriter,"  and  from  under  the 
very  guns  of  their  fortifications,  captured  and  cut  it  out,  and 
finding  it  disabled  by  the  shells  of  the  Federal  batteries,  de- 
stroyed it.  Beyond  these  small  results,  however,  nothing 
was  accomplished ;  imless  the  whole  movement  was  intended 
as  a  demonstration,  merely. 

During  the  entire  day  of  2  February,  Company  D,  under 
Lieutenant  Barrett,  and  Company  E,  imder  Captain  E.  V. 
Harris,  occupied  the  skirmish  line,  the  enemy  keeping  close 
within  their  works,  and  not  venturing  any  movement  or 
scarcely  firing  a  shot  from  small  arms  or  artillery. 

On  the  night  of  the  2d  the  column  retraced  its  steps  through 
the  deep,  muddy  swamp  roads,  illuminated  by  the  blazing 
pine  trees,  whose  turpentine  boxes  had  caught  from  the  camp 
fires  on  the  way  down. 

capture  of   SUFFOLK. 

The  next  expedition,  after  returning  to  our  winter  quar- 
ters, was  from  Weldon,  via  Franklin  and  South  Mills,  in 
the  direction  of  Norfolk.  The  enemy  was  met  along  the 
Pismal  Swamp  canal,  driven  in  after  the  capture  of  a  num- 


134  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'6o. 

ber  of  prisoners  by  Colonel  Dearing,  in  command  of  the  cav* 
airy,  and  the  capture  of  Norfolk  threatened.  Tliis  march 
was  made  in  very  severe  weather  in  the  early  part  of  March^ 
1864.  It  was  immediately  succeeded  by  the  attack  on  and 
capture  of  Suffolk,  on  9  March,  1864.  This  was  a  most  ex- 
citing little  affair,  in  which  our  troops  met  negro  soldiers  for 
the  first  time.  Quick  work  was  made  of  their  line  of  bat- 
tle, and  their  retreat  was  soon  converted  into  a  runaway. 
Their  camps  were  hastily  abandoned,  arms  thrown  away,  and, 
discarding  everything  which  could  impede  flight,  they  made 
their  way  to  the  swamps.  One  piece  of  artillery  and  a  large 
number  of  horses  captured,  and  a  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
of  several  score  of  the  enemy  were  the  results.  It  was  here 
that  our  Quartermaster,  Captain  Durham,  placing  himself 
at  the  head  of  a  squad  of  cavalry,  charged  into  and  put  to 
flight  a  regiment  of  the  enemy's  horse.  A  number  of  them 
took  refuge  in  a  house  in  the  suburbs  of  Suffolk,  and  began  a 
brisk  and  hurtful  Are  upon  Durham's  men.  He  charged  the 
house  and  succeeded,  after  a  surrender  had  been  refused,  in 
setting  fire  to  it.  They  continued  the  fight,  until  the  flames 
enveloped  the  building,  and  all  of  its  occupants  were  de- 
stroyed. The  firing  of  our  artillery  was  excellent,  every  shot 
taking  effect  among  the  fleeing  ebony  horsemen.  At  a  swift 
run,  by  sections,  Branch's  Battery  kept  shot  and  shell  in  theii* 
midst  as  long  as  the  fleeing  cavalry  could  be  reached. 

The  brigade  held  Suffolk  all  that  day  and  the  next.  A 
heavy  column  was  moved  from  ISTorfolk  and  Fortress  Monroe 
to  meet  us ;  but,  though  we  offered  battle,  no  attack  was  made, 
and  Avhen  we  advanced,  with  Companies  D  and  K,  of  the 
Forty-ninth,  in  the  brigade  front  as  skirmishers,  the  enemy 
fell  back  to  the  swamp.  On  the  evening  of  the  10th  we  re- 
turned via  South  Quay  and  IMurfrec's  Station,  to  Weldon. 

On  30  March  we  began  our  march  from  Weldon,  by  way 
of  ]\Tiirfreesboro  and  Winton,  the  latter  place  having  been 
totally  destroyed  by  the  Federals  in  one  of  their  raids,  to 
Harrellsville,  in  Bertie  county. 

At  this  place  and  Coleraine  and  on  the  Chowan  and  beauti- 
ful Albemarle  Sound  the  month  of  April,  1864,  was  spent  in 
the  fullest  enjoyment  of  all  the  deliglits  of  springtime,  beau' 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  135 

tiful  scenery  on  sound  and  river,  and  in  the  opening  life  of 
woods  and  flowers.  The  fish  and  other  delicacies  of  this  fa- 
vored region  touched  a  tender  spot  in  the  make-up  of  veterans, 
and  cause  us  much  congratulation  that  we  had  been  chosen  to 
cover  this  flank  of  the  attack  upon  and  capture  of  Plymouth ; 
and  the  period  spent  here  marked  a  green  spot  in  the  memo- 
ries of  officers  and  men  as  the  last  space  of  repose  and  com- 
fort, which  fell  to  our  lot  during  the  struggle. 

On  the  30th  we  marched  through  Windsor  and  the  lovely 
Indian  Woods  to  Taylor's  Ferry,  on  the  Roanoke,  which  we 
crossed  at  this  point ;  thence  through  Hamilton  to  Greenville, 
where  it  was  reported  that  on  the  fall  of  Plymouth  Little 
Washington  had  been  evacuated  by  the  Federals,  after  burn- 
ing a  considerable  portion  of  the  town.  Pushing  on  from 
Greenville,  we  crossed  Contentnea  creek,  the  ISTeuse  and  Trent 
rivers  to  Trenton,  thence  to  Kinston,  and  back  to  Weldon. 
Immediately  on  our  arrival  there,  we  were  sent  to  Jarratt's 
Station,  on  the  Petersburg  Railroad,  to  drive  back  the  raid, 
and  open  up  the  road  from  there  to  Stony  Creek.  A  raiding 
column  of  Federal  cavalry  had  the  day  before  succeeded  in 
cutting  the  road  and  tearing  up  the  track  after  a  hard  fight 
with  the  small  force  defending  it.  On  10  May  we  reached 
Petersburg,  and  were  at  once  hurried  to  Swift  Creek,  on  the 
Richmond  pike,  where  fighting  had  been  going  on  for  some 
time.  We  were  now  a  part  of  Beauregard's  army,  and  while 
he  remained  in  Virginia  continued  under  his  command. 

dkewky's  bluff. 

At  the  date  last  mentioned  (May,  1864),  Butler's  move- 
ment on  Drewry's  Bluff,  with  Richmond  as  the  objective 
point,  had  liegun  ;  and  from  this  date  until  Five  Forks  every 
day  was  a  day  of  battle  for  us.  Butler  had  seized  the  Rich- 
mond pike,  when  we  reached  Petersburg,  and  had  thrown  a 
considerable  force  across  to  the  railroad  and  Chesterfield 
Court  House.  But  the  advance  of  Hoke's  Division  with  the 
brigades  of  Ransom  and  Hagood,  under  the  command  of  that 
sterling  ISTorth  Carolinian,  Robert  F.  Hoke,  caused  its  with- 
drawal to  the  river  side  of  the  pike.  At  Half-Way  House 
Hoke  offered  battle,  but  the  enemy  slowly  retired  before  him, 


136  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'Go. 

and  the  way  was  opoiied  to  Drewry's  Bluff  for  the  reinforce- 
iiRMits  to  Beauregard.  As  soon  as  we  arrived  there  Ransom's 
Brigade  was  ordered  to  the  rig-lit  of  our  lines,  and  had  barely 
reached  there  and  occupied  the  works  when  the  first  assault  of 
the  battle  of  Drewry's  Bluff  was  ma<le  upon  us.  While  re- 
pelling this  attack  in  front,  but  fortunately  for  the  Forty- 
ninth  Regiment,  which  was  uu  the  extr(>nie  right,  not  till  the 
Federals  in  front  were  beginning  to  give  way,  a  Federal  line 
of  battle,  which  had  extended  around  our  right  under  cover 
of  a  piece  of  woods,  opened  a  galling  Wvo  in  our  rear,  and  ad- 
vanced to  the  charge  from  the  woods  on  our  right.  But  brave 
Durham  had  his  skirmishers  there;  and  though  they  were  few 
in  nuud)er,  he  was  ever  a  lion  in  the  ])atli  of  the  foe.  Foot  by 
foot  he  contested  the  ground  until  the  charge  in  our  front  was 
broken,  when  the  Forty-ninth  and  Twenty-lifth  Regiments 
leaped  over  the  works  and  poured  a  destructive  volley  into 
the  ranks  of  the  flanking  ]:)arty,  before  which  their  line  melted 
away.  Poor  Durham — truly  a  Chevalier  Bayard,  if  ever  na- 
ture placed  a  lieai't  in  man  which  was  absolutely  without  fear 
and  a  soul  without  reproach  or  blemish — received  here  a 
wound  in  his  arm,  necessitating  amputation,  from  which  he 
died.  Occupying  a  position  which  did  not  call  for  his  pres- 
ence in  lialtJe,  he  never  missed  a  tight;  was  always  in  the 
thickest  ai  tlie  forefront  of  the  tempest  of  death;  he  gloried 
in  tlie  fray,  nnd  earned  a  reputation  throughout  the  army  as 
the  lighting  (ijuartermaster,  which  added  lustre  to  the  valor 
of  our  troo]>s,  and  which  i^orth  Carolina  and  Xorth  Caroli- 
nians shouhl  not  suffer  to  perish.  He  was  but  a  boy,  an 
hundde,  (hn-out  Christian,  as  ])ure  and  chaste  as  a  woman,  and 
in  the  intensity  of  his  love  foi'  his  State  and  the  cause  she  had 
espcHised  he  counted  t]\c  sacrihce  of  death  as  his  simplest 
tribute  in  defense  of  her  honor. 

General  M.  W.  Ransom  was  here  wounded  in  the  arm,  and 
the  brigade  was  aftei-wavds  eomniandcd  during  tlie  summer 
and  till  hi<  return  at  differcMit  limes,  by  Cohmels  Clarke, 
Rutledge,  McAfee,  l''aison  and  Jones.  The  Fifty-sixth  Reg- 
iment being  hotly  assailed  in  falling  back,  lost  a  number  in 
kilh^d  and  wounded  ;  hut  repulsed  every  assault  with  telling 
effect.      The    lurtv-ninth    los>t   eleven   killed    and    a    consid- 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment,  137 

erable  number  of  wounded  in  this  engagement  of  the  even- 
ing of  13  May.  Brave  Captain  J.  P.  Ardrey,  of  Company 
F,  was  wounded,  and  left  in  the  enemy's  hands,  and  died 
before  he  could  be  removed.  Lieutenant  S.  H.  Elliott, 
of  the  same  company,  was  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  Line- 
barger,  of  Company  H,  was  mortally  wounded.  Dr. 
Goode,  Assistant  Surgeon,  and  three  litter-bearers  were  cap- 
tured, in  attending  upon  the  wounded.  The  14th  and 
15th  of  May  were  passed  in  repelling  repeated  charges  of 
the  enemy  upon  our  lines  and  efforts  to  advance  his  own 
from  our  outer  line  of  fortifications,  which  had  been  aban- 
doned to  him  on  the  evening  of  the  13th.  Severe  loss  was 
inflicted  upon  them  in  each  attempt. 

16  MAY,  1864. 

The  morning  of  16  May  was  obscured  by  a  dense  fog. 
Preparations  began  at  3  o'clock  on  the  Confederate  side  foi* 
an  attack,  and  by  daylight  Beauregard  moved  his  entire  army 
forward  for  an  attack,  en  echelon  by  brigades,  left  in  front, 
the  left  wing  being  under  the  immediate  command  of  General 
Koliert  Hansom.  Pansom  struck  the  enemy  on  their  extreme 
right,  carried  their  works,  and  turned  their  flank,  each  brig- 
ade in  turn  assisting  to  open  the  way  to  the  next  attacking 
one. 

Blow  after  blow  fell  thick  and  fast  on  Butler's  army.  All 
parts  of  his  line  were  heavily  pressed,  so  that  none  could  ren- 
der assistance  to  the  other,  and  before  noon  his  army,  largely 
exceeding  in  numbers  the  attacking  force,  thoroughly 
equipped  and  confident  of  victory,  was  completely  routed, 
and  Beauregard  luid  gained  one  of  the  best  fought  battles  of 
the  war.  In  boldness  of  conception  and  execution,  tactical 
skill,  thorough  grasp  of  all  the  conditions  of  the  situation,  and 
couunand  of  his  forces,  conducted  by  him  in  person  on  the 
field,  it  was  unsurpassed  by  any  fight  on  this  continent;  and 
but  for  Wliiting's  moving  from  his  position  on  the  turnpike 
in  Butler's  rear,  thus  allowing  him  to  escape  without  moles- 
tation to  Bermuda  Hundreds,  it  would  have  resulted  in  the 
capture  of  his  entire  army.  It  is  difficult  now  to  under- 
stand how  60  many  blunders  could  have  been  committed  at 


138  North  Carolina  Trooi-s,   1801-65. 

critical  moments  by  Confederate  generals  in  important  com- 
mands, save  that  the  hand  of  Fate  had  penned  the  decree  o£ 
our  defeat:  but  of  all  those,  which  contributed  to  our  down- 
fall, that  of  Major-General  Whiting,  on  the  afternoon  of  16 
May,  1864,  was  one  of  the  most  glaring  and  stupendous. 
Soon  after  the  battle  opened  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Forty- 
ninth  Ivegiments  were  ordered  to  the  right  flank  of  Bushrod 
Johnson's  Brigade,  on  the  right  of  the  turnpike  facing  to- 
wards Petersburg,  and  which  was  heavily  engaged  on  the 
immediate  right  of  our  brigade.  Moving  at  double-quick 
through  thick  woods  we  came  upon  the  enemy's  first  line  of 
works,  and  drove  them  from  it  Avith  great  loss.  Pursuing 
the  foe,  we  advanced  to  the  attack  of  the  second  line  under  a 
very  heavy  fire  in  our  front,  and  a  severe  enfilade  from  our 
right.  Colonel  W.  J.  Clarke,  of  the  Twenty-fourth  com- 
manded the  brigade.  Under  his  orders,  and  following  that 
regiment,  we  turned  to  the  right,  and  drove  the  enemy  from 
the  position,  which  enabled  the  enfilade  fire  to  harass  us, 
capturing  his  colors,  inflicting  heavy  loss  upon  him.  Moving 
directly  forward,  we  again  attacked  the  second  line  of  their 
works,  and  had  nearly  reached  them,  when  we  were  ordered 
to  fall  back  and  reform  our  lines.  This  was  done  under  shel- 
ter of  a  skirt  of  woods ;  and  in  a  short  time  Major  James  T. 
Davis,  Colonel  Mc.\fee  having  been  wounded,  and  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Flemming  having  been  left  in  command  of 
the  brigade  skirmish  line  when  we  were  moved  to  the  right, 
gave  the  command  to  advance  with  Captain  Chambers'  com- 
pany deployed  as  skirmishers  at  an  oblique  angle  to  our  right. 
In  this  attack,  aided  by  the  flanking  movement  from  our  left^ 
the  works  in  our  front  were  readily  taken.  In  these  two 
charges  of  this  day  the  Forty-ninth  lost  heavily  in  officers  and 
men.  When  the  works  had  been  taken  the  dead  body  of  Cap- 
tain Ardrey  was  recovered.  Besides  the  wounding  of  the 
Colonel,  Lieutenants  W.  P.  Barnett,  of  Company  F,  and  H. 
C.  Conley,  of  Company  A,  were  killed.  Captain  G.  W.  Lytle, 
of  Company  A,  was  mortally  woimded.  and  Lieutenants  Dan- 
iel Lattimore,  of  Company  B,  and  B.  F.  Dixon,  of  Company 
G,  were  severely  wounded. 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  139 


BERMUDA  HUNDKEDS. 


The  next  day  we  continued  the  pursuit  of  Butler's  army, 
and  assisted  in  his  "bottling  up"  at  Bermuda  Hundreds. 
Several  brisk  skirmishes  and  picket  fights  were  had  there 
until  the  lines  were  established,  but  none  were  of  serious 
importance.  In  a  picket  charge  on  the  night  of  1  June,  Cap- 
tain George  L.  Phifer,  of  Company  K,  was  wounded.  Com- 
panies C,  F  and  K  of  the  Forty-ninth  were  on  the  picket,  and 
sustained  a  loss  of  three  killed  and  seventeen  wounded.  In 
June,  1864,  Dr.  Buffin  resigned,  and  Dr.  Dandridge  was 
appointed  Surgeon,  in  which  position  he  continued  to  the 
close  of  the  war. 

On  4  June  we  crossed  the  James  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  and 
confronted  the  enemy  on  the  Chickahominy,  at  the  York 
Biver  Railroad  bridge,  and  strengthened  the  fortifications 
there.  On  the  10th  we  were  relieved  by  Kirkland's  North 
Carolina  Brigade,  and  returned,  by  a  forced  march,  to  the 
south  side,  and  thence  to  Petersburg,  to  meet  Grant's  advance 
across  the  James.  From  this  time  on  Ransom's  Brigade  be- 
came a  part  of  Bushrod  Johnson's  Division.  After  march- 
ing all  night  of  the  15th  we  reached  Petersburg  about  8 
o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  and  were  hurried  to  our 
fortifications  on  Avery's  farm.  At  a  run  we  succeeded  in 
getting  to  the  works  before  the  enemy  reached  them.  Through 
a  storm  of  sliot  and  shell  we  gained  them,  just  in  time  to 
meet  their  charge,  and  drive  them  back.  In  the  afternoon 
we  were  hurried  to  Swift  Creek,  where  the  Fifty-sixth 
North  Carolina,  under  Major  John  W.  Graham,  and  Grade's 
Brigade,  drove  back  the  Federal  cavalry  which  had  attempted 
to  cut  our  communications  with  Richmond,  and  enter  Peters- 
burg from  that  direction.  We  were  then  marched  along  the 
Richmond  pike  until  about  midnight,  when  we  opened  com- 
munication with  the  head  of  Longstreet's  Corps.  By  the 
first  light  next  morning  we  were  hurried  by  train  back  to 
Petersburg,  where  early  in  the  morning  the  enemy  had  cap- 
tured a  considerable  part  of  Bushrod  Johnson's  old  brigade 
and  several  pieces  of  artillery.  Hastily  we  threw  up  a  line 
of  rifle  pits;  and  now  commenced  Beauregard's  magnificent 
grapple  with  Grant's  army  until  Longstreet's  command  could 


140  North  Carolina  Trooi's,  1861-65. 

reach  us.  With  scarcely  more  than  5,000  men  and  eighteen 
pieces  of  field  artillery  Beauregard  kept  in  check  Grant's 
army,  coming  up  from  City  Point,  all  the  day  and  night  of 
17  June,  until  sunrise  of  the  18th,  when  Longstreet  came 
over  the  hill  at  Blandford  cemetery  on  our  right.  ^Vhen 
flanked  on  our  right,  we  would  fall  back  to  meet  the  flank  at- 
tack, re])ulse  it,  and  then,  being  massed,  Beauregard  would 
hurl  his  shattered  but  compact  battalions  against  the  Federal 
lines,  and  force  them  back,  to  reform  and  again  press  upon 
us.  Through  the  17th  and  the  succeeding  night  every  foot 
of  ground  from  .Vvery's  farm  to  Blandford  cemetery  was 
fought  over  and  over  again. 

Kansom's  Brigade  played  a  conspicuous  part  in  these  move- 
ments. First  Lieutenant  Edward  Phifer,  of  Company  K, 
received  his  death  wound  through  the  lungs  in  this  battle.  A 
bright,  noble  boy  and  faithful,  light-hearted  soldier.  At 
times  during  this  engagement  our  troops  would  be  lying  on 
one  side  of  the  works  and  tliose  of  the  enemy  on  the  other; 
and  it  is  said  that  the  flag  of  the  Thirty-fifth  Regiment  was 
lost  and  regained  a  half  dozen  times,  until  the  Michigan  Reg- 
iment with  which  it  was  engaged  in  a  hand  to  hand  encounter, 
surrendered  to  it.  It  was  desperate  fighting,  and  the  most 
prolonged  struggle  of  the  kind  during  the  war.  With  anx- 
ious hearts  we  saw  ihe  night  wear  on,  not  knowing  what  fate 
the  morning  would  bring  us,  if  we  sundved  tO'  see  it;  and  it 
was  with  a  glad  shout  tliat,  as  the  sun  rose,  and  the  Federals 
were  massing  on  our  right  flank  to  crush  us,  we  welcomed 
the  head  of  Longstrcet's  cfdumu  coming  at  a  trot  to  our  right 
wing.  The  contem]ilated  charge  upon  us  was  not  made; 
rifle  pits  were  hastily  dug  and  strengthened  into  formidable 
entrenchuHMits  on  the  ucw  line;  and  thus  began  the  siege  of 
Petersburg. 

From  this  (bite  until  M)  March,  1S()5,  just  nine  months, 
in  tlu'  lines  east  of  Petersluirg,  occu])ying  at  ditfereut  times 
positions  from  the  Ap])omattox  river  to  the  JerusahMu  plank 
road,  often  not  a  hundred  yards  from  the  works  of  the  enemy, 
constantly  ex])osed  to  danger  au<l  death  from  mortar  and  can- 
non shells  and  balls,  grape,  shrajnu'l  and  the  dea<llier  niinie 
balls,  we  engaged  in  daily  battle.      Exposed  to  sun  and  stonn, 


FoRTY-NiMTH  Regiment.  141 

heat  and  eold,  with  scant  food  and  insufficient  supplies,  the 
ranks  thinning  honrly  from  deaths,  wounds  and  sickness,  de- 
pressed by  the  gathering  gloom  of  our  falling  fortunes, 
through  the  dark,  bitter  and  foreboding  winter  of  1864-'65. 
the  men  of  the  Forty-ninth  were  faithful  unto  the  end; 
never  faltering  in  the  performance  of  any  duty,  and  never 
failing  to  meet  and  resist  the  foe. 

On  8  June,  1864,  Lieutenant  C.  C  Krider,  of  C^ompany 
C,  was  wounded  in  the  right  shoulder  by  a  piece  of  shell. 
On  23  July  (.'aptain  John  0.  Grier,  of  Company  F,  was 
wounded  in  the  arm  and  thigh  by  pieces  of  a  mortal  shell. 

THE  CRATER  AT  PETERSBURG. 

On  3t)  July  occurred  the  springing  of  Grant's  mine  under 
Pegram's  Battery,  formerly  Branch's,  on  a  hill  about  four 
hundred  yards  to  the  right  of  our  regiment,  knd  on  the  left 
of  Elliott's  South  Carolina  Brigade.  The  Twenty-fifth 
Xorth  Carolina  was  between  us  and  the  mine.  The  battery, 
most  of  its  men  and  officers,  and  a  considerable  part  of  the 
Twenty-sixth  South  Carolina  Regiment  were  blown  up,  the 
mine  containing,  it  was  said,  thirty  tons  of  blasting  powder. 
A  large  excavation  was  made;  and  in  the  smoke  and  confu- 
sion, amid  the  flying  debris  and  mangled  men,  the  enemy 
charged  in  great  force,  efi'ecting  a  lodgment  in  our  lines,  and 
a  large  number  of  the  flags  of  Burnside's  Corps  floated  on  our 
works.  Reinforcenients  poured  to  their  support  and  a  vigor- 
ous assault  was  made  on  our  line  on  both  sides  of  the  crater. 
In  the  van  were  negro  soldiers,  crying,  '"^o  quarter  to  the 
rebels."  JMost  fortunately  foT  our  army,  we  had  completed 
but  a  day  or  two  before  a  cavalier  line  in  the  rear  of  the 
salient,  where  the  explosion  occurred ;  the  two  lines,  salient 
and  cavalier,  forming  a  diamond  shaped  fortification.  Into 
this  cavalier  line,  from  the  left  of  the  salient,  rushed  by  the 
right  flank  the  Twenty-fifth  and  Forty-ninth  Regiments  of 
Ransom,  and,  from  the  other  side,  the  remnant  of  the  Twenty- 
sixth  South  Carolina,  which  had  been  blown  up,  and  a  part 
of  another  regiment  of  Elliott's  Brigade.  These  rapidly 
formed  for  a  cliarge  to  retake  our  works,  but  the  enemy 
massed  his  troops  so  rapidly  into  the  broken  salient  that  it 


142  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

was  deemed  useless  to  make  the  attempt,  and  best  to  hold  on  to 
the  cavalier  line.  Now  began  some  of  the  most  desperate 
fighting-  of  the  war.  Ransom's  Brigade  was  that  day  com- 
manded by  Colonel  McAfee,  of  the  Forty-ninth. 

Simultaneously  with  the  rush  into  the  broken  salient,  the 
enemy  in  three  lines  of  battle  charged  our  works  for  a  half 
mile  on  each  side,  only  to  be  repulsed  time  and  again  with 
fearful  slaughter.  Meanwhile,  in  the  cavalier  line,  our 
troops  were  clinging  to  the  works  with  the  tenacity  of  despair, 
and  fighting  with  the  fury  of  madmen.  The  compact, 
crowded  mass  of  Federals  rendered  every  shot  effective.  Our 
men  aimed  steadily  and  true;  and  as  each  rifle  became  too 
hot  to  be  used  another  gun  was  at  work  by  one  who  took  the 
place  of  the  first,  or  supplied  him  with  rifles  which  could  be 
handled.  From  a  redoubt  to  our  left  and  rear  Wright's  Bat- 
tery opened  upon  the  crowded,  panic-stricken  foe,  as  they 
huddled  together,  an  enfilading,  plunging  fire  with  five  field 
pieces,  and  two  mortars,  every  shot  .and  shell  tearing  its  way 
through  living  flesh.  Between  our  men  and  small  bodies  of 
the  enemy,  who  formed  and  tried  to  force  their  way  down  our 
works,  several  hand  to  hand  conflicts,  with  bayonets  locked 
and  rifles  clubbed,  occurred,  which  availed  nothing  to  the 
cornered  enemy.  When  their  supports  on  either  side  were 
driven  back  it  was  seen  that  those  who  had  filled  the  salient 
wei"e  caught  in  a  trap.  Wlien  the  fighting  was  hottest,  but 
our  supreme  danger  had  been  averted,  in  a  large  measure, 
by  his  promptness  in  the  arrangement  and  disposition  of  his 
own  regiment  and  those  men  of  the  brave  South  Carolinians 
who  had  formed  with  us  (when  driven  from  the  salient),  he, 
who  had  so  often  led  us  with  such  calm,  intrepid  courage, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  John  A.  Flemming,  was  shot  through  the 
head  and  instantly  killed.  Never  was  a  braver  knight  than 
he;  our  State  had  no  more  devoted  son  than  Flemming;  the 
South  no  truer  soldier.  Somewhat  reserved  in  bearing, 
severe  to  those  who  failed  in  duty,  and  disdaining  all  pre- 
tense and  insincerity,  he  did  not  desire  nor  practice  the  arts 
which  seek  po])ularity.  But  he  was  so  brave,  so  ready,  so 
steadfast  and  constant  in  all  trying  conjunctures,  as  in  his 
friendships,   that  his  ofiicers  and  men  loved   and   respected 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  143 

hiin  and  followed  liim  with  implicit  zeal  and  faitli.  He  had 
said  to  the  writer  more  than  once  that  he  was  convinced  that 
he  would  be  killed,  and  the  last  time  he  repeated  it,  soon  after 
some  disaster  to  our  arms,  remarked  that  he  would  have  few 
regTets  in  laying  down  his  life,  if  by  so  doing,  the  freedom  of 
the  South  could  be  secured.  From  early  morning  till  nearly 
3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  that  fateful  July  day,  the 
Twenty-fifth  and  T'oi-ty-ninth  Xorth  (Jarolina  and  Twenty- 
sixth  South  (Carolina  held  our  line  against  tremendous  odds, 
and  until  the  force  of  the  assault  was  spent  and  broken,  when 
Mahone's  Virginia,  Wright's  Georgia  and  Sander's  Alabama 
Brigades  charged  with  the  Twenty-fifth  J^orth  Carolina  and 
retook  the  entire  salient,  inflicting  frightful  slaughter  upon 
the  enemy.  Onr  lines  were  re-established,  and  the  Federals 
were  driven  back  at  all  points,  losing,  it  was  stated,  more  than 
9,000  men,  killed  and  wounded,  besides  2,000  prisoners, 
colors  and  small  arms  captured  in  the  undertaking.  And 
when  the  victory  was  won,  and  the  Forty-ninth  was  returning 
to  its  fonner  position,  Captain  Edwin  Victor  Harris,  of 
Company  E,  was  shot  through  the  neck,  severing  the  main 
artery ;  and  with  his  life-blood  gushing  from  his  wound  and 
his  mouth,  realizing  his  mortal  calamity  but  unable  to  speak, 
he  extended  his  hand  in  farewell  to  Major  Davis,  and  then  to 
his  devoted  Lieutenant,  John  T.  Crawford,  and  immediately 
the  spirit  of  Edwin  Harris,  so  joyous,  happy  and  bright  in 
this  life,  winged  its  flight  to  God. 

N^othing  occurred  beyond  the  daily  fighting,  shelling  and 
sharpshooting,  on  the  lines  occupied  by  our  brigade,  until  21 
August,  when  we  were  hastily  marched  to  our  right,  and  un- 
der A.  P.  Hill  attacked  the  enemy  on  the  Weldon  Railroad, 
and  after  carrying  two  of  his  lines  of  fortifications,  dislodged 
him  from  his  position.  Our  loss  was  severe,  the  Forty-ninth 
suffering  considerably.  We  then  returned  to  our  old  place 
in  the  trenches.  On  14  December  Captain  C.  H.  Dixon,  of 
Company  G,  was  killed,  and  Major  C.  Q.  Petty,  who  had 
been  appointed  Major  in  the  place  of  James  T.  Davis,  who 
had  succeeded  Lieutenant-Colonel  Flemming,  and  eight  men, 
were  wounded  during  a  fierce  mortar  shelling  to  which  we 
were  subjected. 


144  North  Carolina  Troops,   ]861-'()5. 

HAREMS  lllLL. 

We  reiiiaiiu'cl  in  tlic  trenches  until  KI  Ararcli,  1805,  when 
we  were  rclievecl  l)_v  Gonhin's  troops,  and  nuived  to  the  ex- 
treme right  of  our  lines,  occn])ving  ^lahone's  old  winter  (juar- 
ters,  and  there  we  stayed  until  the  eveninii'  of  the  2r)th,  when 
we  were  marched  to  Petersluirg",  and  hack  to  our  old  position 
on  the  lines.  We  reached  there  about  midnight,  and  soon  the 
arrangements  were  made  for  the  attack  on  Fort  Steadnum,  or 
Hare's  Hill,  under  General  John  E.  Gordon.  Just  at  day- 
light the  next  moniing  we  advanced  to  the  assault,  Ransom's 
Brigade  l^eing  the  second  one  from  the  Appomattox,  and 
directly  in  front  of  Hare's  Hill.  At  the  signal  the  sharp- 
shooters of  the  Forty-ninth,  under  First  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Ti.  Koulhac,  following  the  storming  party  led  hy  Lieutenant 
W.  W.  Flemming  of  the  Sixth  North  Carolina,  in  advance, 
moved  across  our  works,  through  the  obstructions  in  our 
front,  and  the  whole  brigade,  wdth  a  rush,  climbed  the 
clievaux  dc  frise  of  the  enemy,  and  clambering  through  and 
over  the  deep  ditches  in  their  front,  went  over  tlie  enemy's 
works  and  captured  them  before  they  aroused  from  their 
slumbers.  The  surprise  was  complete.  Sweeping  dowm 
their  lines,  the  Forty-ninth  opened  the  way  for  other  troops. 
Ransom's  Brigade  captured  Fort  Steadman,  the  Forty-ninth 
rushing  over  it  without  a  halt,  and  all  the  works  in  our  front; 
but  those  between  us  and  the  river  w^ere  not  taken,  although 
we  enfiladed  that  part  of  the  line,  and  wuth  our  fire  on  their 
flank,  it  could  have  been  easily  done.  Their  fort  near  the 
river  w^as  thus  enabled  to  annoy  us  gTeatly.  Here  Colonel 
Mci\.fee  was  again  slightly  Avounded,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
James  Taylor  Davis  w^as  killed.  He  was  a  splendid  soldier 
and  a  true,  warm-hearted  gentleman,  of  decided  talents  and 
great  promise  in  his  profession — the  law.  His  life  would 
have  been  an  honorable  and  useful  one  if  he  had  been  spared. 
Major  Petty  having  remained  in  camp  sick,  Captain  Cham- 
bers, of  Company  C,  w^as  left  in  command.  We  held  our 
position  until  all  the  troops  on  our  right  had  fallen  back,  and 
most  of  those  on  our  left.  When  the  order  to  fall  back  finally 
reached  us,  the  retreat  was  made  under  the  most  trying  cir- 


Forty-Ninth  RegIxMENt.  145 

cumstances.  We  were  exposed  to  a  raking  fire  from  tiiree 
directions,  many  were  falling  at  every  step,  but  at  last  we  re- 
turned to  our  lines  with  but  a  remnant  of  the  command, 
having  sustained  the  greatest  loss  in  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners  the  Forty-ninth  met  with  during  the  war.  Captain 
Torrance,  of  Company  II,  was  wounded,  Lieutenant  Krider, 
of  Company  C,  was  wounded  and  captured,  and  Lieutenant 
Witherington,  of  Company  I,  was  wounded.  The  brigade 
lost  700  men  in  all,  of  which  the  proportion  of  the  Forty- 
ninth  was  the  greatest. 

FIVE  FOEKS. 

After  the  failure  of  the  attack  on  Grant's  lines,  evidently 
a  forlorn  hope  on  General  Lee's  part,  we  returned  to  our 
quarters  on  the  right.  On  30  March  we  participated  in  the 
battle  of  Burgess'  Mill  and  drove  the  enemy  back  into  his 
entrenchments  after  he  had  assaulted  ours.  On  the  30th  we 
were,  with  Wallace's  South  Carolina  Brigade,  attached  to 
Pickett's  Division,  and  the  next  morning  were  marched 
down  the  White  Oak  i^oad  to  Five  Forks,  the  Federal  cavalry 
making  frequent  reconnoissances  to  ascertain  our  movements. 
From  Five  Forks  we  marched  on  to  Dinwiddle  Court  House 
and  engaged  in  battle  that  afternoon  with  Sheridan's  cavalry, 
driving  them  back.  We  slept  on  the  field.  During  the  night 
the  force  in  our  front  was  largely  reinforced,  and  before  day 
on  1  April,  we  were  aroused  and  slowly  fell  back  to  Five 
Forks.  By  noon  we  had  reached  that  place  and  formed  line 
of  battle,  Bansom's  Brigade  on  the  left,  the  Twenty-fourth 
holding  the  extreme  left,  next  the  Fifty-sixth,  then  Twenty- 
fifth,  Forty-ninth  and  Thirty-fifth.  We  threw  up  rifle  pits 
and  after  the  whole  regiment  had  been  deployed  as  skirmish- 
ers by  Captain  Chambers  to  support  the  Twenty-fourth,  the 
line  was  formed  as  above  mentioned,  with  Wallace's  Brigade 
on  our  right.  The  skirmishers  and  sharpshooters  of  the 
brigade  were  placed  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Boul- 
hac  and  connected  with  our  cavalry  on  the  left.  These  dispo- 
sitions had  hardly  been  completed  when  clouds  of  Federal 
skirmishers  were  advanced  against  our  skirmish  line,  but 
10 


146  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

these  were  held  at  hay.  Twice  they  charged  with  lines  of 
l^attle,  and  were  driven  hack  hy  our  skirmishers.  Heavy 
■columns  of  infantry — Warren's  whole  Corps — were  ohserved 
massing  on  our  left,  and  moving  around  our  flanl^;.  Frequent 
reports  were  made  of  this  by  Lieutenant  Roulhac,  but  appar- 
«ently  no  steps  were  taken  to  oppose  or  prevent  the  movement. 
After  several  messages  had  been  sent,  Captain  Sterling  H. 
Gee,  Adjutant-General  on  Ransom's  staff,  visited  the  line  and 
directed  Lieutenant  Roulhac  tO'  turn  over  the  skirmish  line 
to  Lieutenant  Bovvers,  and  to  report  in  person  to  General  Ran- 
som, who  had  already  communicated  the  reports  to  General 
Pickett.  Proceeding  to  do  this,  he  reached  General  Ran- 
som and  was  ordered  by  him  to  find  General  Pickett  and 
inform  him  of  the  condition  of  affairs.  But  by  this  time 
Warren's  infantry  had  struck  the  left  of  our  line,  and  over- 
lapped it.  Colonel  Clarke  quickly  threw  back  his  regi- 
ment to  meet  this  attack,  and  in  a  short  time  was  joined 
by  the  Twenty-fifth  in  a  similar  movement ;  but  this  small 
force  could  do  nothing  to  check  such  overwhelming' 
numbers.  Doubled  up  and  overpowered,  they  were  nearly 
all  shot  down  or  captured.  The  remainder  of  our  line 
was  hotly  engaged  with  two  lines  of  battle  in  their  front, 
which  had  driven  in  our  pickets,  and  advanced  to  the 
attack  of  our  main  line.  Running  over  the  Twenty-fourth 
and  Twenty-fifth,  and  driving  the  Fifty-sixth  from  their 
flank  and  rear,  the  enemy  was  upon  us,  both  flank  and  rear, 
protected  l)y  the  woods  on  our  left,  where  Clarke  had  been, 
•  while  he  still  fought  the  line  in  our  front.  Colonel  McAfee 
was  again  slightly  wounded,  and  directed  Lieutenant  Roul- 
hac, whom  he  had  requested  to  act  as  Adjutant  to  turn  over 
the  command  to  Captain  Chambers.  As  quick  as  he  could 
be  reached,  the  regiment  was  moved  by  Captain  Chambers  out 
of  the  works,  at  right  angles  to  its  former  front.  In  this 
Colonel  Benbow,  commanding  Wallace's  South  Carolina  Bri- 
gade, lent  the  assistance  of  one  regiment,  all  he  could  spare 
fiom  the  right  of  his  connuand,  our  Thirty-fifth  North  Caro- 
lina and  the  remainder  of  his  brigade  remaining  to  hold  our 
front  line.  The  enemy  was  upon  us  in  a  few  moments  and 
were  discovered  in  our  rear,  as  we  then  faced,  moving  in  line 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  147 

of  battle.  We  Avere  penned  in  like  rats  in  a  hole,  but  the  old 
j-egiuient  which  Ramseur  formed,  and  McAfee,  Flemming, 
Davis  and  Chambers  had  led,  still  fought  with  desperation, 
and  though  its  ranks  were  thinning  fast,  the  sui'vivors  held 
their  ground  and  did  not  yield.  A  slight  attempt  was  now 
made  to  reinforce  us  by  another  regiment  from  Wallace's  Bri- 
gade and  one  of  Pickett's  regiments  w^hich  tried  to  reach  us 
on  our  left  and  extend  our  new  line,  but  the  enemy  was  pour- 
ing down  upon  us,  and  the  succor  could  never  reach  us.  At 
this  time  Captain  Chambers  was  severely  wounded  in  the 
head  by  a  minie  ball,  and  instructing  Adjutant  Roulhac 
to  hold  the  position,  was  carried  from  the  field,  barely  in 
time  to  pass  through  the  only  gap  which  the  enemy 
had  not  filled.  In  but  a  few  moments  more  the  left  flank  of 
the  regiment  was  driven  back  on  the  right  to  our  works,  while 
the  enemy's  line  in  our  former  front  came  over  the  works, 
which  had  been  stubbornly  held  by  Captain  J.  C.  Grier,  of 
Company  F,  up  to  this  time.  We  were  overpowered  and  the 
few  that  were  left  were  made  prisoners,  some  being  knocked 
down  with  the  butts  of  rifles,  and  Captain  Grier  throwing 
away  his  empty  pistol,  as  several  bayonets  were  presented  at 
his  breast,  with  the  demand  for  his  surrender.  And  this 
was  the  end.  Three  times  after  we  were  surrounded  the 
Forty-ninth  advanced  to  the  charge  and  drove  back  the  con- 
stricting foe ;  but  when  we  charged  in  one  direction,  those  on 
the  other  side  of  us  closed  in  upon  us,  and  our  efforts  availed 
nothing.  Many  were  killed,  maimed  and  stricken  in  that  last 
useless  and  criminally  mismanaged  encounter.  The  few 
who  escaped  endured  the  manifold  sufferings  and  daily  con- 
flicts of  the  historic  retreat  to  Appomattox,  where  with  num" 
bers  still  further  reduced,  the  reminant  of  the  glorious  regi- 
ment was  surrendered,  commanded  by  Major  C.  Q.  Petty. 

The  details  and  most  of  the  data  for  this  monograph  of  the 
old  command  have  been  obtained  from  Captain  Henry  A. 
Chambers,  who  kindly  furnished  me  the  diary  he  faithfully 
and  accurately  kept  throughout  that  stormy  period.  Acci- 
dentally, as  I  find  in  reading  it  over,  I  have  omitted  the  fact 
of  the  wounding  of  Captain  James  T.  Adams,  of  Company  K, 
in  the  trenches  during  the  month  of  July,  1864,  by  which  he 


148  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

was  deprived  of  his  leg.  Otliers  may  have  escaped  my  recol-' 
lection.  I  have  intended  them  no  slight.  I  would  that  I 
oould  do  justice,  full  but  simple  justice,  not  alone  to 
its  officers,  but  its  brave,  patriotic,  faithful  rank  and  file,  so 
many  of  whom  gave  up  their  lives  or  carried  through 
life  mutilated  limbs  and  bodies.  In  the  midst  of  exact- 
ing duties,  I  could  not  refuse  to  contribute  the  best  I  could 
to  perpetuate  some  memorial  of  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment. 
In  the  thirty-odd  years  since  the  surrender  many,  perhaps 
most,  of  those  who  survived  the  casualties  of  war,  have  faced 
the  gi'im  Sergeant  and  answered  the  roll  call  beyond.  With  all 
such,  may  their  portion  be  God's  blessing  of  everlasting  peace. 
With  those  who  yet  remain,  may  He  bless  them  with  pros- 
perity, usefulness  and  honorable  repose  when  age  has  sapped 
their  energies  and  wasting  strength  has  unfitted  them  for  fur- 
ther toil.  J\iy  heart  fills  with  sadness  and  distress  when  I 
think  of  those  who  poured  out  their  blood  as  a  sacrifice  which 
perchance,  the  world  will  say  was  useless.  But,  nay,  the 
lesson  of  courage,  fidelity  and  heroism  they  left  cannot  be 
useless  to  mankind ;  the  scroll  of  honor  upon  which  their 
names  are  written  high  cannot,  and  shall  not,  be  effaced  or 
tarnished  by  their  descendants  and  their  kindred.  And  what 
a  noble  band  they  were — Ramseur,  McAfee,  Flemming,  Dur- 
ham, Harris,  Davis,  Chambers,  the  Phifers,  Adams,  Lytle, 
Krider,  Grier,  Horan,  Thomas,  Alex.  Barrett,  Summers, 
Crawford,  Ardrey,  Barnett,  Dixon,  B.  F.  Dixon,  Torrance, 
Linebarger,  Rankin,  Connor  and  Shen-ill.  As  was  said  of  a 
group  of  noble  young  Englishmen,  it  may  be  truly  said  of 
them : 

"Blending  their  souls'  suhlimest  needs 
With  tasks  of  every  day; 
They  went  about  their  greatest  deeds 
Like  noble  boys  at  play." 

How  their  bright  young  faces  come  back  over  the  vista  of 
all  those  long  years !  How  splendid  and  great  they  were  in 
their  modest,  patient,  earnest  love  of  country !  How  strong 
they  were  in  their  young  manhood,  and  pure  they  were  in 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  149 

their  faith,  and  constant  they  were  to  their  principles !  How 
they  bore  suffering  and  hardship ;  and  how  their  lives  were 
ready  at  the  call  of  duty !  What  magnificent  courage ;  what 
unsullied  patriotism !  Suffering  they  bore,  duty  they  per- 
formed, and  death  they  faced  and  met;  all  this  for  the  defense 
of  the  dear  old  home  land ;  all  this  for  the  glory  and  honor  of 
North  Carolina.  As  they  were  faithful  unto  thee,  guard 
thou  their  names  and  fame,  grand  old  mother  of  us  all.  If 
thy  sons  in  the  coming  time  shall  learn  the  lesson  of  heroism 
their  lives  inspired  and  their  deeds  declared,  then  not  one 
drop  of  blood  was  shed  in  vain.  If  they  emulate  them,  and 
lift  yet  higher  the  banner  of  the  old  land's  honor,  credit  and 
worth,  then  the  agony  of  defeat  is  healed  to  those  who  sur- 
vive. 

To  the  memory  of  those  who  fell,  and  those,  who  have  since 
passed  away,  this  imperfect  tribute  is  offered.  To  the  veter- 
ans of  the  Forty-ninth,  who  are  still  among  the  living,  an  old 
comrade  salutes  you. 

Thomas  R.  Roulhac. 
Sheffield,  Ala., 

9  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,   LENOX    AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 


FORTY-NINTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  George  L.  Phifer,  Captain.  Co.  K.  3.    Thos.  R.  Roulhac,  1st  Lieut..  Co  D. 

2.  B.  F.  Dixon,  Captain,  Co.  G.  4.    Kdwani  I'hifer.  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  K. 

5.     James  Greenlee  Fleinniintr.  lJ<t  Lieut.,  Co.  C. 
(Killed  at  Sliarpsbur^,'  ) 


/ADDITIONAL  SKETCH  FORTY-NINTH 
REGIMENT. 

By  B.  F.  DIXON,  Captain  Company  G. 


The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was  made  up  of  as  brave  and 
gallant  men  as  ever  shouldered  muskets  in  defense  of  the 
South.  They  were  men  who  did  not  rush  into  the  army  at 
the  first  call  for  volunteers,  but  who  considered  well  what 
they  were  doing,  and  then  calmly  and  deliberately  put  down 
their  names  as  volunteers  to  defend  their  country,  A  large 
majority  of  them  were  heads  of  families  that  were  dependent 
upon  them  for  the  bread  necessary  to  sustain  the  lives  of  wife 
and  children.  Yet  those  men  kissing  their  wives  and  babies 
good-bye  in  March  1862,  with  unwavering  step  marched  to 
the  front  to  expose  their  lives  to  the  bullets  of  a  foe  of  twice 
their  number.  Many  a  man  volunteered  in  the  very  out- 
break of  the  war  because  he  had  been  told  that  the  war  would 
not  last  sixty  days.  Indeed  some  of  those  war  prophets  of- 
fered to  drink  all  the  blood  that  would  be  shed,  so  he  hurried 
away  from  home  for  fear  that  he  would  not  get  even  a  taste 
of  the  much-coveted  battle.  All  this  had  passed  away  when 
the  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was  organized,  and  the  men  knew 
that  a  desperate  struggle  was  before  them.  The  Northern 
army  had  been  greatly  strengthened  by  recruits  and  disci- 
pline, and  the  great  Southern  anny  had  already  begun  to 
realize  the  fact  that  one  of  the  greatest  wars  ever  waged  in 
any  country  was  then  raging.  Knowing  this  these  men  loft 
their  homes  and  turned  their  faces  toward  Virginia,  the  great 
battle  field  of  the  South.  The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was 
made  up  largely  from  the  country,  very  few  town  men  were 
in  it,  and  strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  town  and  city  men  were 
able  to  endure  loss  of  sleep  and  irregular  hours  better  than 
the  men  from  the  farms.  I  suppose  the  reason  for  this  was 
the  fact  that  the  countr^Tiian  kept  regular  hoiirs  at  home. 
He  went  to  sleep  at  8  o'clock  at  night,  and  got  up  before  the 
sun.     He  had  been  accustomed  all  his  life  to  three  square 


152  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-05. 

meals  a  day  at  regular  intem-als,  and  to  depart  from  that  cus- 
tom was  a  hardship  difficult  to  meet.  While  the  townman 
was  in  tlio  habit  of  keeping  late  hours,  and  eating  at  uncer- 
tain periods,  hence  the  march  and  the  general  irregularity  of 
living  did  not  affect  him  as  it  did  his  country  cousin.  But 
with  a  few  weeks  of  drill  and  discipline  the  splendid  health 
and  the  absence  of  dissipation,  which  had  marked  the  life 
of  the  country  boy,  began  to  assert  themselves,  and  soon  he 
became  the  tough  and  wiry  soldier  that  never  fell  out  on  a 
march,  and  was  in  line  when  the  command  came  to  charge. 
The  regiment  was  composed  of  the  following  companies: 

Company  A — Burke  and  McDov'cU — Captain  Flemming. 
He  aftenvards  became  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  regiment, 
and  was  one  of  the  liravest  men  in  Lee's  army.  He  fell 
dead,  shot  through  tlie  heart  at  the  Crater  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg. George  \V.  Lytle  and  J.  M.  Iliggins  were  successive- 
ly Captains. 

Co:\rPANY  B — Cleveland  Coiintij — Captain  Corbett.  This 
company  was  transferred  to  the  Forty-ninth  Begiment  from 
the  Fifteenth  Regiment.  Captain  Corbett  was  fearfully 
hurt  in  a  railroad  wreck  near  Cherryville,  ]^.  C,  wdiile  on 
his  way  home  on  a  furlough  in  1864,  and  after  realizing  the 
fact  that  he  would  not  again  be  able  for  duty,  resigned  and 
Lieutenant  Jud.  Magniess  was  promoted  to  the  Captaincy 
of  the  company. 

Company  C — Roiran  Coimfy — Captain  Pinkney  B. 
Chambers.  On  his  promotion  to  Major  he  was  succeeded  as 
Captain  by  Henry  A.  Chambers. 

Company  D — Moore  County — Cajitain  William  M. 
Black.  Ujion  his  resignation  David  S.  Barr(>tt  liocame  Cap- 
tain. 

Company  E — Iredell  County — Ca])tain   Alex.  1).  Moore. 

Company  F — Mecldenhurg  County — Captain  Davis. 
Captain  Davis  was  promoted  to  Major  and  Lieutenant  James 
P.  Ardrey  was  promoted  to  Captain,  ^lajor  Davis  was  killed 
in  front  of  Petersburg  25  IMarch,  1865,  just  a  few  days  be- 
fore the  surrender.  He  was  a  brave  and  true  soldier.  Cap- 
tain Ardrey  w^as  killed  at  Drewry's  Bluff.     I  could  not  keep 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  153 

back  the  tears  when  they  told  me  that  he  was  killed.  I  loved 
him  like  a  brother.  He  was  succeeded  as  Captain  by  Lieu- 
tenant John  C.  Grier. 

Company  G — Cleveland  County — Captain  Roberts.  Cap- 
tain Roberts  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health  and  C.  H. 
Dixon  was  made  Captain.  He  was  killed  by  a  mortar  shell 
in  front  of  Petersburg  and  Lieutenant  B.  F.  Dixon  was  pro- 
moted to  the  Captaincy,  which  he  held  to  the  close  of  the  war. 

Company  H — Gaston  County — Captain  Charles  Q.  Petty. 
Captain  Petty  was  promoted  to  Major  and  Lieutenant  J.  1^. 
Torrence  became  Captain. 

Company  I — Catawha  County — Captain  W.  W.  Chenault. 
Lieutenant  Charles  F.  Connor  after^vards  became  Captain. 
Lieutenant  Connor  always  made  me  think  of  a  game  rooster 
in  battle.  He  was  tall  and  straight  and  his  eye  was  full  of  fire. 

Company  K- — Lincoln  County- — Captain  Peter  Z.  Baxter. 
Upon  his  resignation  Lieutenant  George  L.  Phifer  and  later 
James   T.   Adams  became   Captain. 

In  the  organization  of  the  regiment  the  following  gentle- 
men were  elected  Field  Officers :  Stephen  D.  Ramseur,  of 
Lincoln  county,  Colonel.  He  afterwards  became  a  Major- 
General  and  was  killed  in  battle  19  September,  1864.  W. 
A.  Eliason,  Lieutenant-Colonel ;  Lee  M.  McAfee,  Major ; 
Cicero  Durham,  Adjutant ;  Dr.  Ruffin,  Chief  Surgeon.  Col- 
onel Eliason  resigned  and  Major  McAfee  was  promoted  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  after  the  promotion  of  Colonel  Ram- 
seur, McAfee  became  Colonel  of  the  regiment  and  com- 
manded it  to  the  close  of  the  war. 

Cicero  Durham  became  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment, 
but  was  in  every  battle  in  which  the  regiment  was  engaged 
and  always  at  the  front.  He  had  command  of  the  shai*p- 
shooters  and  was  killed  at  Drewry's  Bluff  while  bravely  lead- 
ing his  men.  I  would  be  glad  of  the  opportunity  of  naming 
many  more  of  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment  on  account  of  their 
magnificent  soldierly  qualities,  but  as  this  is  a  sketch  of  the 
regiment  and  not  of  individuals,  I  must  desist. 

While  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was  engaged  in  most  of 
the  battles  in  which  the  Army  of  !Northern  Virginia  partici- 


154  North  Carolina  Troops,   ISGl-'Go. 

pated,  and  always  with  honor,  and  while  I  would  be  glad  to 
tell  the  story  of  their  devotion  and  fortitude  and  bravery  on 
all  these  bloody  fields,  still  I  have  not  the  time  to  go  into  these 
matters,  and  will  confine  myself  to  a  brief  synopsis  of  tho 
doings  of  this  regiment  during  the  great  siege  of  Petersburg. 
I  do  not  believe  that  any  soldier  in  any  war,  either  civilized 
or  savage,  ever  suffered  more  than  the  men  who  filled  the 
ditches  around  Petersburg  from  June,  1864,  until  the  last  of 
March,  18G5. 

Half-clad  and  half-rationed  these  brave,  devoted  men  held 
the  lines  for  nine  long  months,  including  one  of  the  most  ter- 
rible winters  that  ever  spread  its  white  uumtle  over  the  earth. 
Barefooted  in  the  snow,  the  men  stood  to  their  posts  on  picket, 
or  at  the  port-holes.  Lying  in  bomb-proofs,  so-called,  with 
mud  and  water  to  the  ankles,  and  tho  constant  drip,  drip,  of 
muddy  water  from  above,  clothing  and  blankets  saturated, 
with  a  fire  that  only  made  smoke,  these  men  passed  through 
the  winter  of  1864  and  1865.  The  mortar  shells  from  the 
enemy's  guns  fell  in  the  ditches  or  crashed  through  the  bomb- 
proofs  day  and  night,  while  the  sharp,  shrill  hiss  of  the  minie 
ball,  and  the  shriek  of  shell  and  solid  shot  made  the  hours 
hideous  day  after  day,  and  night  after  night.  For  nine 
months  it  was  certain  death  for  a  man  to  raise  his  head  above 
the  works.  Yet  with  joke  and  laughter  these  men  dodged  the 
mortar  shells  and  elevated  their  old  ragged  hats  on  ramrods  to 
see  how  many  holes  would  be  shot  through  them  in  a  given 
time.  I  have  seen  a  dozen  men  gather  in  the  ditch  to  watch 
for  the  coming  of  a  "mortar"  as  they  called  it,  and  when  they 
saw  the  awful  thing  curving  towards  them,  they  would  run 
with  shout  and  gibe  around  a  traverse  while  it  exploded  in 
the  ditch.  I  saw  one  of  these  mortar  shells  fall  in  the  ditch 
and  lie  there  frying,  when  a  brave  soldier  from  Lincoln 
county  nushed  out  of  liis  l)oml>proof,  caught  it  up  in  his 
hands,  and  tossed  it  over  the  breastworks.  When  asked  why 
he  had  gone  out  of  a  place  of  safety  tri  do  such  a  rash  act,  he 
said :  "I  thought  maybe  the  pieces  might  hit  some  of  the 
fellers."  One  night  there  was  a  fearful  rainfall  and  the  next 
morning  it  was  discovered  that  a  part  of  the  dam  across  a 
small  stream  had  been  washed  away  and  all  the  water  in  the 


,  Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  155 

pond  had  disappeared,  leaving  an  opening  of  some  fifteen 
feet  through  which  the  bullets  from  the  Yankee  lines  could 
come  on  the  least  provocation.  Being  ofiicer  of  the  day,  my 
attention  was  called  to  a  crowd  of  soldiers  gathered  on  either 
side  of  the  chasm,  and  upon  investigation,  I  discovered  the 
amazing  fact,  that  these  men  were  trying  to  see  who  could  run 
across  without  being  killed,  or  wounded.  There  was  not  the 
slightest  necessity  for  any  of  them  to  cross,  but  in  a  spirit  of 
wantonness  and  fun,  they  were  making  the  effort.  A  fellow 
would  take  his  okl  hat  in  his  hand,  step  back  to  get  a  good 
start,  then  with  a  shout,  he  would  rush  across  and  kick  up  his 
heels  at  a  great  rate,  if  he  happened  to  get  over  safe.  I  had 
to  place  a  guard  there  to  make  them  stop  such  foolishness. 
I  give  this  incident  to  show  how^,  under  constant  danger,  men 
became  indifferent  to  it. 

The  morning  sun,  as  he  came  from  his  chamber  in  the  east, 
day  by  day,  made  plain  the  path  for  the  minie  ball,  and  the 
"torch"  of  the  mortar  shell  lighted  up  the  heavens  by  night. 
The  morning  was  a  call  to  battle  and  the  night  was  hideous 
with  bursting  sheik  No  wonder  men  became  inured  to  dan- 
ger, and  sought  excitement  in  playing  with  death. 

In  all  these  months  I  do  not  remember  a  single,  solitary 
complaint  made  by  any  of  the  men,  because  of  short  rations, 
or  cold  or  nakedness.  ISTo  intimations  w^ere  made  against 
the  character  of  canned  beef — we  had  none — a  piece  of  fat 
bacon  and  a  hard  and  mouldy  cracker  were  luxuries.  A  sol- 
dier in  the  trenches  asked  me  to  write  a  letter  to  his  wdfe  at 
home.     This  is  the  letter  in  substance: 

■'^Dear  Wife: — The  Captain  is  writing  this  letter  for  me, 
and  I  wish  to  say  that  I  am  well  and  getting  on  first-rate. 
George  Gill  had  his  brains  shot  out  yesterday  and  Jack  Gib- 
bons' son  and  three  others  were  torn  all  to  pieces  with  a  shell, 
but  thank  God  they  haven't  hit  me  yet,  and  if  I  get  home  I 
wall  make  up  for  all  lost  time  in  taking  care  of  you  and  the 
children.  I  was  sorry  to  hear  that  you  didn't  have  enough 
to  eat  and  the  children  were  crying  for  bread,  but  you  must 
be  brave,  little  woman,  and  do  the  best  you  can.  I  think  we 
will  whip  the  Yankees  in  a  little  while  longer,  and  then  I  can 
come  home  and  everything  will  be  all  right.     I  pray  for  you 


15G  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

and  the  little  ones  every  night  and  morning,  and  I  know  the 
good  God  will  not  let  you  sutfer  more  than  you  are  able  to 
bear.     Your  loving  husband,  etc." 

This  man  was  barefooted  in  January,  1865,  when  he  dic- 
tated the  letter  above.  He  had  not  eaten  anything  all  day 
(this  was  in  the  evening),  because  he  had  nothing  to  eat;  he 
was  without  a  coat  for  his  back,  and  yet  the  soul  within  him 
kept  him  fed  and  warm.  A  Confederate  soldier  standing 
barefoot,  in  tattered  trousers,  coatless  and  hatless,  witli  an 
Enfield  rifle  on  his  shoulder,  and  his  cartridge  box  full,  was 
as  brave  a  man  as  ever  met  an  enemy  on  any  field  of  battle 
in  any  country,  or  in  any  age.  Nimble  as  a  deer,  long- 
breathed  as  a  hound,  he  could  run  with  the  horsemen  with- 
out weariness  and  fight  all  day  mthout  hunger.  He  taught 
the  whole  world  how  to  fight,  and  when  I  meet  him  to-day  I 
lift  my  hat  and  stand  bareheaded  till  he  passes  by.  The  For^ 
ty-ninth  Regiment  was  in  General  M.  W.  Ransom's  Brigade 
during  all  these  weary  months,  together  ^vith  the  Twenty- 
fourth,  Twenty-fifth,  Thirty-fifth  and  Fifty-sixth  North 
Carolina  Regiments.  This  brigade  stood  between  Peters- 
burg and  the  enemy,  and  if  you  will  ask  any  citizen  of 
that  city  he  will  tell  you  how  they  loved  and  honored  Ran- 
som's Brigade.  General  Ransom  was  then  the  same  courtly 
and  kind-hearted  man  he  is  to-day.  Fearless  in  danger, 
courteous  and  kind  always,  the  true  gentleman  everywhere, 
he  was  the  idol  of  his  men. 

Although  we  were  fighting  every  day  while  the  siege  lasted, 
there  were  many  extraordinary  battles  during  this  period. 
I  have  not  time  to  notice  but  one  or  two,  and  notably  among 
these  was  the  battle  of  the  Crater. 

This  battle  occurred  on  30  July,  1864.  About  daylight 
the  mine,  wliich  the  enemy  had  charged  with  eight  thousand 
pounds  of  powder,  was  fired  and  a  terrific  explosion  was  the 
result.  ]\Iany  thought  tlie  judgment  day  had  come.  The 
earih,  with  all  it  contained,  was  thrown  into  the  air,  leaving 
a  hole  100  feet  long,  60  feet  wide,  and  30  feet  deep.  Men 
and  cannon  Avere  thrown  hundreds  of  feet  into  the  air.  Sim- 
Tiltaneoiis  witli  the  explosion  the  enemy  opened  two  hundred 
pieces  of  artillery  on  our  lines.     The  Forty-ninth  was  to  the 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  157 

left  of  the  ravine,  and  we  were  moved  rapidly  across  the 
ravine  and  up  the  works  to  the  crater.  And  until  the  enemy, 
which  had  taken  possession  of  our  lines,  was  beaten  hack,  we 
stood  in  the  position  assigned  to  us  and  fired  our  guns.  The 
enemy,  white  and  black,  came  in  solid  phalanx  shouting: 
"No  quarter  to  the  rebels."  They  held  their  position  until 
about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  Mahone's  Brigade  ar- 
rived and  with  the  Twenty-fifth  jSTorth  Carolina  Regiment  of 
our  brigade  and  a  regiment  of  South  Carolina  troops, 
drove  them  out.  I  saw  the  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  as  they 
came  dashing  up  the  hill  towards  the  Crater.  How  we 
cheered  them !  They  rushed  up  to  the  Crater  which  was  full 
of  the  enemy,  white  and  black,  fired  one  volley  and  then  turn- 
ing tlie  butts  of  their  guns,  they  let  them  fall,  crushing  the 
skulls  of  negroes  at  every  blow.  This  was  more  than  mortal 
man  could  stand,  and  in  a  little  while  the  lines  were  re-estab- 
lished and  the  dead  of  tlie  enemy  lay  in  heaps  upon  the 
ground.  I  mention  this  battle  for  the  reason  that,  taken  un- 
awares as  we  were,  mth  the  heavens  filled  with  dust  and 
smoke,  and  the  earth  rocking  beneath  our  feet,  with  out-speak- 
ing thunders  in  our  ears,  if  that  portion  of  Lee's  army  which 
held  the  lines  around  Petersburg  had  not  been  made  up  of 
some  of  the  coolest  and  bravest  men  that  ever  fired  a  musket, 
they  would  have  stampeded  then  and  there  and  Grrant  would 
have  taken  the  city  and  Lee's  army  could  have  been  de- 
stroyed. This  is  doubtless  what  the  enemy  expected  us  to 
do,  but  instead  of  that,  our  brave  boys  never  wavered  for  an 
instant,  but  marched  to  the  rescue  of  the  gallant  South  Car- 
olinians, as  if  they  were  going  on  dress  parade.  General 
Ransom  being  absent,  the  brigade  was  commanded  that  day 
by  Colonel  McAfee,  of  the  Forty-ninth. 

Another  notable  battle  in  which  the  Forty-ninth  was  en- 
gaged was  the  battle  of  Hare's  Hill,  on  25  March,  1865.  In 
this  battle  the  Forty-ninth  lost  fully  one-half  its  number  in 
killed,  wounded  and  missing.  Somebody  blundered  here. 
On  the  morning  of  the  25th  a  corps  of  engineers  and  sharp- 
shooters crossed  over  the  space  between  the  lines,  and  without 
the  loss  of  a  single  man,  captured  the  enemy's  works,  includ- 


158  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'Go. 

ing  Fort  Stead  man,  together  with  a  largo  nnmber  of  prison- 
ers. The  iiiain  body  of  our  army  followed  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  works  and  then  lay  down  and  waited  until  the 
enemy  could  reinforce  their  lines,  and  still  w'aited  until  they 
came  \\\)on  us  in  front  and  by  Hank  in  numbers  so  great  that 
they  c(»uld  not  l)e  counted,  then  we  were  ordered  to  fall  l)ack 
to  our  own  lines,  which  wo  did  through  such  a  storm  of  shot 
and  sliell  as  I  never  dreamed  of  before.  How  any  man  es- 
caped death  I  have  never  been  al>le  to  see.  I  remember 
starting  on  the  perilous  run  never  expecting  to  reach  our 
lines,  and  the  terrible  thought  would  come  to  me,  ''I  am  to  be 
shot  in  the  back."  I  have  always  been  able  to  find  some 
sort  of  excuse  for  failures,  but  in  this  instance  I  stand  to-day 
as  I  did  on  that  day,  and.  unhesitatingly  say,  "Somebody 
blundered." 

The  last  battle  I  shall  mention  was  that  of  Five  Forks,  the 
loss  of  which  caused  the  fall  of  Petersburg  and  practically 
ended  the  war.  After  the  disastrous  struggle  on  25  March 
the  Forty-ninth  Regiment  marched  tlirough  Petersburg  for 
the  last  time  in  a  drenching  rain,  and  lay  at  Battery  ISTo.  45 
all  night ;  then  we  were  moved  daily  from  place  to  place  until 
the  morning  of  the  31st  we  moved  in  the  direction  of  Dinwid- 
dle Court  House,  and  after  marching  and  counter-marching, 
we  finally  lay  down  on  our  arms  near  the  enemy,  and  waited 
for  daylight,  fully  expecting  to  be  ordered  into  battle  every 
minute.  We  were  doomed  to  disappointment,  however,  for 
early  in  the  morning  of  the  first  day  of  April  we  were  ordered 
to  Five  Forks,  with  the  enemy  following  close  in  our  rear. 
Reaching  Five  Forks,  we  quietly  threw  up  a  line  of  breast- 
works, and  the  enemy  came  thundering  on  in  front,  then  in 
the  rear,  the  men  of  the  Forty-ninth  blazing  away  with  the 
same  calm  deliberation  that  had  characterized  them  on  scores 
of  battlefields  before,  but  it  was  no  use.  The  Yankees  sim- 
ply run  over  us  and  crowded  us  so  that  it  became  impossible 
to  slioot.  They  literally  swarmed  on  all  sides  of  us,  and  by 
and  by,  as  I  looked  toward  the  center  of  the  regiment,  I  saw 
our  old  tattered  banner  slowly  sinking  out  of  sight.  A  few 
men  escaped  by  starting  early,  but  most  of  the  true  and 
tried  men  of  this  gallant  old  regiment  were  prisoners  of 


Forty-Ninth  Regiment.  159 

war  and  in  a  little  while  were  on  their  way  to  Point  Lookout, 
or  Johnson's  Island. 

It  is  unjust  to  all  the  other  regiments  of  the  North  Caro- 
lina troops  to  claim  for  any  one  regiment  any  special  bravery 
or  devotion  to  the  Lost  Cause.  There  was  not  a  regiment, 
so  far  as  my  information  goes,  that  did  not  meet  all  require- 
ments of  the  service  and  fill  the  measure  of  its  responsibility 
to  the  South.  But  while  I  do  not  claim  any  special  honor 
for  any  one  body  of  soldiers  from  North  Carolina,  I  do 
claim  this  for  my  State  as  against  other  Southern  States. 

With  a  population  in  1860  of  629,942,  and  115,000  vot- 
ers, North  Carolina  sent  127,000  soldiers  to  the  Confederate 
armies.  She  furnished  51,000  stands  of  arms,  horses  for 
seven  regiments  of  cavalry,  artillery  equipments  for  bat- 
teries, etc.  North  Carolina  expended,  out  of  her  own  funds, 
$26,663,000  and  never  applied  for  a  dollar  of  support  from 
the  Confederate  Government.  She  lost  37  Colonels  of  regi- 
ments killed  in  action,  or  died  of  wounds.  She  had  six 
Major-Generals  in  service,  and  three  of  them,  namely :  Pen- 
der, Ramseur  and  Whiting,  were  killed  in  battle.  There 
were  25  Brigadier-Generals  from  this  State,  four  of  whom 
were  killed,  and  all  the  others  were  wounded.  The  first  vic- 
tory was  won  by  North  Carolinians  at  Bethel,  10  June,  1861, 
and  they  fired  the  last  volley  at  Appomattox. 

In  the  seven  days'  fight  around  Richmond  in  1862,  there 
were  92  Confederate  regiments  engaged,  and  46  of  them 
were  from  North  Carolina — just  one-half — and  more  than 
one-half  of  the  killed  and  wounded  were  from  this  State.  At 
Chancellors ville  in  May,  1863,  there  were  forty  North  Caro- 
lina regiments,  and  of  the  killed  and  wounded  over  one-half 
were  from  this  State. 

At  Gettysburg  2,592  Confederates  were  killed,  and  12,707 
wounded.  Of  the  killed  770  were  North  Carolinians,  435 
Georgians,  399  Virginians,  2,588  Mississippians,  217  South 
Carolinians,  and  204  Alabamians.  The  Northern  army  lost 
in  this  gTeat  battle  3,155  killed  and  14,529  wounded.  North 
Carolina  lost  during  the  war  41,000  men  who  were  killed  in 
battle  or  died  in  the  service,  14,000  of  the  above  number  were 


160  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

killed  upon  the  battlefield,  against  9,000  as  the  highest  num- 
ber from  any  other  Southern  State. 

These  are  facts  and  figures  which  do  not  properly  belong 
to  a  sketch  of  the  Forty-ninth  Regiment;  still  they  are  true 
as  to  the  part  which  our  good  State  played  in  that  dreadful 
war,  and  I  want  our  North  Carolina  boys  and  girls  to  know 
what  sort  of  forefathers  they  had  in  the  times  which  tried 
the  souls  of  men. 

Peace  to  the  ashes  of  the  brave  men  who  gave  their  lives  for 
the  Lost  Cause!  "They  sleep  their  last  sleep,  they  have 
fought  their  last  battle,  and  no  sound  can  awake  them  to 
glory  again." 

May  God  bless  the  living!  Some  of  them  are  watching, 
day  by  day,  for  the  sunset's  glow,  or  stand  listening  to  the 
beat  of  the  surf  as  it  breaks  upon  the  shores  of  eternity.  May 
God  give  them  victory  in  the  last  battle ! 

B.  F.  Dixon. 

Shelby,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


FIFTIETH  RE(iIMENT. 


1.  .John  C.  Vanhook,  Lieut.-Colonel.  3.    J.  T.  Ellington,  1st  Lieut.,  Co  C. 

2.  Wm.  A.  Blalock,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  A.         4.    J.  C.  Ellington,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  C. 


FIFTIETH  REGIMENT. 


By  J.  C.  ELLINGTON,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  C. 


Tlio  Fiftietii  Eegiixiiut  !N"orth  Carolina  Troops  was  or- 
ganized 15  April,  1862,  at  Camp  Mangum,  near  Raleigh^ 
composed  of  the  following  companies : 

Company  A — Person  County — Captain  John  C.  Van- 
Hook. 

Company  B — Robeson  County — Captain  E.  C.  Adkinson, 

Company  C — Johnston  County — Captain  R.  D.  Luns- 
ford. 

Company  T) — Johnston  County- — Captain  H.  J.  Ryals. 

Company  E — Wayne  County — Captain  John  Griswold. 

Company  E — Moore  County — Captain  James  A.  O.  Kelly. 

Company  G — Rutherford  County — Captain  C  W.  An- 
drews. 

Company  H — Harnett  County — Captain  Joseph  H.  Ad- 
kinson. 

Company  I — Rutherford  County — Captain  John  B. 
Eaves. 

Company  K — Rutherford  County — Captain  Samuel  Wil- 
kins. 

Marshall  I).  Craton,  of  Wayne  county,  was  elected  Colo- 
nel ;  James  A.  Washington,  of  Wayne  county,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel;  George  Wortham,  of  Granville  county,  Major;  Dr. 
Walter  Duffy,  of  Rutherford  county,  was  appointed  Surgeon ; 
E.  B.  Borden,  of  Wayne  county,  Quartermaster ;  E.  S.  Par- 
ker, of  Wayne  county.  Commissary;  W.  H.  Borden,  of 
Wayne  county.  Adjutant ;  Jesse  Edmundson,  of  Wayne,  Ser- 
geant-Major;  Dr.  R.  S.  Moran,  Chaplain. 

The  six  weeks  following  the  organization  of  the  regiment 
were  spent  at  Camp  Mangum,  and  we  were  subjected  to  al- 
most constant  drilling  from  morning  till  night.  There  was 
11 


162  North  Carolina  Trooi-s,   1861-65. 

not,  during  tliis  time,  a  single  nuisket  in  the  regiment,  but  as 
a  substitute  we  were  armed  with  what  was  then  known  as  the 
"Conf('(lei"a1('  })ike.''  Tliis  formidable  implement  of  war  con- 
sisted of  a  wooden  haudle  about  ten  feet  long,  at  one  end  of 
which  a  dirk-shaj^ed  spear  was  securely  fastened,  and  a1>- 
tached  to  lliis  spear  at  the  sliank,  or  socket,  was  another  steel 
blade  in  the  form  of  a  brier  hook  in  order,  as  the  boys  said, 
that  they  could  get  them  "a-going  and  a-coming."  These 
were  not  very  well  adapted  for  practice  in  the  manual  of 
arms,  but  at  the  end  of  the  six  weeks  the  regiment  w^as  re- 
markably well  drilled,  considering  all  the  circumstances.  Ou 
•31  May  we  were  ordered  to  Garysburg,  near  Weldon,  where 
the  same  routine  of  daily  and  almost  hourly'drill  was  kept  up 
until  19  June,  when  we  were  ordered  to  Petersburg,  Va.,  and 
w^ent  into  camp  at  Dunn's  Hill,  near  the  city.  In  a  short  while 
■\ve  were  moved  from  here  to  Pickett's  factory,  on  Swift  creek, 
where  we  remained  until  26  June,  on  which  date  we  were  or- 
•dered  to  Drury's  Bluff,  on  the  James  river,  below  Richmond. 
We  were  now  organized  into  a  brigade  composed  of  the 
'Thirty-second,  Forty-third,  Forty-fifth,  Fiftieth  and  Fifty- 
third  ISTorth  Carolina  Regiments,  and  Second  I*Torth  Carolina 
Battalion,  with  General  Junius  Daniel  in  command  of  the 
brigade. 

I^T    TKONT    OF    RICHMOND,    1862. 

On  Sunday,  20  June,  we  were  made  to  realize  for  the  first 
time  that  we  were  actually  a  part  of  the  great  Confederate 
army,  when  we  received  orders  to  prepare  at  once  for  a  forced 
march  to  reinforce  our  troops  who  had  already  been  fighting 
for  several  days  in  succession  around  Richmond.  Taking 
the  Forty-third,  Forty-fifth  and  Fiftieth  ISTorth  Carolina  Reg- 
iments and  Brcm's  (later  Grahaui's),  Battery,  General 
Daniel  crossed  the  James  river  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  and 
after  a  hard  day's  march  over  almost  impassable  roads,  we 
reached  a  point  near  the  two  contending  annies  and  camp  for 
the  night.  About  daybreak  on  the  morning  of  30  June  we 
resumed  the  march.  Just  at  sun  rise,  and  immediately  in 
•^our  front,  at  a  short  distance,  a  balloon  sent  up  by  the  enemy 
for  the  purpose  of  locating  our  lines  and  discovering  the 


Fiftieth    Regiment.    .  163 

irnovements  of  our  troops,  made  its  appearance  above  the  tree 
tops.  Our  line  was  iiumediately  halted  and  a  battery  quickly 
gotten  into  position,  opened  fire  on  the  balloon,  which  rapidly 
descended  and  passed  from  view.  We  resumed  the  march, 
but  being  thus  timely  warned,  changed  our  course.  We  are 
soon  joined  by  Walker's  Brigade,  moving  on  a  different  road, 
and  together  reached  Kew  Market  at  an  early  hour.  At  this 
place  we  were  joined  by  General  Wise,  with  the  Twenty-sixth 
and  Forty-sixth  Virginia  Regiments,  and  two  light  batteries, 
he  having  left  Chafiin's  Bluff  soon  after  Daniel's  Brigade  left 
Drewry's  Bluff',  for  the  purpose,  as  he  states  in  his  official  re- 
port, of  supporting  General  Holmes  at  his  urgent  request. 

The  aforementioned  troops,  together  with  a  squadron  of 
cavalry  under  command  of  Major  Burroughs,  constituted  the 
conunand  of  General  Tlieo-.  H.  Holmes,  w^hich,  early  on  the 
morning  of  30  June,  took  position  near  New  Market  on  the 
extreme  right  of  the  Confederate  line.  We  remained  in  this 
position  for  several  hours,  when  we  received  orders  to  move 
down  the  River  road  to  support  some  batteries  in  charge  of 
Colonel  Deshler,  which  had  been  placed  in  position  in  a 
thick  wood  near  the  River  Road  between  Malvern  Hill  and 
the  James  river.  The  three  regiments  of  General  Daniel's 
Brigade  took  position  in  rear  of  Colonel  Deshler's  Battery 
with  the  Forty-fifth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  commanded 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Morehead,  on  the  right;  the  Fiftieth, 
commanded  by  Colonel  Craton,  in  the  center ;  the  Forty- 
third,  commanded  by  Colonel  Kenan,  on  the  left.  The  right 
of  the  Forty-fifth  rested  a  little  beyond  where  the  roads 
forked,  and  was  partially  protected  by  the  woods ;  the  Forty- 
third  had  the  slight  protection  afforded  by  woods  on  both 
sides  of  the  road ;  the  Fiftieth  occupied  the  open  space  made 
by  clearings  on  both  sides  of  the  road  at  this  point.  About 
the  time  the  formation  of  our  lines  in  the  road  was  completed, 
we  were  startled  by  the  explosion  of  a  single  shell  just  over 
our  heads,  as  if  dropped  from  the  skies  above.  We  could 
form  no  idea  whence  it  came,  but  were  not  long  kept  in  doubt, 
for  in  a  few  minutes  there  was  a  perfect  shower  of  shells  of 
tremendous  proportion  and  hideous  sound  hurled  from  the 
heavy  naval  guns  of  the  Federal  fleet  on  the  James  river, 


164  North  Carolina  Troops,   1SG1-'65. 

just  opposite  and  about  900  yards  distant,  with  a  perfectly 
open  field  intervening.  The  scene  was  awe-inspiring,  espe- 
cially to  raw  troops  who  were  under  fire  for  the  first  time. 
Such  a  baptism  of  fire  for  troops  not  actually  engaged  in  bat- 
tle lias  very  rarely  been  experienced  in  the  history  of  war. 
There  was  a  slight  depression  in  the  road-way,  and  across  the 
open  space  occupied  by  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  was  a  plank 
fence.  We  were  ordered  to  lie  down  behind  this  for  such 
protection  as  it  and  the  embankment  on  the  road  side  might 
afford.  About  tliis  time  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  which  was 
drawn  up  in  line  on  the  right  of  the  road  and  just  opposite 
the  position  occupied  by  the  Fiftieth  Regiment,  was  stam- 
peded by  the  explosion  of  a  shell  in  their  ranks,  and  in  their 
wild  flight  rushed  their  horses  against  the  plank  fence  which, 
like  a  dead-fall,  caught  many  of  our  men  who  were  held  down 
to  be  trampled  by  the  horses,  until  we  could  throw  down  the 
rail  fence  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  road  and  allow  them  to 
escape,  which  they  were  not  slow  to  do.  In  the  confusion  in- 
cident to  this  afl'air,  and  the  effort  of  the  men  to  escape  in- 
jury from  the  wild  horses,  the  color-bearer  of  the  Fiftieth 
Regiment  escaped  to  the  open  field  to  the  right  of  the  road  and 
planted  the  colors  in  full  view  of  the  fleet  on  the  river,  thereby 
concentrating  their  fire  on  our  part  of  the  line.  It  was  some 
time  before  he  was  noticed  standing  solitary  and  alone  in  the 
open  field,  grasping  his  flag  staff,  which  was  firmly  ]danted  in 
the  ground,  as  if  bidding  defiance  to  the  whole  Union  army 
and  navy,  and  the  rest  of  mankind.  As  soon  as  order  had 
been  restored,  Colonel  Deshler  was  notified  that  the  infantry 
support  was  in  position,  and  he  was  instructed  to  open  fire  on 
the  enemy's  lines,  which  were  now  occupying  Malvern  Hill. 
This  served  to  divert  a  portion  of  the  fire  of  the  gunboats 
from  our  part  of  the  line,  but  at  the  same  time  drew  upon  us 
the  fire  of  the  enemy's  batteries  on  jNIalvern  Hill  at  short 
range  with  grape  and  canister,  together  witb  solid  shot  and 
shell.  We  were  now  under  a  heavy  cross  fire,  wifli  no  protec- 
tion from  the  fire  of  these  batteries.  The  Confederate  bat- 
teries in  our  front  under  command  of  Colonel  Deshler,  were 
suffering  terribly,  and  although  many  of  the  men  were  either 
killed  or  disabled  by  wounds,  and  most  of  the  horses  lost, 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  165 

they  never  wavered,  but  stood  by  their  guns  and  served  them 
to  the  close  of  the  fight.  As  the  fire  from  Malvern  Hill  con- 
tinued to  increase,  new  batteries  being  constantly  added, 
General  Holmes  requested  General  Daniel  to  send  forward 
the  guns  of  Brem's  batter^'  to  reinforce  Colonel  Desh- 
ler.  A  short  while  after  these  passed  to  the  front.  General 
Daniel  received  an  order  from  General  Holmes  to  advance  a 
portion  of  his  infantry  to  their  support.  The  Forty-fifth 
and  Fiftieth  Regiments  promptly  moved  forward  in  column 
down  the  road,  but  had  proceeded  only  a  short  distance  when 
we  were  met  by  Brem's  Battery  in  wild  flight,  dashing 
through  our  ranks,  knocking  down  and  running  over  many 
of  our  men  with  their  horses  and  guns.  About  this  time 
the  Federals  posted  a  battery  on  our  right  flank  at  short 
range.  As  it  was  impossible  to  withstand  this  flank  fire,  we 
were  ordered  to  leave  the  road  and  take  position  under  cover 
of  the  woods  on  the  right.  The  writer  remained  in  the  road, 
but  took  advantage  of  such  protection  as  was  afi^orded  by  an 
oak  gate  post  about  eighteen  inches  square  standing  on  the 
right  of  the  road.  I  had  been  here  but  a  short  while  when 
General  Daniel  came  riding  slowly  along  the  line,  speaking 
to  and  encouraging  the  men,  his  horse  bleeding  profusely  from 
a  wound  just  received.  There  was  a  perfect  shower  of  shot 
and  shell  along  the  road  all  the  while,  but  as  he  reached  a 
point  opposite  where  I  was  standing,  a  shell  from  the  gun- 
boats exploded  just  above  the  road,  and  I  saw  him  fall  from 
his  horse.  He  was  soon  able  to  rise  and  walk  to  the  gate 
post,  where  he  remained  until  he  recovered  from  the  shock, 
after  which  he  walked  to  the  rear,  secured  another  horse,  and 
returning  to  where  I  was  ordered  me  to  go  across  the  road, 
form  my  company,  which  was  the  color  company  of  the  regi- 
ment, march  it  to  our  former  position  on  the  road  and  have 
the  regiment  form  on  it.  We  were  all  soon  back  in  our  first 
position  on  the  road,  where  we  remained  until  about  10 
o'clock  that  night,  when  w^e  were  marched  back  up  the  road 
to  a  piece  of  woods  and  camped  for  the  night.  On  the  fol- 
lowing day,  1  July,  v.-e  took  position  near  that  of  the  day  be- 
fore, and  remained  in  line  of  battle  during  the  day  and  all 
night.     For  six  days  in  succession  the  Confederates  had  been 


166  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

successful  in  battle,  and  the  Federal  army,  under  General 
McClellan,  was  whipped,  demoralized  and  in  full  retreat, 
hoping  almost  against  hope,  that  they  might  by  some  chance 
reaeli  cover  of  their  gunboats  on  the  James  river.  The  battle 
of  Malvern  Hill,  the  last  of  the  seven  days'  battles,  proved 
disastrous  to  the  Confederates.  There  was  a  fearful  sacri- 
fice of  life  and  all  for  naught,  as  on  the  following  morning, 
2  July,  we  stood  for  hours  and  watched  the  Federal  column 
moving  along  the  roads  to  their  haven  of  safety  under  cover 
of  their  gunboats  at  Harrison's  Landing,  and  we  were  pow- 
erless to  interpose  any  obstacle. 

Without  presuming  to  criticise  the  conduct  of  this  battle, 
or  fix  the  responsibility  for  failure  to  capture  McClellan's  en- 
tire army,  a  result  which  at  this  time  seemed  almost  abso- 
lutely certain,  I  will  simply  recall  the  fact  that  as  early  as  the 
night  of  29  June,  and  all  day  of  the  30th,  General  Holmes 
was  within  a  short  distance  of  the  naturally  strong  position 
of  Malveni  Hill  with  more  than  6,000  troops,  and  could  easily 
have  occupied  this  position.  During  the  day  of  30  June, 
General  Porter,  of  the  Federal  army,  took  advantage  of  this 
opportunity  to  occupy  and  fortify  these  heights,  and  thereby 
cover  the  retreat  and  make  possible  the  escape  of  McClellan's 
army,  Avhile  the  6,000  troops  under  General  Holmes  for  two 
days  and  nights  served  no  other  purpose  than  to  fumisli  tar- 
gets for  the  Federal  gunboats  and  batteries. 

On  2  July  we  commonced  the  march  back  to  our  former 
camp  at  Drewrv's  Bluff,  reacliing  tliere  about  S  o'clock  the 
next  moniing. 

On  6  July  we  were  ordered  to  Petersluirg,  where  for  sev- 
eral weeks  we  were  employed  in  constnieting  breastworks 
around  the  city  and  doing  picket  duty  nlong  the  river. 

II  AIMIISOX^S    LAXDIXG. 

On  -'51  July,  just  one  luoutli  after  tlic  battle  of  ^lalvern 
Hill,  the  infantry  bi'igades  of  Generals  ^Manning  and  Daniel, 
and  the  artillery  brought  over  by  General  Pendleton,  consist- 
ing of  forty-three  pieces,  together  with  the  light  batteries  be- 
longing to  General  D.  JT.  Hill's  command,  making  seventy 
pieces  in  all,  left  Petersburg  on  a  secret  mission.     In  order 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  167 

to  conceal  the  real  design,  the  report  had  been  freely  circu- 
lated that  it  was  a  demonstration  against  Suffolk.  We  left 
Petersburg  at  7  o'clock  a.  in.,  inarched  seven  miles  and  were 
halted  at  Perkinson's  Mill,  where  rations  were  issued  to  the 
men.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we  resumed  the  inarch,  having 
received  orders  that  all  canteens  or  anything  that  was  calcu- 
lated to  make  unnecessary  noise,  should  be  discarded,  and  that 
no  one  should  speak  above  a  whisper  under  penalty  of  death. 
The  night  was  intensely  dark,  as  a  heavy  thunder  storm  pre- 
vailed. This  caused  much  trouble  and  consequent  delay  on 
the  part  of  the  artillery,  which  was  following  in  our  rear. 
About  midnight  General  Hill,  with  the  infantry  brigades  of 
Manning  and  Daniel,  reached  Merchant's  Hope  Church.  In 
a  short  while  General  Pendleton  arrived  and  reported  to 
General  Hill  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  get  his  guns  in 
position  ill  time  to  make  tlie  attack  that  night,  as  had  been 
contemplated  and  planned.  General  Hill  expressed  great 
disappointment  and  fear  that  the  expedition  would  prove  a 
failure,  as  our  troops  would  undoubtedly  be  discovered  the 
next  day.  He  turned  over  the  command  to  General  S.  G. 
French  and  returned  to  Petersburg  that  night.  The  infantry 
moved  back  from  tlie  road  in  a  thick  wood  just  opposite  the 
church,  where  they  remained  concealed  the  balance  of  the 
night,  all  of  the  next  day  and  until  midnight  of  1  August. 
About  the  time  we  reached  our  position  on  the  night  of  31 
July,  tlie  rain,  which  had  been  threatening  during  the  fore 
part  of  the  night,  broke  loose  in  a  perfect  torrent,  thoroughly 
flooding  the  flat,  swampy  ground  upon  which  we  were  com- 
pelled to  lie  until  midnight  of  1  Augmst. 

This  day,  1  August,  was  the  date  set  apart  by  the  State  au- 
thorities of  ISTorth  Carolina  for  the  casting  of  the  soldier  vote 
in  the  State  election,  which  was  then  held  on  the  first  Thurs- 
.  day  in  Augiist.  We,  therefore,  had  the  novel  experience  of 
conducting  an  important  and  exciting  election  while  lying 
flat  on  the  gTound  in  mud  and  water,  and  "no  one  allowed  to 
move  or  speak  under  penalty  of  death."  It  is  needless  to 
state  that  Colonel  Z.  B.  Vance,  who  was  recognized  as  the 
soldiers'  candidate  for  Governor,  received  an  overwhelming 
majority  of  the  vote  cast.     The  writer,  who  was  then  eighteen 


168  North  Carolina  Troops,   1SC1-'65. 

years  of  age,  had  the  pleasure  of  casting  his  first  political 
vote  for  this  favorite  son  of  the  Old  North  State.  For  fear 
that  some  member  of  Congress,  over  zealous  for  the  mainte- 
nance of  "the  purity  of  the  ballot,"  may  introduce  a  "joint 
resolution"  to  inquire  into  the  legality  of  this  election,  I  will 
state  that  in  the  army  "age"  was  not  one  of  the  qualifications 
inquired  into,  but  the  carrying  of  a  musket  or  sword  was  con- 
sidered all-suflicient. 

After  it  had  been  decided  that  it  was  impracticable  to  make 
the  attack  on  the  night  of  31  July,  General  Pendleton  gave 
orders  to  his  subordinate  officers  to  take  such  steps  as  would 
effectuallv  conceal  their  guns  and  horses  from  the  observation 
of  the  enemy  when  they  sent  up  their  balloon  next  morning, 
which  w^as  their  custom  each  morning  as  soon  as  it  was  light 
enough  to  see  distinctly.  They  had  barely  completed  this 
task  when  the  balloon  was  seen  slowly  ascending,  but  fortu- 
nately they  were  not  discovered.  Each  commander  of  a  bat- 
tery had  certain  specific  work  assigned  him  by  General  Pen- 
dleton, and  they  spent  the  entire  day  in  selecting  locations 
and  routes  by  Avhich  they  could  reach  the  same  the  follomng 
night.  They  also  took  advantage  of  the  day  time,  when 
everything  was  in  full  view,  to  range  stakes  by  which  to  direct 
their  fire  at  night.  The  long  range  guns  were  directed  on 
McClellan's  camp  across  the  river,  and  the  short  range  on  the 
shipping  on  tlu;  river.  The  plan  was  to  make  the  attack  pre- 
cisely at  midniglit,  but  it  was  12  :30  before  everything  was  in 
readiness.  Forty-three  of  the  seventy  guns  had  been  placed 
in  position  on  tlic  bank  of  the  river,  some  of  them  at  the  very 
water's  edge.  The  otlier  guns  were  not  considered  of  suffi- 
cient range,  and  were,  therefore,  not  brought  into  action.  By 
12  o'clock  the  infantry  lind  been  quietly  formed,  moved 
across  the  road,  and  drawn  up  in  line  between  the  church  and 
the  river,  in  rear  of  our  g\ms.  We  were  held  in  suspense  for 
half  an  liour  wlioii  tlic  expected  "signal"  gim  was  fired.  Im- 
mediately and  sinniltaneously  the  forty-three  guns  were  dis- 
charged. Each  of  tlie  guns  liad  been  supplied  with  from 
twenty  to  thirty  rounds,  with  instiiictions  to  fire  these  as  rap- 
idly as  possible,  hitcli  np  and  retire.  The  noise  and  the 
flaslies  of  light  produced  by  the  rapid  and  continuous  fire  of 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  169 

these  guns  in  the  dead  of  a  dark,  still  night,  immediately  on 
the  water  front  of  the  river,  was  awe-inspiring  in  the  extreme, 
and  the  consternation  produced  among  the  shipping  on  tlie 
river  and  in  the  camp  beyond  was  indescribable.  In  less 
than  ten  minutes  many  of  the  vessels  were  sinking  and 
many  others  were  seriously  damaged.  In  a  few  minutes 
after  we  opened  fire  several  gunboats,  which  were  up  the  river 
on  the  lookout  for  the  Confederate  "Merrimac"  ISTo.  2,  which 
they  were  momentarily  expecting  to  come  down  the  river,  and 
which  were  constantly  kept  under  a  full  head  of  steam  and 
prepared  for  instant  action,  steamed  past  our  position  at  a 
rapid  rate  of  speed,  raking  the  banks  of  the  river  with  their 
fire,  but  not  halting  to  engage  our  batteries  in  fair  action. 
Our  only  casualties  were  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded  by 
the  explosion  of  a  shell  at  one  of  the  batteries  served  by  Cap- 
tain Dabney.  The  damage  inflicted  on  the  enemy  will  per- 
haps never  be  known.  General  McClellan,  in  his  first  re- 
port to  Washington  next  morning,  states  his  only  damage  to 
be  one  man  slightly  wounded  in  the  leg,  but  in  a  later  report 
the  same  day,  admits  the  loss  of  ten  men  killed  and  twelve 
wounded,  and  a  number  of  horses  killed ;  but  he  strangely 
omits  any  reference  to  the  damage  inflicted  on  the  shipping 
on  the  river  where  most  of  the  guns  were  directed,  and  at 
much  shorter  range  than  his  camp,  where,  as  stated  in  his  re- 
port, "For  about  half  an  hour  the  fire  was  very  hot,  the  shells 
falling  everywhere  from  these  headquarters  to  Westover."  As 
evidence  that  the  damage  to  the  shipping  must  have  been 
serious,  on  the  following  morning  as  the  tide  came  in  the 
whole  face  of  the  river  was  covered  with  floating  wreckage. 
Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  interesting,  as  it  was  one  of  the 
most  mysterious  afPairs  of  the  war. 

After  the  affair  just  related,  we  returned  to  Petersburg 
and  thence  to  our  former  camp  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  when  we 
were  again  employed  in  constructing  fortifications  and  doing 
such  picket  duty  as  was  required. 

On  14  August  General  McClellan  commenced  very  sud- 
denly and  hurriedly  to  abandon  his  camp  at  Harrison's  Land- 
ing, and  a  few  days  thereafter  the  writer  rode  down  the  river 
and  went  through  and  took  a  general  survey  of  the  camp.     I 


170  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

have  never  witnessed  so  great  destruction  of  property  as  I 
saw  then.  Articles  of  clothing  and  blankets  (all  new)  by 
tlie  thousands,  were  piled  in  great  heaps  and  apparently  sat- 
urated with  oil  and  fired.  Great  heaps  of  corn  and  oats  in 
sacks  were  similarly  treated  and  guns  by  the  hundreds  and 
various  other  articles  of  value  were  scattered  over  the  camp^ 
indicating  that  they  must  have  left  in  a  very  gi'eat  haste. 

Tn  the  early  part  of  the  war  it  was  persistently  charged 
and  as  persistently  denied,  that  the  Federal  troops  used 
"steel  breast-plates"  for  protection.  I  can  not  certify  as  to 
the  truth  of  the  charge,  but  will  state  that  I  saw  a  number  of 
their  breast-plates  which  were  left  in  McClellan's  camp. 

We  remained  at  and  around  Drewry's  Bluff  the  balance  of 
the  year.  In  December  we  constructed  comfortable  log 
cabins  in  which  to  spend  the  winter.  We  completed  them  in 
time  to  move  in  just  a  few  days  before  Christmas.  We  en- 
joyed a  jolly  Christmas  and  congTatulated  ourselves  on  being 
comfortably  housed  for  the  winter,  but  on  the  last  day  of  De- 
cember the  brigade  received  "marching  orders,"  and  on  1  Jan- 
uary, 1863,  we  started  for  iSTorth  Carolina  and  reached  Golds- 
boro  on  3  January.  We  remained  here  until  3  February, 
when  we  started  on  tlie  march  to  Kinston  in  a  very  heavy 
snow  storm.  We  reached  Kinston  on  7  Feliruarv,  and  went 
into  caiiip. 

A'l'TACK    ox    NEW    BEUX. 

A  plan  for  a  general  and  concertc^l  mov(Mnent  along  the 
coast  region  between  Xorfolk  and  Wilmiiigtnn  had  l)ecn  ar- 
ranged for  tlie  early  spring.  A  part  of  \hv  \)\i\n  was  to  make 
a  simultaneous  and  cond)ined  attack  t)n  New  Bern  from  three 
points.  General  Pettigrew  was  to  open  the  attack  from  the 
north  side  of  the  Neuse  river  and  General  Daniel  with  his 
brigade  was  to  follow  on  the  south  side,  while  General  Bob- 
ert  Bansom  moved  down  the  Trent  river,  these  last  twx:)  com- 
mands to  attack  fi'om  tlie  land  side  and  tlie  rear  of  the  city. 
The  Forty-third,  Forty-Hfth  and  Fifticlh  Bogiments  of  Dan- 
iel's Brii^adc  Icfl  t1ic  caiiip  ncnr  Kiiislnn  dn  the  nioi'iiing  of  12 
^larch,  moving  down  on  the  south  side  of  Xeuse  river,  accom- 
panied by  General  D.  IF.  Hill  in  person.      Late  in  the  after- 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  171 

noon  of  13  March,  we  encountered  the  enemy  in  considerable 
force  of  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery,  and  strongly  forti- 
fied at  "Deep  Gully,"  a  small  stream  a  few  miles  west  of 
]^ew  Bern. 

General  Daniel  led  the  attack  in  person,  and  after  a  lively 
skirmish  the  enemy  retired  liastily  and  in  much  confusion. 
After  thoroughly  shelling  the  woods  in  front,  we  occupied 
their  abandoned  works  for  the  night.  During  the  night  the 
enemy  was  reinforced  by  three  regiments  of  Massachusetts  in- 
fantry, together  with  cavalry  and  artillery.  At  daybreak  on 
the  following  morning  we  moved  to  the  east  side  of  the  stream 
and  took  position  in  the  following  order:  Forty-fifth  Regi- 
ment in  the  centre,  Forty-third  to  the  right,  and  Fiftieth  to 
the  left  of  the  road.  A  strong  skirmish  line  was  immediately 
thrown  forward  by  the  Fiftietli  Regiment  to  feel  for  the  en- 
emy in  the  thick  wood  in  our  front.  When  they  had  ad- 
vanced only  a  few  paces  in  front  of  the  main  line  they  re- 
ceived a  volley  from  the  enemy,  to  which  they  promtly  re- 
plied, and  then  followed  a  lively  skirmish,  our  line  slowly, 
but  steadily,  advancing  all  the  w^hile.  The  enemy  resisted 
stubbornly,  but  were  forced  back  on  their  main  line.  This 
our  men  were  instructed  to  do,  and  then  to  slowly  fall  back  in 
the  hope  that  the  enemy  would  follow  and  be  drawn  on  our 
main  line  and  thus  bring  on  a  regular  engagement,  but  they 
remained  behind  their  fortifications.  While  the  Fiftieth 
Regiment  was  thus  engaged.  Colonel  Kenan,  with  his  Forty- 
third  Regiment,  gallantly  drove  the  enemy  from  his  front  on 
the  right  of  the  road.  We  were  in  suspense  in  the  meantime, 
waiting  for  the  sound  of  Pettigrew's  guns  on  the  north  side  of 
the  river,  which,  by  arrangement,  was  to  be  the  signal  for  our 
advance  to  the  attack  of  the  city  from  the  rear.  Owing  to 
the  soft,  miry  character  of  the  soil  on  the  flat  lands  on  the 
north  side  of  the  river,  he  found  it  impossible  to  move  his 
gxxns  near  enough  to  be  brought  into  action,  and  without  these 
nothing  could  be  accomplished,  and  he  concluded  to  withdraw 
his  line  and  this  forced  us  to  retire  from  our  position,  which 
we  did  the  following  day  and  returned  to  Kinston. 


172  North  Carolina  Tkoops,  1861 -'65. 

washington^  n.  c. 

On  25  JMarcli,  1863,  the  Fiftieth  Kegiment  left  Kinston  for 
Greenville,  and  on  the  29th,  crossed  the  Tar  river,  and  join- 
ing Garnett's  Brigade  moved  on  Washington,  which  we  in- 
vested for  sixteen  days.  The  regiment  first  took  position 
with  Garnett's  Brigade  on  the  east  side,  and  near  the  town, 
but  was  afterwards  ordered  to  meet  a  strong  force  of  the  en- 
emy, which  were  reported  to  be  advancing  from  Plymouth. 
They  afterwards  recrossed  the  Tar  river  and  rejoined  their 
old  brigade  (General  Daniel's),  which  had  been  recalled 
from  Virginia,  at  the  Cross  Roads  near  Washington,  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river.  On  9  April  the  Fiftieth  Regiment 
was  sent  by  General  Daniel,  at  the  request  of  General  Pet- 
tigrew  to  aid  him  in  the  affair  at  Blount's  Mill.  After  this 
we  returned  to  our  brigade  at  the  Cross  Roads,  and  on  the 
night  of  the  14th  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  moved  down  the 
'Grimes  Road"  and  took  position  in  a  small  clearing  to  the 
right  of  the  woods  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  bridge  at 
the  town.  We  were  exposed  to  heavy  fire  from  the  Federal 
guns,  which  had  perfect  range  of  the  road  for  more  than  a 
mile.  We  were  located  by  the  small  clearing  which  we  oc- 
cupied and  were  subjected  to  heavy  fire  from  the  combined 
batteries  throughout  the  night,  but  having  the  protection  of 
the  timber  in  the  intervening  swamp,  suffered  very  little.  On 
the  15th  the  entire  brigade  took  position  near  the  river  be- 
tween the  town  and  Rodman's  Point.  The  Fiftieth  Regi- 
ment was  sent  across  the  low  land  and  took  position  immedi- 
ately on  the  bank  of  the  river.  In  a  short  while  our  batteries 
at  Hill's  and  Rodman's  points  opened  a  heavy  fire,  which 
lasted  only  for  a  short  while.  We  supposed  that  the  enemy's 
boats,  which  were  constantly  attempting  to  "run  the  block- 
ade," had  been  driven  back,  as  usual,  but  in  a  few  minutes 
were  taken  completely  by  surprise  when  a  small  gunboat 
made  its  appearance  in  front  of  us  and  discovering  our  line 
drawn  up  on  .the  bank  of  the  river,  greeted  us  with  a  succes- 
sion of  broad  sides  with  grape  and  canister,  until  we  "double- 
quicked"  across  the  open  ground  and  found  cover  behind  a 
swamp.     The  gari'ison  now  being  relieved  by  an  ample  sup- 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  173 

ply  of  rations  and  ammunition,  as  well  as  reinforcement  of 
fresh  troops,  the  siege  of  Washington,  which  had  lasted  for 
sixteen  days,  was  raised,  and  on  the  16th  our  troops  retired  to 
Greenville. 

The  Federal  commander,  General  Foster,  in  his  official 
report,  states  that  the  ''Escort,"  which  succeeded  in  running 
the  gauntlet  of  our  batteries,  was  struck  forty  times  by  the 
guns  at  Hill's  and  Rodman's  points,  and  that  the  pilot  was 
killed  by  a  rifle  shot. 

On  1  May  the  brigade  Avas  ordered  to  Kinston,  and  on  the 
7th  moved  down  near  Core  creek,  on  the  Atlantic  &  ISTorth 
Carolina  Railroad,  and  tore  up  several  miles  of  the  railroad 
track.  Together  with  Colonel  Xethercutt's  Battalion,  we 
made  repeated  incursions  into  the  enemy's  territory  around 
New  Bern,  capturing  a  number  of  their  pickets  and  scouts. 

On  17  June  the  brigade  was  again  ordered  to  Virginia, 
and  we  reached  the  depot  about  midnight;  but  before  we  were 
all  aboard  our  train  an  order  was  received  for  the  Fiftieth 
to  return  to  their  camp,  and  thus  for  the  second  time  we  were 
separated  from  our  brigade,  which  we  never  rejoined. 

On  21  June  we  were  ordered  to  Greenville  and  attached  to 
Martin's  Brigade.  We  were  engaged  in  constructing  forti- 
fications around  the  town  and  occasionally  raiding  the  en- 
emy's territory  around  Washington  until  3  July,  when  we 
returned  to  Kinston. 

pottery's  raid. 

On  19  July,  1863,  we  received  orders  to  intercept  General 
Potter,  who  was  raiding  the  eastern  counties  from  Kew  Bern 
to  Rocky  Mount.  This  expedition,  composed  chiefly  of  the 
Third  ISTew  York  Cavalry  and  "J^orth  Carolina  Union 
Troops,"  mostly  negroes,  left  J^ew  Bern  on  18  July  and 
reached  Street's  Ferry  on  their  return  22  July.  They  burned 
the  bridges  at  Greenville,  Tarboro,  Rocky  Mount;  also  the 
railroad  bridge  and  trestle  at  this  place,  the  Battle  cotton 
factory,  machine  shops,  engines  and  cars,  store-houses,  flour 
mills,  a  Confederate  iron-clad  gunboat,  with  two  other  steam- 
boats, all  provisions  they  could  find,  and  eight  hundred  bales 
of  cotton.      Some  of  the  above  might  be  excused  as  being 


174  North  Carolina  Troops.   1S<!1-'G5. 

le^-itiinat(>  in  tinio  of  war,  but  the  conduct  generally  through 
the  country  traversed  was  wholly  inexcusable,  cowardly,  and 
infamous  in  the  extreme.  Where  they  visited  plantations 
they  ordei-ed  the  negroes  to  take  the  horses,  wagons,  buggies 
and  carriages  and  plunder  their  owner's  houses,  taking  what- 
ever they  wished  and  join  the  procession.  General  Potter, 
in  his  otHcial  report,  states  that  some  three  hundred  of  these 
negroes  reached  New  Bern  with  him.  Tliis  is  a  very  small 
proportion  of  the  number  we  intercepted  and  captured  at  the 
"Burney  Place,"  where  Potter  succeeded  in  flanking  us  and 
making  his  escape.  Our  object  was  to  get  between  Potter 
and  ISTew  Bern,  cut  off  his  retreat  if  possible,  or  at  least 
harass  and  delay  his  return  until  reinforcements  might  reach 
us  by  way  of  Kinston  and  effec^t  his  capture.  Unfortunately 
we  had  no  cavalry  except  a  small  detachment  of  Colonel  Ken- 
nedy's men.  Colonel  Faison,  with  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Car- 
olina Regiment,  had  been  left  to  guard  and  hold  Coward's 
bridge.  This  left  only  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  and  a  portion 
of  Colonel  Whitford's  Battalion  to  operate.  The  difficulty 
of  conteiuling  with  the  movements  of  cavalry  in  an  open  coun- 
try can  be  fully  appreciated,  especially  as  they  kept  con- 
stantly on  the  move  all  night.  By  destroying  all  the  bridges 
and  by  rapid  movement,  without  rest,  sleep  or  anything  to 
eat,  we  held  them  on  the  upper  side  of  the  creek  for  two  days 
and  nights.  After  maneuvering  all  night  of  the  21st,  cross- 
ing plantations  and  traveling  unused  country  paths,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  escaping  wdth  the  head  of  their  column  about 
daybreak  on  the  morning  of  the  2 2d.  We  succeeded,  how- 
ever, in  reaching  the  point  in  time  to  intercept  the  rear  of  the 
colunm  consisting  mostly  of  negroes,  traveling  in  every  con- 
ceivable style.  General  Potter,  in  his  haste  to  escape,  with 
his  troops,  abandoned  his  "contrabands,"  as  he  calls  them,  to 
their  fate. 

On  reaching  the  "Buraey  Place"  we  opened  fire  on  the 
colunm  with  a  small  brass  cannon  mounted  on  a  saddle 
strapped  to  the  back  of  a  mule.  This  utterly  demoralized  the 
"contrabands"  who,  in  their  mad  rush  to  keep  pace  with  their 
erstwhile  deliverers,  but  who  were  now  fleeing  for  their  lives, 
failed  to  discover  us.      The  shock  was  so  sudden  and  unex- 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  175 

pected  that  the  effect  was  indescribable.  The  great  caval- 
cade, composed  of  men,  women  and  children,  perched  on 
wagons,  carts,  buggies,  carriages,  and  monnted  on  horses  and 
mnles,  whipping,  slashing  and  yelling  like  wild  Indians,  was 
suddenly  halted  by  our  fire  upon  the  bridge.  This  fire  Avas 
upon  some  negro  troops  who  were  in  the  rear  of  Potter's 
column.  One  negro  ( 'aptain,  who  was  driving  a  pair  of  spir- 
ited iron-gray  horses,  attempted  to  rush  past  three  of  our  men 
who  were  lying  in  the  yard  and  was  shot  dead  as  he  stood  up 
in  the  l)uggy  firing  at  them  as  he  drove  past.  Many  others 
were  either  killed  or  wounded  in  attempting  to  escape  through 
the  woods  near  by.  In  the  excitement  and  confusion  which 
ensued  many  of  the  vehicles  were  upset  in  attempting  tO'  turn 
around  in  the  road  and  many  others  wrecked  by  the  fright- 
ened horses  dashing  through  the  woods.  We  scoured  the 
woods  and  gathered  up  several  hundred  negroes  among  the 
number  several  infants  and  a  number  of  .small  children  who 
had  been  abandoned  to  their  fate.  About  8  o'clock  we  started 
in  pursuit  of  Potter.  For  miles  the  road  and  woods  on  either 
side  were  strewn  with  all  kinds  of  wearing  apparel,  table 
ware,  such  as  fine  china  and  silver  ware,  blankets,  fine  bed 
quilts  and  all  sorts  of  ladies'  wearing  apparel  which  had  been 
taken  from  the  helpless,  unprotected  women  at  the  planta- 
tions visited  by  the  negroes,  under  General  Potter's  orders. 
The  reason  these  things  were  strewn  indiscriminately  along 
the  road  was  that  the  few  men  of  Colonel  Kennedy's  Cavalry 
and  such  as  we  were  able  to  mount  from  time  to  time  with 
the  abandoned  horses,  kept  up  a  running  fight  with  the  rear 
of  the  retreating  column  from  the  ''Burney  Place"  to  Street's 
Ferry,  causing  many  of  the  spirited  carriage  horses  to  be- 
come unmanageable  and  take  to  the  woods,  wrecking  the  vehi- 
cles and  scattering  their  contents.  I  saw  a  number  of  in- 
stances where  the  carriages  had  been  upset  and  the  throats  of 
the  horses  cut  to  prevent  their  falling  into  our  hands.  The 
Fiftieth  Peginient,  with  the  exception  of  tlie  few  who  had 
been  mounted,  performed  the  extraordinary  feat  of  marching 
forty-eight  miles  on  this,  22  day  of  July,  1863,  reaching 
Street's  Ferry  about  two  hours  in  the  night,  and  this  after 
having  been  in  line  or  on  the  march  continuously  for  two  days 


176  North  Carolina  Troops,    1801 -'65. 

and  nights  without  rest,  sleep  or  rations.  When  we  reached 
tlie  ferry  tliat  niglit  there  was  perhaps  not  more  than  one- 
foui-tli  of  our  men  in  line.  The  writer  had  charge  of  the 
remnants  of  four  companies,  hut  after  a  rest  of  about  two 
hours  nearly  every  man  and  officer  was  in  his  place.  About 
midnight  some  citizens  of  that  section  came  into  our  camp 
and  reported  that  General  Potter  had  communicated  with 
ISTew  Bern  and  that  a  nund)er  of  transports  had  reached  the 
Ferry  with  lieavy  reinforcements,  and  that  we  were  in  very 
great  danger  of  being  captured.  Acting  upon  the  supposi- 
tion tliat  tliis  report  was  true,  we  left  our  campfires  brightly 
burning,  aiu]  retiring  in  midnight  darkness,  marched  the  bal- 
ance of  the  night,  in  the  direction  of  Kinston,  thus  adding 
this  to  our  previous  record  of  forty-eight  miles,  all  within 
twenty-four  hours.  We  afterward  learned  that  we  had  been 
deceived  by  "Buffaloes,"  and  that  the  transports  from  New 
Bern  did  not  reach  Str(;et's  Ferry  until  late  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  next  day.  Thus  ended  the  "Potter  Raid,"  one  of  the 
most  infamous  affairs  that  stain  the  record  of  our  Civil  War, 
and  one  which,  I  believe,  has  made  every  true  soldier,  who 
was  forced  to  take  part  in  it,  blush  with  shame. 

On  9  August  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Wilmington,  and 
first  went  into  camp  at  Virginia  Creek  and  afterward  at  vari- 
ous places  along  the  sound  from  there  to  Fort  Fisher.  On 
reaching  camp  on  Topsail  Sound,  commissary  supplies  were 
brought  down  from  Wilmington  late  at  night,  and  rations 
were  issued  to  the  entire  regiment  early  the  next  morning. 
All  cooked  and  ate  breakfast  about  the  same  time,  and  the  en- 
tire regiment,  men  and  officers,  were  poisoned  by  eating  flour 
which  had  been  poisoned  and  sent  through  the  blockade.  JSTo 
deaths  resulted  directly,  but  the  serious  effects  were  felt  for 
a  long  time  and  much  sickness  resulted.  This  was  the  sec- 
ond occurrence  of  the  kind  at  Wilmington.  We  remained  in 
and  around  Wilmington  until  the  spring  of  1864,  engaged  in 
constiiicting  fortifications,  doing  picket  duty  along  the  coast, 
and  provost  duty  in  the  city.  ISTothing  except  an  occasional 
shelling  from  some  of  the  enemy's  guns  and  watching  our 
steamers  successfully,  and  with  a  regularity  almost  equal  to 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  177 

an  up-to-date  railroad  schedule,  run  the  so-called  blockades, 
served  to  break  the  monotony  of  our  every-day  life. 

On  28  April,  1864,  we  received  orders  to  proceed  to  Tar- 
boro.  On  30  April,  started  on  the  march  to  Plymouth.  The 
town  had,  after  two  days  of  desperate  lighting  by  the  Con- 
federate infantry,  led  l)y  the  gallant  Hoke,  assisted  by  Cap- 
tain Cooke,  with  the  iron-clad  boat  "Albemarle,"  surrendered 
to  the  commander  of  the  Confederate  forces  on  20  April. 

A  part  of  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  was  stationed  at  Plymouth 
as  a  garrison  for  that  place  and  the  other  part  was  sent  to  the 
town  of  Washington  in  charge  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Van 
Hook  for  similar  duty.  The  chief  occupation  of  the  regi- 
ment from  this  time  to  the  latter  part  of  October  following, 
was  raiding  the  eastern  counties  lying  along  the  coast  from 
ISTew  Bern  to  the  Virginia  line  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
and  bringing  out  provisions  from  these  productive  counties 
for  the  use  of  our  army  in  Virginia.  This  work  was  done 
by  small  detachments  usually  in  charge  of  a  Captain  or  a 
Lieutenant,  but  in  many  instances  in  charge  only  of  a  non- 
commissioned officer.  The  enemy  being  constantly  on  the 
lookout  for  these  raiding  parties,  frequent  encounters  re- 
sulted. Recounting  the  many  thrilling  adventures  covering 
this  period,  a  whole  volume  might  be  written  as  a  well-earned 
tribute  to  the  private  soldier,  as  many  of  the  daring  deeds 
were  accomplished  by  them  without  the  aid  or  direction  of  an 
officer.  Many  prisoners  and  miich  valuable  propeiiy  were 
brought  in  by  these  small  detachments,  and  a  remarkable  fact 
is  that  they  rarely  ever  lost  a  man.  On  one  occasion  a  small 
party  were  scouting  in  the  vicinity  of  Coinjock,  where  there 
was  a  ''lock"  on  the  Albemarle  and  Chesapeake  Canal,  and 
noticing  the  manner  of  passing  boats  through  this  "lock," 
concluded  that  it  afforded  a  splendid  opportunity  to  capture 
one.  On  returning  to  camp  they  reported  to  their  officers  the 
result  of  their  observations  and  conclusions,  and  asked  per- 
mission to  make  the  attempt  to  carrj'  them  into  effect.  The 
officers  seeming  unwilling  to  assume  the  responsibility,  they 
then  asked  for  the  assurance  that  they  did  not  object  to  their 
assuming  all  the  responsibility  and  undertaking  the  job. 
.     12 


178  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

Having  received  this,  they  at  once  commenced  to  make  the 
necessary  preparation.  Being  their  week  "off  duty"  they 
at  once  proceeded  to  the  place,  and  having  detailed  their  plans 
to  the  "lock-keeper"  and  secured  his  co-operation,  they  con- 
cealed themselves  near  by  and  awaited  the  arrival  of  the  Gov- 
ernment mail  boat,  plying  betAveen  Norfolk  and  New  Bern. 
The  machinery  for  operating  the  "lock"  very  opportunely 
refused  to  work  and  the  boat  was  unable  to  move  in  either 
direction,  being  fast  upon  the  bottom.  The  squad  made  a 
sudden  dash,  and  after  firing  a  few  shots  the  Captain  surren- 
dered his  boat.  They  secured  the  United  States  mail  pouches 
and  such  other  valuables  as  they  could  carry,  and  then  re- 
leased the  boat  with  all  on  board  except  General  Wessells, 
who  had  shortly  before  surrendered  Plymouth  to  General 
Hoke,  and  who  had  been  paroled  and  was  on  his  way  to  be  ex- 
changed. He  protested  against  his  arrest  and  detention,  but 
without  avail,  as  the  boys  marched  him  back  to  Plymouth,  the 
scene  of  his  recent  misfortune  and  humiliation.  On  another 
occasion  a  small  party  secured  a  boat,  and  crossing  the  sound, 
readied  Roanoke  Island  at  night  and  proceeded  to  the  light 
house,  and  after  destroying  the  light,  took  the  keeper  and  his 
wife  prisoners.  Hundreds  of  such  deeds  of  daring  and  ad- 
venture might  be  recorded,  but  this  sketch  must  necessarily 
be  brief. 

23  October  the  regiment  was  relieved  and  ordered  to  Tar- 
boro,  and  on  the  night  of  27  October  Lieutenant  Gushing,  of 
the  United  States  Navy,  made  his  way  up  the  river  in  a  small 
steam  launch,  passed  the  pickets  stationed  on  the  wreck  of 
the  "Southfield,"  which  was  sunk  by  the  Albemarle  in  the  en- 
gagement of  19  and  20  April,  and  making  a  sudden  dash  at 
the  Albemarle,  exploded  a  torpedo  under  her  bottom,  which 
caused  her  to  sink  at  once,  thus  nuiking  it  possible  for  the  en- 
emy to  recapture  Plymouth,  which  they  did  on  31  October. 
This  feat  of  Lieutenant  Cusliing  was  one  of  the  most  daring 
and  desperate  on  record,  but  one  which  might  easily  have 
been  prevented  if  our  pickets  had  been  as  watchful  as  they 
should  have  been.  Several  attempts  had  been  made  by  this 
same  officer  to  pass  our  pickets  on  the  river  while  the  Fifti- 
eth Regiment  was  in  charge,  but  always  failed,  and  several 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  179 

of  his  men  were  killed  and  captured  in  these  attempts.  The 
Fiftieth  Regiment  would  have  remained  at  Plymouth  but  for 
the  urgent  appeal  made  by  General  Lee  to  Governor  Vance 
and  General  Holmes  to  garrison  Plymouth  and  Washington 
with  North  Carolina  Reserves,  and  send  the  Fiftieth  back  to 
Virginia.  But  for  this  change  it  is  almost  certain  that  Ply- 
mouth would  not  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  at 
the  time  and  under  the  circumstances  it  did,  thus  cutting  off 
the  chief  source  of  supplies  for  our  anny  in  Virginia. 
After  the  baggage  had  been  loaded,  and  just  as  the  regiment 
was  ready  to  go  in  the  cars,  the  news  of  the  fall  of  Plymouth 
was  received,  order  countermanded,  and  the  regiment  was, 
for  the  third  time,  prevented  from  returning  to  Virginia. 
We  remained  at  Tarboro  and  Williamston  for  one  month. 

24  jSTovember  the  Regiment  was  ordered  to  Augusta,  Ga., 
reaching  that  place  on  the  27th,  and  on  the  29th  was  ordered 
to  Savannah.  On  reaching  Charleston  the  next  day  a  spe- 
cial train  was  in  waiting,  General  Hardee  having  telegraphed 
General  Beauregard  from  Savannah  to  rush  the  regiment 
with  all  possible  haste  to  Grahamville  to  meet  General  Fos- 
ter, who  was  moving  on  the  Charleston  &  Savannah  Railroad 
near  that  point  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  long  trestle 
and  thus  cut  off  all  communication  with  Savannah. 

On  the  night  of  29  November,  General  G.  W.  Smith 
reached  Savannah  with  a  brigade  of  less  than  one  thousand 
Georgia  militia.  At  this  time  there  were  no  other  troops  in 
Savannah,  General  Hardee  had  received  information  that 
General  Foster  was  moving  in  force  on  the  Charleston  &  Sa- 
vannah Railroad  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  long  tres- 
tle near  Grahamville  and  thus  cut  off  the  only  means  of 
transporting  troops  and  supplies  to  Savannah.  General 
Smith's  militia  were  the  only  troops  that  could  possibly  reach 
the  scene  in  time  to  check  this  advance  and  save  the  road, 
and  he  had  received  positive  instructions  from  the  Governor 
of  Georgia  not  to  carry  the  militia  beyond  the  State  line.  He 
and  General  Hardee  hurriedly  discussed  the  situation  in  all 
its  bearings,  and  the  conclusion  was  reached  that  the  condi- 
dition  and  circumstances  justified  disobeying  the  orders  of 


180  North  Carolina  Trooi's.   18G1-'05. 

the  Governor,  and  the  train  which  contained  the  troops  was 
shifted  to  the  Charleston  &  Savannah  road,  reaching  Ilardee- 
ville  at  daybreak  30  November.  They  at  once  proceeded  to 
Honey  Hill,  and  passing  a  short  distance  beyond,  discovered 
that  the  enemy  in  force  had  already  reached  and  occupied  the 
position  which  had  been  chosen  by  the  Confederat-e  com- 
mander prior  to  the  arrival  of  the  troops.  This  forced  Gen- 
eral Smith  to  fall  back  and  occupy  a  less  desirable  position. 
About  8  :30  a.  m.  the  enemy  commenced  his  advance  on  this 
position  and  was  greeted  by  a  single  shot  from  the  only  gun 
in  position.  Thus  opened  one  of  the  most  remarkable  battles, 
in  many  respects,  that  was  fought  during  the  Civil  War.  The 
fighting  was  fierce  and  furious  throughout  the  entire  day,  and 
ended  only  when  the  darkness  of  night  made  it  possible  for 
the  enemy  to  retreat  unobserved.  Charge  after  charge  during 
the  first  part  of  the  day  was  repelled  by  this  small  band  of 
Georgia  militia,  supported  only  by  a  South  Carolina  battery 
of  five  light  field  pieces.  During  the  morning  the  Forty- 
seventh  Georgia  Regiment  arrived,  but  was  held  in  reserve 
until  ordered  into  action  to  check  a  flank  movement  of  the 
enemy.  The  Thirty-second  Georgia  and  Fiftieth  North  Car- 
olina, sent  from  Charleston,  reached  the  field  too  late  to  par- 
ticipate. The  Confederate  forces  present  and  engaged  con- 
sisted of  the  Georgia  Militia  (Senior  and  Junior  Reserves), 
1,000  strong,  the  Forty-seventh  Georgia  Regiment,  and  the 
South  Carolina  Battery,  commanded  by  Colonel  Gonzales, 
making  a  total  of  1,400  in  all. 

The  Federal  forces  engaged  consisted  of  the  Fifty-sixth, 
One  Hundred  and  Twenty-seventh,  One  Hundred  and  Forty- 
fourth,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-seventh  New  York  Regi- 
ments; Forty-fourth  Massachusetts  (colored),  and  Fifty-fifth 
Massachusetts ;  Twenty-fifth  Ohio ;  Twenty-sixth,  Thirty-sec- 
ond, Thirty-fifth,  One  Hundred  and  Second  United  States 
Colored  Regiments ;  a  brigade^  of  Marines,  a  number  of  field 
batteries  and  several  naval  guns  brought  up  from  the  gun- 
boats in  the  river  near  by. 

The  losses,  as  taken  from  the  official  reports,  are  as  follows; 

Confederate:     Killed,  8;  \vounded,  42;  total,  50. 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  181 

Federals:  Killed,  88;  wounded,  623;  missing,  43;  total, 
754. 

The  Fifty-fifth  Massachusetts  reports  the  loss  of  its  Colonel 
and  100  men  in  five  minutes,  and  the  Fifty-fourth  Massachu- 
setts (colored),  reports  carrying  150  wounded  from  the  field. 

Considering  all  the  circumstances,  the  character  of  the 
troops  engaged,  disparity  in  numbers,  this  fight  perhaps  has 
jio  parallel  in  history. 

SAVANNAH. 

On  2  Deeember  the  regiment  reached  Savannah,  and  on 
the  3d  was  ordered  to  the  Forty-five  Mile  Station  on  the  Geor- 
gia Central  Railroad.  The  other  troops  were  ordered  back 
to  the  entrenchment  at  Savannah,  leaving  the  Fiftieth  Regi- 
ment and  a  small  squadron  of  Wheeler's  Cavalry  alone  to 
meet  and  contend  with  Slierman's  column  which  was  moving 
down  the  Georgia  Central  Railroad.  The  instructions  were 
to  harrass  and  delay  the  column  so  as  to  gain  time  to 
strengthen  our  fortifications  around  the  city  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. On  the  7th  we  commenced  to  skirmish  with  the  van- 
guard, and  on  the  9th,  having  fallen  back  some  distance  to 
a  strong  position,  the  skirmishing  became  general  and  very 
heavy.  The  main  body  of  the  regiment  had  fortified  a  natur- 
ally strong  position  on  the  right  of  the  road,  and  Lieut.  Jesse 
T.  Ellington,  of  Company  C,  was  sent  with  a  strong  skiraiish 
line  to  an  open  savanna  on  the  left  to  protect  that  flank.  The 
advance  of  the  enemy  was  checked  and  the  firing  soon  became 
extremely  heavy  at  the  point  occupied  by  the  regiment,  but 
they  stubbornly  resisted  the  repeated  attacks  and  held  their 
position.  After  awhile  there  was  a  sudden  lull  in  the  firing  on 
that  side  of  the  road  which  attracted  Lieutenant  Ellington's 
attention,  and  seeking  a  point  where  he  could  get  a  view  of 
the  breastworks  discovered  that  they  were  occupied  by  the  en- 
emy in  force.  They  had  succeeded  in  flanking  the  position 
on  the  right,  and  thus  forcing  the  regiment  to  hastily  retire 
across  a  bridge  which  was  held  by  some  of  Wheeler's  men  for 
this  purpose.  Lieutenant  Ellington  had  been  instructed  to 
hold  his  position  until  he  received  orders  to  withdraw,  and 
now  found  himself  entirely  cut  off,  the  enemy  considerably  to 


182  North  Carolina  Troops,   18f)l-'65. 

the  rear  of  his  position  and  a  strong  skirmish  line  deployed 
immediately  in  rear  of  his  own  line.  He  quietly  faced  his 
men  about  and  commenced  to  move  forward  in  regular  order, 
and  passing  along  the  line  whispered  instructions  to  each 
man,  Noticing  a  dense  swamp  some  distance  in  front  and  to 
the  right  of  the  line  of  march,  he  had  instructed  the  men  to 
watch  him  and  as  they  neared  the  swamp,  at  a  given  signal 
from  him,  to  stoop  as  low  as  possible  and  run  for  the  SAvamp. 
They  had  been  moving  all  the  while  between  the  skirmish 
lines,  the  original  one  which  was  now  in  their  rear  and  the 
new  one  which  was  thrown  out  after  capturing  our  works, 
which  was  now  in  front.  When  they  reached  what  seemed 
the  most  favorable  position,  the  signal  was  given  and  prompt- 
ly obeyed  by  every  man.  As  they  made  the  break  it  was  dis- 
covered for  the  first  time  that  they  were  Confederates,  and 
fired  upon.  Three  of  his  men  were  shot  dead,  but  all  of  the 
others,  though  fired  at  repeatedly,  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
swamp,  which  was  quickly  surrounded,  but  not  a  single  one 
was  captured.  During  the  night  they  quietly  left  the  swamp 
and  attempted  to  make  their  way  tlirough  the  lines.  As  the 
night  was  dark  they  were  guided  in  their  course  by  the  guna 
at  Fort  McAllister,  but  after  swimming  the  Ogeechee  river 
and  proceeding  for  some  distance,  the  firing  at  the  fort  ceased 
and  about  the  same  time  a  battery  of  heavy  guns  opened  in  an 
entirely  different  direction,  causing  them  to  lose  their  course. 
This  brought  them  again  to  the  Ogeechee  river,  which  they 
recrossed  and  after  travelling  all  night,  found  themselves  at 
daybreak  next  morning  on  the  same  ground  they  had  left  the 
evening  before,  and  again  in  the  rear  of  the  enemy.  They 
could  make  but  little  headway  during  the  day  but,  the  fol- 
lowing night  brought  them  near  the  linos  of  the  two  contend* 
ing  armies,  which  were  now  facing  each  otlier  around  and 
near  the  city.  It  was  now  daylight  and  the  fighting  was  in 
progress  all  aloug  the  lines  which,  at  this  point,  were  only  a 
short  distance  apart.  Discovering  a  short  and  \uioccupied 
space  in  the  Federal  line,  they  made  a  sudden  dash,  at  the 
same  time  signaling  to  our  troops  not  to  fire.  They  were  dis- 
covered aud  drew  the  combined  fire  froiu  the  right  and  left  of 
the  enemy's  line,  but  reached  our  line  safely. 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  183 

On  10  December,  Sherman  commenced  the  investment  of 
the  citj  of  Savannah,  and  on  the  13th  the  small  garrison  at 
Fort  McAllister  were  forced  to  surrender.  The  enemy  now 
controlled  the  river  above  and  below,  and  the  last  means  of 
escape  for  Hardee's  army  had  been  cut  off.  General  Sher- 
man sent  in  a  flag  of  truce  and  demanded  an  unconditional 
surrender  of  the  city.  The  reply  of  General  Hardee,  charac- 
teristic of  the  man  and  soldier,  was :  "I  have  plenty  of  guns, 
and  men  enough  to-  man  them,  and  if  you  ever  take  Savan- 
nah you  will  take  it  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet."  This  was 
"bluff"  in  all  of  its  perfection,  as  we  then  had  not  exceeding 
5,000  regular  troops  all  told,  and  were  trying  to  gain  time, 
hoping  almost  against  hope,  that  some  means  of  escape  might 
be  provided.  The  fighting  continued  day  and  night  all  alon^ 
our  lines,  but  no  general  assault  was  ever  made.  The  fall  of 
Fort  McAllister  enabled  the  Federal  fleet  to  enter  the  river 
and  thus  establish  Sherman's  communication  with  the  outside 
world.  While  Sherman  was  hesitating  and  wasting  time 
over  at  Hilton  Head  aiTanging  with  General  Foster  for  re- 
inforcements of  men  and  heavy  guns  with  which  to  contend 
with  our  little  army  of  about  5,000,  while  he  already  had 
more  than  ten  to  one,  we  were  keeping  up  the  fight  all  along 
the  line  and  at  the  same  time  kept  a  detail  working  night  and 
day  constructing  a  pontoon  bridge  across  the  river.  This 
was  accomplished  by  collecting  such  small  flat  boats  as  could 
be  found  along  the  river  and  arranging  them  in  line,  using 
car  wheels  as  anchors.  The  heavy  timbers  about  the  wharf 
were  utilized  as  stringers  from  one  boat  to  another,  and  then 
using  planks  from  buildings,  which  were  torn  down  for  the 
purpose,  as  a  flooring,  by  laying  them  across  these. 

The  boats,  being  of  various  sizes  and  shapes  and  of  une- 
qual supporting  power,  made  a  very  uneven  surface,  and  the 
flooring  being  of  a  variety  of  lengths  and  thickness,  still  fur- 
ther increased  a  tendency  to  slide  to  the  low  places  and  other- 
wise get  out  of  place,  especially  as  it  was  entirely  unsecured. 
In  addition  to  the  pontoon  bridge,  it  was  necessary  to  con- 
struct a  long  stretch  of  roadway  across  an  impassable  swamp 
and  bog  between  the  river  and  roads  traversing  the  rice  farms. 
This  was  done  effectuallv  bv  the  liberal  vise  of  rice  straw  and 


184  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

sheaf  rice  wliieh  was  secured  in  a])undance  at  a  near  by  rice 
mill. 

Extract  from  a  commimication  of  General  Sherman  to 
Geneneral  Grant  16  December: 

''I  think  Hardee,  in  Savannah,  has  good  artillerists,  some 
5,000  or  6,000  infantry,  and  it  may  be  a  mongrel  mass  of 
8,000  to  10,000  militia  and  fragments." 

Extract  from  General  Hardee's  reply  to  General  Sherman's 
demand  for  the  "unconditional  surrender  of  the  city"  on  17 
December : 

"Your  demand  for  tlie  surrender  of  Savannah  and  its  der 
pendent  forts  is  refused.  With  respect  to  the  threats  con- 
veyed in  the  closing  paragraph  of  your  letter,  of  what  may 
be  expected  in  case  your  demand  is  not  complied  with,  I  have 
to  say  that  T  have  hitherto  conducted  the  military  operation 
intrusted  to  my  direction  in  strict  accordance  with  the  rules 
of  civilized  warfare,  and  I  should  deeply  regret  the  adoption 
of  any  course  by  you  that  may  force  me  to  deviate  from  them 
in  future." 

Extract  from  connnunication  of  General  Sherman  to  Gen- 
eral Grant  18  December: 

"'I  ^^■rote  yo\i  at  length  by  Colonel  Babcock  on  the  16th  in- 
stant. As  I  therein  explained  my  purpose,  yesterday  I  made 
demand  on  General  Hardee  for  the  surrender  of  the  city  of 
Savannali,  and  to-day  received  his  answer  refusing.  *  *  * 
I  should  like  very  much  indeed  to  take  Savannah  before 
coming  to  you;  but,  as  T  wrote  you  before,  T  will  do  nothing 
rash  or  hasty,  and  will  embark  for  the  James  river  as  soon  as 
General  Easton,  wlio  has  gone  to  Port  Royal  for  that  purpose, 
reports  to  me  that  ho  lias  an  a])propriate  number  of  vessels 
for  the  transportation  of  the  contemplated  force.  *  *  * 
I  do  sincerely  believe  tliat  the  whole  United  States,  North 
and  South,  Wdiild  rejoice  to  have  this  army  turned  loose  on 
Soutli  Carolina  to  devastate  tliat  State,  in  the  manner  we  have 
done  Georgia." 

On  lU  l)ecemi)er.  General  McLaws,  in  whose  division  the 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  185 

Piftieth  North  Carolina  Regiment  belonged,  received  the  fol- 
loAving  coinniunication  from  General  Hardee : 

^'General  : — Lieutenant-General  Hardee  directs  me  to 
sav  that  the  pontoon  is  completed,  and  he  desires  that  you 
will  see  that  your  wagons  containing  cooking  utensils  and 
baggage  are  sent  over  and  on  to  Hardeeville  at  daylight  in  the 
morning.  Respectfully,  General, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 

''D.  H.  Pool, 
"Assistant  Adjutant  General." 

About  10  o'clock  on  the  night  of  19  December,  the  writer 
received  instruction  to  report  at  once  to  General  McLaws  at 
his  headquarters  at  the  Telfair  House.  On  reaching  there  I 
was  informed  that  all  arrangements  had  been  made  for  the 
"withdraAval  of  our  troops  from  the  lines  during  the  night,  and 
received  instructions  to  report  promptly  at  12  o'clock  to  take 
charge  of  the  wagon  train  of  our  command,  proceed  at  once 
to  the  city,  break  open  the  cars  in  which  our  baggage  was 
stored  and  secure  all  important  papers,  etc.,  but  not  at- 
tempt to  carry  out  any  private  baggage.  Shortly  after  day 
of  the  30th,  this  work  had  been  accomplished  and  we  com- 
menced to  cross  the  bridge.  As  we  were  the  first  to  cross  we 
succeeded  without  accident  or  the  loss  of  a  single  team,  but 
the  other  commands  did  not  fare  so  well.  The  loose  planks 
forming  the  floor  were  constantly  slipping  down  to  the  low 
places,  causing  great  gaps  in  the  floor,  at  which  the  mules 
would  take  fright  and  shying  to  either  side,  would  get  on 
to  the  projecting  planks  and  topple  over  into  the  river.  Sev- 
eral teams  were  lost  in  this  way.  xVfter  we  crossed  the 
swamp  and  struck  the  I'oad  across  the  rice  field  we  were  in 
full  view  of  the  enemy,  who  had  occupied  the  South  Carolina 
side  of  the  river  for  the  pui^Dose  of  cutting  off  our  only  line  of 
retreat.  General  Wheeler  had  been  instructed  by  General 
Hardee  to  keep  this  line  open  at  any  cost,  and  on  the  day  be- 
fore had  been  reinforced  with  troops  and  artillery  for  this 
purpose.  A  fierce  fight  was  raging  at  the  time  between  the 
two  contending  forces,  each  bent  on  the  possession  of  the  road, 
which  was  of  vital  importance  to  us.     We  had  a  splendid 


186  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

view  of  the  fight  as  we  were  passing  over  the  long  stretch  of 
level  and  perfectly  open  rice  field. 

We  reached  Tlardeeville  safely  that  evening,  but  spent  a 
restless  and  anxious  night.  Orders  had  been  issued  and  ar- 
rangements made  for  the  army  to  cross  the  pontoon  bridge 
early  on  the  morning  of  the  20th,  but  in  fact  it  did  not  cross 
until  twenty-four  hours  later.  After  the  wagon  trains  had 
crossed  over  and  the  troops  were  ready  to  commence  crossing, 
the  bridge  broke  loose  and  swung  down  the  river,  necessitating 
a  delay  of  a  day  and  night  before  it  could  be  replaced.  The 
army  crossed  over  safely  on  the  morning  of  21  December,  and 
reached  Hardeeville  that  day,  where  we  had  been  for  twenty- 
four  hours  without  hearing  a  word  in  explanation  of  the  cause 
of  the  delay. 

The  official  reports  of  20  December  showed  "the  effective 
strength  of  Sherman's  army"  to  be  60,598,  not  including  the 
strong  forces  of  General  Foster  at  Port  Royal,  Hilton  Head, 
and  Coosa whatchie  and  a  large  fleet  co-operating.  And  yet 
General  Hardee,  with  his  ''8,000  or  10,000  militia  and  frag- 
ments," as  General  Sherman  puts  it,  held  this  large  and  splen- 
didly equipped  army  and  fleet  at  bay  for  nearly  two  weeks 
and  withdrew  unmolested  and  was  well  into  South  Carolina 
before  it  was  even  discovered  that  he  had  abandoned  his  line 
several  miles  beyond  Savannah.  General  Sherman,  who  was 
still  at  Port  Poyal  arranging  with  General  Foster  for  more 
troops  and  guns,  did  not  reach  the  city  until  the  2 2d,  more 
than  twenty-four  hours  after  General  Hardee  had  safely 
withdrawn  his  entire  forces. 

On  26  December,  McLaw^s'  Division  left  Hardeeville  for 
Pocataligo,  and  on  the  march  was  compelled  to  diverge  from 
the  main  road  in  order  to  avoid  the  fire  from  the  batteries  and 
gunboats  near  Coosawhatehie,  as  they  had  complete  range 
of  the  road  at  this  point.  On  reaching  Pocataligo  the  Fif- 
tieth Regiment  occupied  the  extreme  advance  position  at  a 
small  stream  beyond  "Old  Pocataligo."  General  L.  S. 
Baker,  who  up  to  this  time  had  commanded  our  brigade,  was 
relieved  from  active  duty  on  account  of  intense  suffering 
caused  by  his  wounded  arm.  He  had  the  confidence,  love, 
and  esteem  of  e\'ery  officer  and  man  in  the  brigade,  as  did 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  187 

also  the  young  men  of  his  staff.  The  leave-taking  was  sad 
and  affecting  as  they  bid  a  final  adieu  to  officers  and  privates 
alike.  From  this  time  the  brigade  was  commanded  by  Col- 
onel Washington  M.  Hardy. 

On  the  second  day  after  reaching  Pocataligo  the  writer, 
who  was  on  duty  on  the  advanced  picket  line,  received  a  re- 
quest from  Colonel  Hardy  to  report  at  once  to  his  headquar- 
ters. On  arrival  he  was  informed  that  General  McLaws  had 
requested  that  he  select  and  send  to  him  for  instructions,  an 
officer  who  would  undertake  to  enter  General  Foster's  lines 
that  night  for  the  pui-pose  of  ascertaining  the  exact  location 
and  approximate  strength  of  his  forces.  After  explaining 
his  purposes  and  indicating  just  what  information  he  desired, 
his  final  instructions  were:  "Go  and  never  return  until  you 
can  make  this  report." 

1  selected  ten  men  from  my  own  company,  and  by  night 
had  completed  all  necessary  arrangements.  An  old  negro, 
who  had  spent  his  past  life  on  the  island  below  and  was  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  the  country,  and  who  had  ''run  away 
from  the  Yankees,"  and  was  now  living  near  our  camp,  gave 
me  a  full  description  of  the  country  and  cheerfully  consented 
to  pilot  me  l^y  a  private  foot  path  leading  through  a  swamp  to 
the  peninsula  fonned  by  Tullifuiny  creek  and  Coosawhatchie 
river  upon  which  Gen.  Foster's  main  forces  were  camped.  The 
main  road  was  strongly  picketed  right  up  to  our  lines,  but  by 
taking  this  by-way  through  the  swamps  when  we  reached  the 
open  countiy  we  were  well  to  the  rear  of  the  pickets.  The 
old  negro  now  pleaded  piteously  to  be  allowed  to  return  to  his 
home  and  his  wife.  He  gave  me  an  honest  and  truthful  de- 
scription of  all  the  surroundings,  after  which  I  sent  a  man 
back  with  him  to  pass  him  througli  our  line.  The 
streams  were  full  of  gunboats  and  transports.  In  making 
a  circuit  of  the  camps  we  kept  close  to  the  water  so  as  to 
avoid  the  pickets.  We  spent  the  entire  night  in  making  the 
circuit,  counting  camp  fires,  locating  the  troops  and  vessels, 
and  returned  safely,  reaching  our  lines  at  daybreak  next 
morning.  I  made  a  full  report  to  the  commanding  officer, 
for  whicli  T  and  the  men  with  me  received  his  thanks. 

On  14  January,  1865,  a  sudden  and  undiscovered  move- 


188  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801 -'65. 

ment  of  the  enemy  from  the  island  below,  around  our  left 
flank,  came  very  near  cutting  off  the  only  line  of  retreat  of 
the  Fiftieth  Uegiment  and  Tenth  Battalion  at  "Old  Pocatal- 
igo."  There  was  considerable  confusion  and  excitement  for 
some  time,  as  the  enemy  seemed  to  confront  us  in  whatever 
direction  we  turned.  We  tinally  succeeded  in  finding  a  way 
out  and  by  keeping  up  a  running  fight  safely  crossed  the 
Salkehatchie  river  at  River's  Bridge.  During  the  next  few 
days  the  enemy  concentrated  a  heavy  force  along  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river  between  Biver's  and  Bnford's  bridges,  and 
made  repeated  attempts  to  tlirow  their  pontoon  bridge  across 
the  river  and  break  tlirough  McLaAvs'  line.  The  heavy  rains 
had  caused  the  river  to  overflow  and  the  low-lands  were 
flooded  for  miles  in  some  places.  This  made  it  very  difficult 
to  reach  a  point  from  which  the  movements  of  the  enemy  on 
the  opposite  side  could  be  observed.  Between  the  16th  and 
20th  we  had  been  forced  to  move  back  three  times  to  escape 
the  flood. 

SALKEHATCHIE. 

On  20  January,  1865,  Company  I,  of  the  Fiftieth  Regi- 
ment, commanded  by  Captain  John  B.  Eaves,  was  ordered  to 
move  down  to  a  high  point  of  the  river  bank,  which  was  ascer- 
tained to  Ix^  not  under  water,  for  the  pui*pose  of  watching 
and  reporting  movements  of  the  enemy.  Captain  Eaves  re- 
ceived his  orders  from  Colonel  Hardy,  commanding  the 
North  Carolina  Brigade,  and  at  the  same  time  General  Mc- 
Laws  had  ordered  Colonel  Ficer,  Avitli  his  Georgia  Brigade, 
to  another  point  on  the  river  for  a  like  pui-pose.  The  river 
flats  were  heavily  timbered  and  all  under  water,  at  tlie  same 
time  a  dense  fog  prevailed.  As  a  consequence  of  these  con- 
ditions the  troops  lost  their  bearings  and  the  two  commands 
met  while  wading  in  water  waist  deep,  and  each  supposing 
the  other  to  be  the  enemy  who  had  succeeded  in  crossing  the 
river,  opened  fire.  The  fight  was  kept  up  for  about  two 
hours,  (^aptain  Eaves  reported  to  Colonel  Hardy,  asking 
for  reinforcements  and  a  fresh  supply  of  ammunition,  as  his 
was  nearly  exhausted.  Colonel  Ficer  was  reporting  to  Gen- 
eral ^fcLaws  and  asking  for  help ;  each  side  was  being  rein- 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  189 

forced  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Captain  Eaves  had  lost  sev- 
eral of  his  men,  and  Lient.  W.  M.  Corbitt  had  taken  one  of 
their  guns  and  was  leading  the  men  forward,  firing  from  be- 
hind trees  as  they  advanced.  With  his  gun  raised  in  the  act 
of  shooting  he  was  himself  shot  dead  by  one  of  Wheeler's 
men  who  happened  to  be  with  Colonel  Ficer  at  the  time. 
About  this  time  K.  J.  Carpenter  and  Gaither  Trout,  of  Cap- 
tain Eaves'  company,  had  approached  near  enough  to  dis- 
cover that  Colonel  Ficer's  men  were  Confederates,  and  be- 
fore the  reinforcements  called  for  had  reached  either  side, 
this  sad  and  distressing  affair  had  ended.  The  loss  in  Col- 
onel Ficer's  command  was  considerable.  When  our  dead 
and  wounded  were  brought  in  and  we  learned  the  facts  about 
this  terrible  mistake,  there  was  sadness  and  weeping.  The 
gallant  young  Corbitt  was  a  general  favorite  in  the  regiment, 
the  men  always  delighting  tO'  serve  under  him.  While  he 
was  quiet,  kind  and  tender  as  a  woman,  he  did  not  know  the 
meaning  of  the  word  fear  when  duty  called  him.  He  was 
brave,  perhaps,  it  may  be  too-  brave.  His  remains  were  sent 
to  his  heart-broken,  vridowed  mother  in  Rutherford  county. 
On  30  January  there  was  a  general  movement  up  the  river, 
and  on  the  night  of  1  February,  after  marching  until  mid- 
night, and  just  after  halting  and  building  campfires,  the  Fif- 
tieth Regiment  was  ordered  to  resume  the  march  and  proceed 
twelve  miles  further  up  the  river  tO'  Buford's  Bridge.  We 
reached  the  point  at  daybreak  of  the  2d  and  proceeded  at  once 
to  make  all  necessary  preparation  for  the  rapid  burning  of  the 
bridge  upon  the  first  approach  of  the  enemy,  having  been  in- 
structed to  guard  and  keep  it  open  as  long  as  possible  for  the 
benefit  of  refugees  from  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  3d  heavy  firing  was  heard  from  down 
the  river,  lasting  for  about  two  hours,  when  it  suddenly  and 
entirely  ceased.  We  concluded  that  the  enemy,  in  attempt- 
ing to  effect  the  crossing  on  their  pontoons,  had  been  driven 
back  and  that  they  would  now  attempt  to  cross  at  Buford's 
Bridge.  We  advanced  our  picket  lines  beyond  the  river  and 
anxiously  awaited  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  as  well  as  news 
from  our  troops  below.  The  entire  day  passed  and  we  neither 
saw  nor  heard  from  either.     Between  sunset  and   dark  a 


190  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

young  lad  came  riding  into  our  camp  with  tJie  news  that 
General  McLaws'  lines  had  been  broken  and  our  entire  forces 
driven  back  that  morning.  lie  stated  that  General  McLaws 
started  a  courier  with  the  information  that  we  were  entirely 
cut  off  from  tlie  command  and  to  take  care  of  ourselves  the 
best  we  could,  but  that  he  was  captured.  This  boy  made  his 
way  through  the  lines  and  found  us  at  this  late  hour.  He  was 
not  a  moment  too  soon,  for  as  we  hurriedly  marched  out  on 
one  side  of  the  little  village,  the  enemy's  cavalry  was  .enter- 
ing the  other  side.  We  were  favored  by  the  dark  night  and  a 
succession  of  ijnpassable  swamps  through  which  the  single 
road  had  been  constructed  which  made  it  possible,  with  a 
small  force  to  guard  the  passes  against  cavalry.  A  Lieutenant 
and  about  ten  men  belonging  to  General  Wheeler's  command 
were  with  us  doing  courier  and  picket  duty.  When  we  com- 
menced the  retreat  this  officer  told  us  to  keep  moving  and  he 
would  guarantee  to  hold  them  in  check  and  allow  us  to  escape 
during  the  night.  He  was  able  to  do  this  by  taking  advantage 
of  the  narrow  ridges  between  the  succession  of  swamps.  On. 
reaching  one  of  these  he  would  dismount  his  men,  and  when 
the  head  of  the  column  approached  in  the  road,  open  fire.  This 
would  check  their  movement,  as  the  character  of  the  country 
was  such  that  they  could  not  leave  the  road.  After  remain- 
ing as  long  as  he  deemed  it  safe  and  expedient,  he  would 
mount  his  men  and  select  another  stand.  The  gallant  young 
Tennesseean  faithfully  carried  out  his  pledge  to  us,  but  at  the 
cost  of  his  own  life,  for  at  a  late  hour  during  the  night,  he  was 
shot  dead  in  the  saddle  and  his  horse  overtook  us  on  the  road 
with  rider  lying  upon  his  neck  dead.  He  was  taken  off  and 
buried  beside  the  road  some  distance  from  where  he  received 
the  fatal  shot.  After  marching  all  night  and  the  next  day, 
we  struck  the  railroad  at  Bamburg.  We  found  the  station 
deserted,  but  the  telegraph  office  was  open  and  the  instru- 
ments in  place.  We  tried  the  wires  to  Charleston  and  found 
that  the  line  had  not  yet  been  cut.  General  Hardee  informed 
us  that  the  last  train  was  expected  over  the  road  that  night 
with  the  remnant  of  Hood's  army,  and  if  it  succeeded  in 
reaching  our  station,  to  take  possession  of  the  train  and  run 
through  to  Charleston  if  possible.     We  had  only  a  short  while 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  191 

to  wait,  but  instead  of  going  tlirough  to  Charleston,  on  reach- 
ing Branchville,  we  found  our  command,  McLaws'  division, 
camped  beside  the  railroad,  and  we  dismounted  and  were  once 
more  at  home,  much  to  their  surprise,  as  we  had  been  reported 
and  giv^en  up  as  lost. 

We  now  made  a  stand  and  fortified  our  position  on  the 
Edisto  river,  bat  as  usual  the  enemy,  with  his  overwhelming 
force  of  both  infantry  and  cavalry,  flanked  our  position,  forc- 
ing us  to  retire.  We  moved  by  way  of  Ridgeville,  and  on  the 
25th  the  Fiftieth  North  Carolina  Regiment  and  Tenth  North 
Carolina  Battalion,  under  Colonel  Hardy,  occupied  Florence, 
where  all  the  rolling  stock  of  the  railroad  south  had  been 
collected,  and  also  a  large  quantity  of  cotton  stored.  The 
other  portion  of  Hardee's  army  was  now  concentrated  at 
Cheraw.  Our  brigade  reached  this  place  on  3  March  as  it 
was  being  evacuated  by  General  Hardee,  and  just  in  time  to 
cross  the  river.  General  Sherman  writing  to  General  Gil- 
more  in  reference  to  the  destruction  of  the  vast  amount  of 
rolling  stock  between  Sumterville  and  Florence,  uses  the  fol- 
lowing language :  "I  don't  feel  disposed  to  be  over-generous, 
and  should  not  hesitate  to  burn  Charleston,  Savannah  and 
Wilmington,  or  either  of  them,  if  the  garrison  were  needed. 
Those  cars  and  locomotives  should  be  destroyed,  if  to  do  it 
costs  you  500  men." 

This  language,  coupled  with  that  used  in  his  letter  to  Gen- 
eral Grant,  written  from  Savannah  28  December,  1864,  in 
which  he  expresses  the  desire  "to  have  this  army  turned  loose 
on  the  State  of  South  Carolina  to  devastate  that  State  as  it 
has  the  State  of  Georgia,"  reveals  the  character  of  the  man, 
and  sufficiently  accounts  for  the  wanton  destruction  of  prop- 
erty, devastation  and  ruin  w^hich  followed  in  the  wake  of  his 
army. 

The  history  of  this  campaign,  which  ought  to  go  down  in 
history  as  a  disgrace  to  the  civilization  of  the  American  Na- 
tion, can  be  written  in  few  words.  The  record  of  each  day 
from  first  to^  last  was  but  the  repetition  of  the  day  before, 
when  we  could  look  back  and  see  the  homes  of  helpless  women 
and  children  ascending  in  smoke,  while  they  were  turned  out 
in  the  cold  of  mid-winter  to  starve  and  freeze.      Since  time 


192  North  Carolina  Troops,    18()1-'05. 

has  removed  iinich  of  the  bitterness  which  then  existed  be- 
tween tlie  two  sections,  General  Sherman's  friends  have  en- 
deavored to  defend  his  conduct  and  refute  the  charges  made 
at  the  time,  l)nt  the  fact  that  the  "record"  is  against  him  still 
remains. 

On  the  part  of  the  troops  of  General  Hardee's  little  army, 
the  campaign  tlirough  Georgia  and  South  Carolina,  embrac- 
ing the  entire  winter  of  18G4-'65  was  a  severe  and  trying  one, 
but  there  was  no  co-mplaint  or  murmuring,  and  all  seemed  in 
the  best  of  spirits.  We  were  poorly  clothed,  and  lightly  fed, 
as  we  were  compelled  to  subsist  on  the  country  through  which 
we  passed,  and  this  was  poorly  supplied  except  with  rice, 
until  we  reached  the  high-lands.  Here  the  people  were  dis- 
posed to  share  the  last  mite  with  our  soldiers.  Whenever 
they  were  advised  of  our  coming  in  time,  the  good  women 
would  have  food  in  abundance  prepared,  and  they  would 
bring  out  large  trap's  as  we  were  passing,  speaking  words 
of  comfort  and  cheer  to  us  at  the  same  time.  Many  of  the 
men  were  entirely  without  shoes  during  January  and  Feb- 
ruary. This  was  owing  to  the  fact  that  we  were  com- 
pelled to  leave  our  baggage  and  supplies  at  Savannah  for  the 
lack  of  transportation,  and  we  had  been  so  situated  since  that 
none  could  reach  us. 

On  3  March,  1865,  we  crossed  the  State  line  at.Cheraw 
and  were  once  more  on  the  soil  of  our  native  State.  We 
looked  back  in  sadness  at  the  desolation  wrought  in  our  sister 
State,  and  our  hearts  were  ovei'flowing  with  sympathy  for 
the  thousands  of  now  homeless  ones  who  had  l)een  so  kind  and 
generous  to  us.  Now  we  must  look  forward  to  a  like  condi- 
tion which  was  in  store  for  our  own  people. 

General  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  on  6  March,  assumed  com- 
mand of  all  the  forces  in  North  Carolina.  It  was  thought 
that  General  Sherman  was  heading  for  Charlotte,  N.  C,  and 
General  Hardee  had  instructions  to  watch  his  movements  and 
keep  in  his  front,  while  Wheeler,  Hampton  and  Butler  with 
the  cavalry,  harrassed  his  flanks  and  rear  to  prevent  "burn- 
ing" and  to  be  in  position  to  promptly  report  any  change  of 
movement.  Wliile  General  Hardee  was  on  tlie  march  from 
Cheraw  to  Rockingham,  N.  C,  General  Sherman  suddenlv 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  193 

changed  his  course  in  the  direction  of  Fayettcville,  IT.  C.  Gen- 
eral Johnston  promptly  informed  General  Hardee,  but  th»? 
courier  failed  to  deliver  the  message  and  in  consequence  we 
continued  the  march  for  a  whole  day  in  the  opposite  direction, 
reaching  Rockingham,  where  we  camped  for  the  night.  At 
this  point  the  second  dispatch  was  received  from  General 
Johnston  and  we  immediately  turned  in  the  direction  of  Fay- 
etteville  and  attempted,  by  forced  march  by  day  and  by  night, 
to  regain  the  time  lost.  We  reached  Fayetteville  and  crossed 
the  river  before  making  a  stand.  The  enemy  occupied  tlie 
town  on  11  March  and  destroyed  the  old  United  States  arse- 
nal and  burned  the  business  portion  of  the  towm, 

AVEKASBOKO. 

On  15  March  we  occupied  a  position  on  the  Averasboro 
road,  leading  from  Fayetteville  to  Smithiield  and  Raleigh, 
near  AverashorO'.  As  the  enemy  had  retired  from  our 
front  the  day  before,  we  were  ordered  to  make  ourselves  com- 
fortable and  enjoy  a  day  of  rest.  During  the  day  we  learned 
that  the  enemy  were  advancing  in  large  force  and  driving  our 
cavalry  before  them.  A  hurried  disposition  of  the  troops 
was  made.  Colonel  Rhett  with  his  South  Carolina  Brigade, 
occupied  tlie  advance  position  where  the  Smith's  Ferry  road 
intersects  the  Averasboro  road  near  Smith's  house.  Elli- 
ott's Brigade  occupied  a  fortified  position  behind  a  swamp 
200  yards  to  the  rear  and  General  McLaws'  the  main  line  of 
defence  about  600  yards  to  the  rear  of  the  first  line.  As  soon 
as  proper  disposition  of  the  troops  was  completed,  Colonel 
Rliett  was  directed  by  General  Hardee  in  person  to  advance 
his  skirmishers.  They  were  soon  heavily  engaged  by  the  en- 
emy, and  Colonel  Rhett  venturing  too  far  to  the  front,  and 
mistaking  a  small  party  of  the  enemy  for  his  own  men,  was 
taken  prisoner.  The  command  of  this  brigade  now  devolved 
upon  Colonel  Butler,  of  the  First  Soutli  Carolina  Infantry. 
JSTothing  more  tlian  a  lively  and  prolonged  skirmish  developed 
during  the  15th.  At  7  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  16th 
the  enemy  made  a  vigorous  attack  on  our  position  with  in- 
fantry and  artillery.  Their  infantry  made  repeated  attempts 
to  carry  our  position,  but  were  always  repulsed  with  heavy 
13 


194  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'e>5. 

Joss.  After  about  four  hours'  fighting,  at  11  o'clock,  thej 
made  a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  left  of  the  line,  at  the  same 
■time  massing  on  and  overlapping  the  right,  forcing  retire- 
ment on  the  second  line  occupied  by  Colonel  Elliott.  Re- 
peated attacks  were  made  on  this  line,  but  in  each  case  they 
"w^ere  gallantly  repulsed. 

About  1  o'clock  they  moved  a  lieavy  force  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Black  river,  completely  flanking  and  exposing  to  a 
severe  cross-fire  the  left  wing.  This  necessitated  retirement 
on  the  main  line  held  by  General  McLaws.  General  Talia- 
ferro, with  his  force,  which  had  been  engaged  up  to  this  time, 
occupied  position  on  both  sides  of  the  main  road.  General  Mc- 
Laws the  left,  and  General  Wheeler  with  his  dismounted  cav- 
alry, the  right  of  the  main  line,  Rhett's  Brigade,  which  had 
suffered  so  severely,  was  sent  to  the  rear  and  held  in  reserve. 
Every  attempt  to  carry  this  line  was  a  complete  failure  and 
after  night  the  enemy  withdrew  and  commenced  to  fortify 
his  position.  We  left  our  lines  in  possession  of  a  picket  of 
Wheeler's  men  and  moved  in  direction  of  Smithfield.  The 
Eederal  loss,  as  officially  reported  in  this  fight,  was  682.  The 
Confederate  loss  is  not  stated,  but  it  was  very  heavy  in 
Rhett's  Brigade. 

It  was  now  learned  that  Sherman's  anny  was  crossing  the 
Black  river  at  several  points.  His  persistent  attempt  to 
open  the  Averasboro  road  seemed  to  indicate  that  his  ob- 
jective point  was  Raleigh,  but  this  movement  across  the 
Black  river  made  it  uncertain  as  to  whether  he  would  move 
on  Raleigh  or  Goldsboro,  and  General  Hardee,  in  order  to  be 
in  position  to  turn  in  either  direction,  moved  to  the  inter- 
section of  the  roads  near  Elevation  Church,  in  Johnston 
county,  reaching  that  point  on  the  night  of  the  17th.  At  12 
o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  iTtli  General  Hampton,  who  was 
at  the  front  near  Bentonville,  received  a  request  from  Gen- 
eral Johnston,  who  was  then  at  Smithfield,  about  sixteen 
miles  away,  for  full  information  as  to  the  location  of  the  vari- 
ous commands  of  Shcnnan's  anny,  and  his  views  as  to  the  ad- 
visability of  attacking  the  enemy.  General  Hampton  re- 
ported at  once  that  the  Fourteenth  Corps  was  in  his  immedi- 
ate front;  the  Twentieth  Corps  was  on  the  same  road,  five  or 


Fiftieth  Regiment,  195 

six  miles  in  the  rear ;  while  the  two  other  Corps,  Logan's  and 
Blair's,  were  on  a  parallel  road  some  miles  to  the  south,  and 
&t  the  place  where  he  was  camped  was  an  admirable  one  for 
the  contemplated  attack.  He  also  reported  that  he  would 
delay  the  enemy  as  much  as  possible  to  gain  time  for  tlie  con- 
centration of  his  forces  at  this  point.  In  a  few  hours  he  re- 
ceived a  reply  from  General  Johnston  stating  that  he  would 
move  at  once,  and  directing  him  to  hold  the  position  if  possi- 
ble. Early  on  the  morning  of  the  18th  General  Hampton 
moved  his  cavalry  forward  until  he  met  the  enemy,  and  kept 
up  a  lively  skinnish,  slowly  falling  back,  until  in  the  after- 
noon he  had  reached  the  position  previously  selected  for  the 
battle.  As  it  was  of  vital  importance  that  this  position  should 
be  held  until  the  infantry  could  reach  them,  he  dismounted 
his  men  and  took  the  risk  of  sending  his  batteries  to  a  com- 
manding position  far  to  the  right  of  his  line,  and  entirely  un- 
supported, and  made  a  lx)ld  and  successful  stand. 

BENTONVILLE. 

After  personally  superintending  the  placing  of  the  guns 
and  as  he  was  mounting  his  horse  to  ride  back  to  his  line  on 
the  road,  he  overheard  the  following  remark  from  one  of  the 
men  at  the  guns,  as  he  laughingly  addressed  his  companions: 
''Old  Hampton  is  playing  a  game  of  bluff,  and  if  he  don't 
mind  Sherman  will  call  him."  General  Johnston  reached 
Bentonville  during  the  night  of  the  18th  with  a  portion  of  the 
troops  from  Smithfield.  General  Hardee,  who  had  been  in- 
formed of  the  plan  of  attack,  left  the  camp  at  Elevation  early 
in  the  morning  of  the  18th,  but  after  a  hard  day's  march  we 
camped  that  night  at  Snead's  house,  five  miles  from  Benton- 
ville, and  about  eight  miles  from  the  extreme  part  of  the  line 
of  battle.  We  made  an  early  start  on  the  morning  of  the 
19th,  but  had  not  reached  the  position  assigned  us  before  the 
enemy  had  made  a  bold  assault  on  General  Hoke's  position  on 
the  road.  After  a  desperate  struggle  they  were  repulsed  and 
driven  from  the  field  in  confusion.  At  this  critical  moment 
a  mistake  occurred  which  perhaps  entirely  changed  the  results 
of  the  battle.  General  Hampton  refers  to  it  in  his  report  of 
the  battle,  and  General  Johnston  confirms  his  statements  of 


196  North  Carolina  Troops,   1 801 -'(55. 

facts  and  coiichisi(jii.  I  quote  from  'Molmston's  narrative"; 
"The  enemy  attacked  Hoke's  Division  vigorously,  especially 
it's  left,  so  vigorously  that  General  Bragg  apprehended  that 
Hoke,  although  slightly  entrenclied,  would  be  driven  from 
his  position.  He  tiierefore  applied  urgently  for  strong  rein- 
forcements. General  Hardee,  the  head  of  whose  column  was 
then  near,  was  directed,  most  injudiciously,  to  send  his  lead- 
ing division,  Mcl^aws',  to  the  assistance  of  the  troops  as- 
sailed." 

General  Hampton  in  his  account  of  the  battle,  says:  "Tloke 
x-epulsed  the  attack  made  on  him  fully  and  handsomely.  Had 
Hardee  been  in  the  position  originally  assigned  him  at  the 
cime  Hoke  struck  the  enemy,  and  could  his  conunand  and 
Stuart's  have  been  thrown  on  the  flanks  of  the  Federal  forces, 
I  think  that  the  Fourteenth  Corps  would  have  been  driven 
back  in  disorder  on  the  Twentieth,  which  was  moving  up  to 
it's  support."  General  Hampton,  in  his  account  of  the  part 
taken  by  General  Hardee's  command,  quotes  from  General 
Johnston  as  follows: 

*'The  Confederates  passed  over  the  hundred  yards  of  space 
between  the  two  lines  in  quick  time  and  in  excellent  order, 
and  the  remaining  distance  in  double-quick,  without  pausing 
to  lire  until  their  near  approach  had  driven  the  enemy  from 
che  shelter  of  their  entrenchments,  in  full  retreat,  to  their 
second  line.  After  firing  a  few  rounds  the  Confederates 
igain  pressed  forward,  and  when  they  were  near  the  second 
intrenchment,  how  manned  by  Ixvth  lines  of  Federal  troops, 
Lieutenant-General  Hardee,  after  commanding  the  double- 
quick,  led  the  charge,  and  with  knightly  gallantry,  dashed 
)ver  the  enemy's  breastworks  on  horsel)ack  in  front  of  his 
aien.  Some  distance  in  the  rear  there  was  a  very  thick  wood 
of  young  pines,  into  which  the  Federal  troops  were  pursued,- 
ind  in  which  they  rallied  and  renewed  the  fight.  But  the 
Confederates  continued  to  advance,  driving  the  enemy  l^ack 
slowl}'.  ISTight  coming  on  prevented  the  further  advance  of 
rhe  Confederates  who,  elated  with  victory,  were  now  anxious 
to  continue  the  pursuit  of  the  fleeing  enemy." 

The  close  of  tlio  first  day  of  this  hotly  contested  battle 
found  the  Confederates  victorious  at  every  point,  not  only 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  197 

holding-  their  o-wti  lines,  but  at  many  points  they  rested  for  the 
flight  in  full  possession  of  the  fortified  position  of  the  enemy. 
About  midday  of  the  20th  the  other  two  corps  of  the  enemy 
v\diich  had  been  moving  on  the  Fayetteville  and  Goldsboro 
i'oad,  crossed  to  the  Averasboro  road  and  appeared  in  fvdl 
force  on  our  left,  which  was  entirely  unprotected  from  Hoke's 
position  on  the  road  tO'  Mill  creek  below.  This  necessitated 
changing  Hoke's  front  to  left  and  parallel  to  the  road.  Mc- 
Laws'  Division  was  now  shifted  to  Hoke's  left,  with  the 
Fiftieth  jSTorth  Carolina  Regiment  and  Tenth  I^orth  Caro- 
lina Battalion  fonning  the  extreme  left  of  our  line.  This 
left  considerable  space  between  our  left  and  Mill  creek,  thus 
exposing  the  left  wing,  which  was  overlapped.  This  was  oc- 
cupied only  by  a  very  thin  skirmish  line  of  our  cavalry. 
These  newlj^  arrived  forces  assaulted  our  line  from  Hoke's 
right  to  Mc Laws'  left  repeatedly  during  the  afternoon  of  the 
20th,  but  were  handsomely  repulsed  in  every  instance.  On 
the  morning  of  the  21st  the  fighting  was  resumed  along 
Hoke's  and  McLaws'  front.  As  there  was  no  demonstration 
on  our  right,  General  Taliaferro  threw  forward  a  skirmish 
line  in  his  front  and  ascertained  that  the  Federal  left  had 
been  withdrawn,  and  the  combined  attacks  were  directed 
against  the  center  occupied  by  Hoke  and  the  left  by  McLaws 
and  our  cavalry.  About  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  our  left 
being  hard  pressed  and  overlapped,  General  TaliafeiTo  was 
ordered  from  the  extreme  right  to  our  support.  About  the 
same  time  it  was  learned  that  the  Federal  Seventeenth  Corps 
had  succeeded  in  breaking  through  the  thin  skirmish  line  on 
our  left  and  was  in  rear  of  our  line  and  near  the  only  bridge 
which  spanned  Mill  creek  at  Bentonville.  General  Hardee 
was  moving  (^umming's  Georgia  Brigade  to  the  left  to  pro- 
tect this  gap  at  the  time,  and  discovering  the  enemy,  ordered 
Colonel  Henderson,  commanding  the  brigade,  to  attack  the 
head  of  the  column,  at  the  same  time  discovering  the  Eighth 
Texas  Cavalry  approaching,  he  ordered  them  to  charge  the 
left  flank,  he  leading  the  charge  in  person. 

General  Hampton  at  the  same  time  struck  the  right  flank 
with  Young's  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Wright,  while 
General  Wheeler  attacked  the  rear  of  the  Federal  column 


198  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-05. 

some  distance  away.  The  rout  of  the  enemy  was  complete 
and  they  were  soon  driven  back  beyond  our  lines.  As  they 
retreated  in  confusion  the  slaughter  was  terrible.  Our  losses 
in  the  affair  were  insignificant  as  to  number.  A  son  of  Gen* 
eral  Hardee,  a  youth  of  only  16  years,  who  had  arrived  only 
two  hours  before,  was  killed  while  riding  in  the  charge  of  the 
Eighth  Texas  Cavalry,  led  by  his  father.  The  firing,  which 
had  been  extremely  heavy  up  to  this  time,  ceased  upon  the  re- 
turn of  the  Seventeenth  (Jorps  to  its  position  in  line,  and  there 
was  no  other  attempt  made  to  carry  any  part  of  our  line.  Gen- 
eral Hampton  states  that  the  Confederate  forces  engaged  in 
this  affair  did  not  exceed  three  hundred.  While  General  Mc- 
Laws  held  the  extreme  left  of  our  lines  and  the  enemy  were 
endeavoring  to  turn  our  Hank  the  Fiftieth  Xorth  Carolina 
Regiment  and  Tenth  ISTorth  Carolina  Battalion  of  Colonel 
Hardy's  Brigade,  in  a  single  charge  and  in  about  five  minutes 
time  sustained  a  loss  of  about  one-third  of  their  number.  In 
this  case  the  enemy  were  lying  in  line  three  columns  deep  and 
reserved  their  fire  until  our  troops  were  near  them  struggling 
through  a  dense  swamp.  At  the  first  volley  every  man  fell 
to  the  ground  and  Colonel  Wortham  and  Lieutenant  Lane,  of 
the  Fiftieth,  and  Lieutenant  Powell,  of  the  Tenth  Battalion, 
crawled  out  of  the  thicket  and  reported  to  General  McLavvs 
for  duty,  stating  that  the  entire  brigade  was  killed  or 
wounded.  Colonel  Hardy,  by  his  boldness  and  daring,  saved 
the  command  from  utter  destruction.  Dressed  in  a  suit  of 
sky  blue  broadcloth  and  broad-brimmed  slouch  hat,  he  might 
easily  be  taken  for  a  Federal  ofticer.  He  was  in  front  of  his 
men  leading  the  charge,  and  at  the  first  volley  he  rushed  for- 
ward with  his  hat  in  one  hand  and  his  sword  in  tbe  other,  and 
pacing  up  ;iud  down  in  front  of  and  Avithin  a  few  feet  of  the 
Federal  lines,  ordered  them  to  cease  firing,  as  they  were  firing 
on  their  own  men.  He  continued  this  for  some  time,  although 
their  own  officers  were  ordering  them  to  fire.  They  were  ut- 
terly confused  and  before  the  firing  was  resumed  all  of  our 
men  who  were  able  had  crawled  out  of  the  swamp  and  made 
their  escape,  and  Colonel  Hardy  deliberately  walked  off  with- 
out a  scratch. 

On  the  night  of  the  21st  the  oncMuy  kept  up  a  heavy  picket 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  199 

fire  along  our  front  while  withdrawing  their  troops  in 
the  direction  of  Goldsboro.  At  midnight  our  troops  were 
withdrawn  and  crossing  the  creek  at  Bentonville,  moved  on 
the  2 2d  toward  Smithfield.  In  the  battle  four  companies  of 
the  Fiftieth  Regiment,  C  and  D  of  Johnston,  E  of  Wayne 
and  H  of  Harnett,  were  near  their  homes  and  many  of  the 
men,  who  had  not  seen  their  homes  afid  families  for  many 
months,  marched  by  them  and  tarried  for  only  a  few  minutes, 
went  into  the  fight,  the  guns  of  which  could  be  distinctly 
heard  by  their  loved  ones,  and  again  without  stopping, 
marched  by  these  same  homes  with  Johnston's  army  on  its 
final  retreat,  proving  their  faith  and  loyalty  to  the  "Lost 
Cause'"  to  the  last. 

The  Fiftieth  Regiment  before  leaving  this  State  for 
Georgia  in  ISTovember,  1864,  was  recruited  from  the  camp  of 
instruction  at  Raleigh  to  something  over  900,  and  now  mus- 
tered less  than  half  that  number,  the  others  being  lost  from 
various  causes  during  the  severe  and  trying  campaign  through 
M'hich  they  had  passed. 

The  Confederate  forces  in  this  battle  were  about  17,000  in- 
fantry, the  Wheeler  and  Hampton  Cavalry  and  a  few  light 
field  batteries,  while  Sherman's  army,  as  officially  reported 
a  few  days  after  the  battle,  numbered  more  than  81,000. 

The  Federal  reports  place  their  losses  at  1,646  and  that  of 
the  Confederates  at  2,606,  but  General  Johnston  in  his  ac- 
count of  this  battle,  places  the  Federal  loss  at  more  than 
4,000.  Our  army  moved  to  Smithfield  and  thence  to  a  point 
a  few  miles  north  of  the  present  town  of  Selma  and  went 
into  camp  to  await  Sherman's  next  move,  whether  by  way  of 
Raleigh  or  the  more  direct  route  by  Weldon.  The  men  of 
our  command  were  supplied  with  clothing,  not  having  had  a 
change  since  leaving  their  baggage  in  Savannah  on  20  De- 
cember, 1864,  nor  had  they  slept  under  shelter  since  leaving 
Tarboro  in  l^ovember  preceding.  At  the  reorganization  of 
Johnston's  army  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  and  Tenth  Battalion 
were  assigned  to  Kirkland's  Brigade,  Hoke's  Division,  and 
what  had  constituted  Baker's  and  Hardy's  Brigade  was  dis- 
banded. 


200  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801-'G5. 

retreat  and  surrender. 

On  10  April  we  received  information  that  General  Sher- 
man had  commenced  to  move  his  troops  from  Goldshoro  in 
the  direction  of  lialeigh.  Our  army  commenced  to  fall  hack 
and  on  the  11th  we  camped  a  few  miles  cast  of  the  city  of 
Raleigh  on  the  present  site  of  the  town  of  Garner,  entering 
the  city  early  on  the  morning'  of  the  li^th.  Our  rear  guard 
left  lialeigh  that  night  and  a  day  or  two  later  we  heard  the 
news  of  General  Lee's  surrender.  On  18  April,  1865,  at  the 
Bennett  house,  four  miles  west  of  Durham,  a  conference  was 
held  between  Generals  Johnston  and  Sherman,  and  terms  of 
capitulation  agreed  on  and  signed.  These  terms  were  more 
favorable  to  us,  even,  than  were  accorded  to  General  Lee  by 
General  Grant. 

Upon  reaching  Washington,  President  Lincoln  having 
been  assassinated  in  the  meantime,  they  w^ere  rejected  and 
General  Johnston  being  so  informed,  was  again  on  the  de- 
fensive. We  resumed  the  march,  passing  through  Chapel 
Hill  and  halting  at  a  point  near  Greensboro  where  the  final 
terms  were  agreed  upon  2(j  April.  The  army  was  paroled  2 
and  8  IMay. 

In  crossing  the  Tlaw  river  several  of  our  men  were  drowned 
by  leaving  the  ford  to  reach  some  fish  traps  a  short  distance 
below  and  being  caught  by  the  swift  current  and  swept  down 
into  the  deep  water  below.  On  reaching  Alamance  Creek, 
we  had  a  novel,  and  in  some  respects,  amusing  experience. 
On  account  of  heavy  rains  the  stream  was  much  sw^ollen  and 
the  current  ^'ery  strong.  General  Cheatham's  command  was 
moving  in  fi-out  of  General  Hoke's  Division  and  on  attempt- 
ing to  foi'd  the  stream  several  men  were  swept  down  by  the 
current,  whereupon  the  others  absolutely  refused  to  move. 
This  halted  the  entire  coluniii,  and  as  the  enemy's  cavalry  was 
closely  pressing  our  roar,  the  situation  was  becoming  critical. 
General  Cheathaiu  rode  to  tlic  front  and  learning  llie  cause  of 
the  lialt,  ordered  [lie  lucu  to  go  forward,  but,  enipliasizing 
their  deteruiiuation  \vith  some  pretty  lively  swearing,  they 
doggedly  refused  to  move,  whereupon  General  Cheatham 
seized  tbe  nearest  man  and  into  tlic  stream  thev  went.      After 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  201 

floundering  in  the  water  awhile  he  came  out  and,  after  re- 
peating the  process  for  a  few  times,  the  men  raised  a  shout 
and  proceeded  tO'  cross.  Three  wagons,  one  loaded  with 
"hardtack,"  one  with  guns,  and  one  with  bacon,  capsized  and 
were  swept  down  the  river.  Some  lively  diving  for  the  bacon 
followed,  but  I  guess  the  guns  are  still  rusting  in  the  bottom 
of  the  creek.  I  am  sure  none  of  them  were  disturbed  on 
that  occasion.  General  Hoke,  becoming  restless  and  impa- 
tient at  the  delay,  adopted  a  means  of  transportation  which 
proved  at  least  the  resources  of  a  fertile  brain.  The  water 
was  just  running  over  the  sandy  banks  of  the  stream  and 
selecting  a  suitable  place  a  short  distance  above  the  ford,  he 
moved  the  head  of  his  column  to  this  point,  directed  one  man 
to  seize  his  horse's  tail,  and  another  to  grasp  this  man's  shoul- 
der, and  another  and  another  until  he  had  a  long  line,  swam 
his  horse  across  the  narrow  stream  and  discharging  his  cargo 
safelj^  on  the  opposite  bank,  would  quickly  return  for  an- 
other. The  rapidity  with  which  the  men  were  carried  over 
was  astonishing.  I  don't  know  what  the  final  result  might 
have  been  had  we  not  received  information  that  a  short  dis- 
tance up  the  stream  at  Kuffin's  Mill  was  a  broad  and  shallow 
ford  below  the  mill,  at  which  we  could  easily  and  safely  cross. 

Following  the  announcement  of  the  second  "armistice" 
were  several  days  of  anxious  waiting.  There  was  a  very- 
large  element  of  both  officers  and  men  who  were  opposed  to  a 
surrender  and  many  were  leaving  in  small  bands  with  the 
understanding  that  they  would  afterwards  meet  at  some  ral- 
lying point  to  be  agreed  upon. 

When  the  final  announcement  was  made  that  the  army  was 
to  be  surrendered,  the  scenes  were  pathetic ;  strong,  brave 
men  were  seen  to  weep  like  children.  Officers  everywhere 
were  delivering  farewell  addresses  to  the  brave  men  who  had 
so  faithfully  and  loyally  followed  their  leaders  and  endured 
hardships  and  privations  without  a  murmur. 

If  General  Lee  had  been  able  to  hold  out  until  his  army 
and  General  Johnston's  could  have  been  united  as  had  been 
agreed  upon,  and  both  hurled  against  Sherman  and  then 
against  Grant,  the  result  might  have  been  quite  different. 
Would  it  have  been  for  the  best  interest  of  our  country  and 


202  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

our  race  ?  While  no  true  Confederate  soldier  has  any  apology 
to  offer  for  his  course,  there  is  a  wide  diversity  of  opinion  as 
to  the  correct  answer  tx)  the  above  question. 

THE  ROSTER. 

Roster  of  officers  of  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  North  Carolina 
Troops  given  in  the  order  of  succession  as  shown  by  dates  of 
commission : 

Colonels:  M.  D.  Craton,  J.  A.  Washington,  George 
Worth  am. 

Lieutenant-Colonels  :  J.  A.  Washington,  George 
Wortham,  John  C.  Van  Hook. 

Majors:  George  Wortham,  John  C.  Van  Hook,  H.  J, 
Ryals. 

Adjutants  :     W.  H.  Borden,  Jesse  W.  Edmondson. 

Surgeons  :  Walter  Duify,  Francis  W.  Potter,  John  D. 
Patton. 

Quartermasters  :     E.  B.  Borden,  E.  W.  Adams. 

Commissary:     E.  S.  Parker. 

Chaplains  :     Dr.  R.  S.  Moran,  Thomas  B.  Haughton. 

Sergeant-Majors:  Jesse  W.  Edmondson,  John  H, 
Green. 

captains. 

Company  A — Person  County- — Jolm  C.  Van  Hook,  James 
A.  Burch. 

Company  B — Roheson  County — E.  C.  Atkinson. 

Company  C — Johnston  County — R.  D.  Lunsford,  Thos. 
R.  Young-blood. 

Company  D — Johnston  County — H.  J.  Ryals,  W.  B.  Best. 

Company  E — Wayne  County — J.  B.  Griswold,  P.  L.  Bur- 
well,  W.  T.  Gardner. 

Company  F^ — Moore  County— J.  A.  O.  Kelley. 

Company  G — Bntherford  County — G.  W.  Andrews. 

Company  H — Harnett  County — Joseph  H.  Atkinson. 

Company  I — Bntherford  County — John  B.  Evans. 


Fiftieth  Regiment.  203 

Company  K — Rutherford  County — Samuel  Wilkins,  G. 
B.  Ford. 

FIRST  lieutenants. 

CoMrANY  A — James  A.  Burch,  W.  T.  Blalock. 
Company  B — Atlas  Atkinson. 

Company  C — Thomas  R.  Youngblood,  Jesse  T.  Elling- 
ton. 

Company  T) — W.  B.  Best,  J.  J.  Penny. 

Company  E — W.  T.  Gardener,  W.  H.  Borden. 

Company  F — Alexander  Bolin. 

Company  G — John  A.  Morrison. 

Company  H — John  P.  McLean. 

Company  I — W.  M.  Corbitt. 

Company  K — J.  B.  Ford,  James  A.  Miller. 

SECOND    lieutenants. 

Company  A — W.  T.  Blalock,  R.  D.  Ramsey,  Albert 
O'Bryant. 

Company  B— R.  P.  Collins,  W.  B.  Walters,  W.  B.  Jen- 
kins. 

Company  C — G.  W.  Watson,  William  Lane,  J.  C.  Elling- 
ton, R,  H.  Yelvington  (Ensign). 

Company  D — William  M.  Adams,  Young  J.  Lee,  J.  J. 
Penny. 

Company  E — W.  H.  Borden,  George  Griswold,  W.  L. 
Edwards,  George  T.  Jones. 

Company  F — Malcom  McWatson,  James  Dalrymple. 

Company  G — R.  F,  Logan,  S.  D.  Hampton. 

Company  H — John  Brantly,  David  S.  Byrd,  B.  F.  Brant- 
ly,  A.  L.  Parker. 

Company  I — S.  E.  Bostick,  Jesse  Hellard. 

Company  K— P.  B.  Ford,  L.  P.  Wilkins. 

The  writer  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to  Sergeant  K. 
J.  Carpenter,  of  Company  I,  for  the  use  of  a  diary  kept  by 
him  and  still  preserved.  This  was  found  to  be  exceedingly 
valuable  in  fixing  dates  not  otherwise  obtainable. 

All   "historical   events"   treated   in   the  foregoing  sketch 


204  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

were  verified  bj  a  careful  search  of  "The  Official  Records  of 
United  States  and  Confederate  Armies/'  and  may  be  relied 
on  as  strictly  autlientic. 

J.  C.  Ellington. 
Raleigh,  N.  C, 

26  April,  1901. 


^""UBLIC  LIBRARY. 

AarOfi,  UEN0;(  AND 


FIFTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 

1.  Jno.  L.  Cantwell,  Colonel.  4.    George  Sloan,  Captain,  Co.  I. 

2.  Hector  McKethan,  Colonel.  5.     W.  F.  Murphy.  Captain,  C<>.  K. 

3.  Robert  J.  McEuc-hern,  Captain,  Co.D.     6.     U.  C.  Rockwell,  Captain,  A.  Q.  M. 


FIFTY-FIRST  REQinE/^T. 


By  a.  a.  McKETHAN,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  B. 


I'he  Fifty-first  North  Carolina  Regiment  could  well  be 
called  a  Cape  Fear  Regiment,  as  the  ten  companies  compos- 
ing the  command  came  from  the  counties  of  Cumberland, 
Sampson,  Duplin,  Columbus,  Robeson  and  New  Hanover. 

The  regiment  was  organized  at  Wilmington,  N.  C,  13 
April,  1862,  with  the  following  officers,  viz. : 

John  L.  Cantwell^  Colonel. 

William  A.  Allen^  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Hectok  McKethan,  Major. 

J.  R.  Latta^  Adjutant. 

Alexander  Elliott^  Sergeant-Major. 

H.  C.  Rockwell^  Captain  and  Quartermaster. 

William  McKenzie^  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 

Dr.  S.  B.  Morrisey^ -Surgeon. 

Dr.  James  McGee,  Assistant  Surgeon. 

A.  T.  Robinson^  Hospital  Steward. 

Rev.  J.  B.  Aleord,  Chaplain. 

The  regiment  went  into  camp  near  Wilmington,  spending 
the  Slimmer  at  various  camps  near  that  city  and  at  Smith- 
ville  (now  Southport),  excepting  companies  D  and  K, 
which  were  detached  and  employed  in  building  the  iron-clad 
fort  on  the  river  a  few  miles  below  Wilmington.  From  Wil- 
mington we  were  ordered  in  August  to  Kinston,  IST.  C,  part 
of  the  command  being  employed  on  picket  duty  at  Core 
Creek,  about  eighteen  miles  distant. 

On  1  October,  the  Eighth,  Thirty-first,  Fifty-first  and 
Sixty-first  North  Carolina  Regiments  were  organized  into  a 
brigade  with  Thomas  L.  Clingman  as  Brigadier-General. 
About  this  time  Colonel  Cantwell  resigned,  and  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Allen  assumed  command,  and    we   were    employed 


20G  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

doing  picket  duty,  and  on  various  scouting  expeditions  to 
points  near  New  Bern. 

About  1  December  we  returned  to  Wilmington,  but  soon 
afterwards  were  ordered  to  Goldsboro,  and  were  under  fire 
for  the  first  time  near  that  place  (Neuse  River  Bridge),  as 
we  engaged  the  enemy  on  17  December,  the  regiment  taking 
an  active  part.  Our  men  behaved  with  conspicuous  gal- 
lantry and  forced  the  enemy  to  retire  before  them.  The  regi- 
ment suffered  a  loss  of  about  fifty  in  killed  and  wounded  in 
this  engagement,  Lieutenant  Solomon  Boykin,  of  Company 
K,  being  among  the  killed.  After  this  engagement  we  re- 
turned to  Wilmington  for  winter  quarters. 

Colonel  Allen  resigned  and  the  following  changes  were 
made  in  our  officers :  Hector  McKethan,  Colonel ;  Captain 
Caleb  B.  Hobson,  of  Company  B,  Lieutenant-Colonel ;  Cap- 
tain J.  R.  McDonald,  of  Company  D,  Major;  Chaplain, 
Colin  Shaw,  vice  J.  B.  Alford,  resigned. 

About  18  February,  1863,  we  were  ordered  to  Charleston, 
S.  C,  and  thence  to  Savannah,  Ga.,  spending  only  a  few 
days  at  the  latter  point  when  we  were  again  ordered  to 
Charleston  and  camped  on  James  Island.  At  this  place  we 
suffered  greatly  from  sickness  and  scanty  and  unwholesome 
rations.  On  1  May  we  returned  to  Wilmington,  going  into 
camp  at  Topsail  Sound.  A  few  days  later  Companies  B,  D, 
E  and  H  were  detached  and  sent  to  Magnolia  under  the  com- 
mand of  Major  McDonald. 

On  1  July,  a  raiding  party  of  the  enemy  from  New  Bern 
tapped  the  Wilmington  &  Weldon  Railroad  at  Warsaw  and 
this  detail  hurried  to  that  point,  causing  a  hasty  retreat  of 
the  enemy  in  the  direction  of  New  Bern,  and  capturing  some 
of  their  stragglers. 

BATTERY   WAGNER. 

About  this  time  the  enemy  began  active  operations  against 
Charleston,  S.  C,  and  on  10  July  Clingman's  Brigade  was 
ordered  to  that  point,  and  on  the  12th  the  Fifty-first  Regi- 
ment was  sent  to  Morris'  Island  as  a  garrison  for  Battery 
Wagner,  w^here  we  were  almost  continuously  exposed  to  the 
sharpshooting  and  cannonading  of  the  enemy  until  the  18th, 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  207 

suffering  almost  beyond  endurance  from  heat  and  great  scar- 
city of  water  and  rations,  to  say  nothing  of  the  inferior  qual- 
ity of  the  same,  and  from  the  terrible  shelling  which  was 
only  equaled  during  the  war  at  Fort  Fisher,  the  average  being 
twenty-eight  shells  per  minute  by  actual  count  from  sunrise 
to  7  p.  m.  Battery  Wagner  was  a  field  work  of  sand,  turf, 
and  palmetto  logs,  built  across  Morris'  Island,  extending 
from  the  beach  on  the  east  to  Vincent  Creek  on  the  west, 
about  200  yards.  From  north  to  south  it  varied  from  20  to 
75  yards.  On  the  space  to  the  west  were  built  wooden  quar- 
ters for  officers  and  men,  and  bomb-proofs  capable  of  holding 
from  800  to  1,000  men.  There  were  also  bomb-proof  maga- 
zines and  heavy  traverses. 

On  18  July,  the  armament  consisted  of  one  10-inch  Colum- 
biad,  one  32-pound  rifle,  one  42-pounder,  two  32-pound  Car- 
ronades,  two  l^aval  Shell  guns,  one  8-inch  sea-coast  Howitzer, 
four  smooth-bore  32-pounders,  one  10-inch  sea-coast  Mortar, 
making  in  all  thirteen  pieces.  Of  these  only  one  was  of  much 
effect  against  the  monitors,  and  the  Federal  land  batteries 
were  beyond  the  reach  of  the  other  guns,  so  that  we  had  little 
to  do  but  submit  to  the  hail  of  iron  sent  upon  us  by  the  supe- 
rior and  longer  range  guns  of  the  enemy  from  sunrise  until 
sunset. 

The  garrison  at  this  time  consisted  of  part  of  the  Thirty- 
first  iNTorth  Carolina,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Knight  command- 
ing, which  had  been  sent  over  on  17  July ;  the  Fifty-first 
l^orth  Carolina,  Colonel  Hector  McKethan;  a  Charleston 
battalion,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gail- 
lard,  with  Tatum's  and  Adams'  companies  of  the  First  South 
Carolina  Regulars,  acting  as  artillery;  Buckner's  and  Dix- 
on's companies  of  the  Sixty-third  Georgia  Heavy  Artillery, 
and  DePass'  Battery,  in  all  about  1,700  men. 

The  Charleston  Battalion  and  the  Fifty-first  North  Caro- 
lina Regiment  were  assigned  to  the  defense  of  the  parapets  in 
the  order  named,  from  the  right  along  the  south  front.  The 
four  companies  of  the  Thirty-first  North  Carolina  Regiment 
extended  along  the  sea  face  from  the  Fifty-first ;  the  balance 
of  the  Thirty-first  was  held  in  reserve  at  Fort  Gregg.  Two 
companies  of  the  Charleston  Battalion  were  outside  of  the 


208  North  Carolina  Troops,    1861 -'65. 

woi-ks,  iiiiarding  the  left  gorge  and  sallyport.      Two  of  (cap- 
tain DePass'  field  pieces  were  also  outside. 

During  the  bombardment  we  had  concentrated  upon  our 
little  band  forty-four  guns  and  mortars  from  the  land  bat- 
teries of  the  enemy,  distant  from  1,200  to  2,000  yards,  and 
the  heavy  guns  from  the  iron-sides,  five  monitors  and  five 
gunboats,  say  about  fifty  guns,  making  a  total  of  ninety-four 
guns.  The  sand  being  our  only  protection,  fortunately  one 
shell  would  fill  up  the  hole  made  by  the  last,  or  we  would  have 
been  annihilated.  Our  only  guns  that  could  reach  the  en- 
emy had  been  dismounted  by  their  fire,  and  our  smaller  ones 
we  had  been  compelled  to  dismount  in  order  to  protect,  so 
that  we  might  use  when  the  assault  should  be  made.  During 
the  day  the  garrison  was  protected  as  much  as  possible  by 
the  bomb-proofs,  only  those  necessary  to  guard  and  work  the 
guns  being  required  to  remain  exposed.  This  accounts  for 
the  small  loss  sustained  during  the  day,  but  at  a  given  signal 
each  man  was  expected  to  report  at  his  station  in  the  works, 
the  fire  being  so  rapid  and  deadly  that  it  would  have  been 
impossible  to  attempt  anything  like  military  formation. 
About  dusk  18  July,  1863,  the  long  expected  signal  was 
given  and  the  Fifty-first  North  Carolina  as  one  uum,  sprang 
to  its  post,  encouraged  and  led  by  the  officers. 

The  advancing  column  of  the  enemy  consisted  of  the  First 
Brigade,  made  up  of  six  regiments  and  one  battalion,  sup- 
ported by  Putnam's  Brigade  of  five  regiments,  with  Steven- 
son's Brigade,  of  four  regiments,  held  as  a  reserve. 

The  enemy  advanced  in  column  of  regiments,  led  by  Shaw's 
Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts,  a  picked  negro  regiment,  be- 
tween sunset  and  dusk  with  empty  guns  and  orders  to  use 
their  bayonets.  Time  had  not  been  given  us  to  mount  our 
guns,  which  as  before  stated,  we  had  dismounted  for  protec- 
tion, so  that  the  assault  was  met  solely  by  our  infantry,  not  a 
cannon  being  fired  ;  but  so  murderous  was  our  fire  that  the 
advancing  columns  broke  and  rushed  to  the  rear  through  the 
ranks  of  their  own  support,  causing  confusion  and  delay, 
(^olonel  Shaw,  who  was  hardly  more  than  a  boy,  fell  dead 
on  the  top  of  our  breastworks,  in  advance  of  his  men,  stnick 
witli  tlircc  ii)oi-tal  wounds.      Ills  fdllowcrs  l)rokc  and  fled  in 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  209 

wild  terror.  A  most  handsome  monument  has  been  erected 
in  Boston  to  perpetuate  his  memory. 

About  an  hour  later  a  second  assault  was  made.  By  this= 
time  we  had  mounted  our  gims  which  we  opened  on  them  at 
short  range,  and  our  infantry  again  poured  their  deadly  fire 
into  their  ranks,  causing  a  second  break  with  even  greater 
loss  than  the  first.  A  third  and  final  assault  was  made  about 
10  o'clock,  and  notwithstanding  a  cross-fire  was  concentrated 
upon  them,  a  lodgment  was  made  behind  the  bomb-proof  and 
magazine  manned  by  the  four  companies  of  the  Thirty-first 
I^Torth  Carolina,  but  to  hold  only  for  a  short  time.  Their 
commander  was  killed,  and  the  Thirty-second  Georgia  Regi- 
ment arriving  at  this  time  was  sent  along  the  parapet,  and  to 
the  top  of  the  magazine.  In  this  way  their  rear  was 
reached,  and  the  assailants  of  a  few  minutes  before  found 
themselves  assailed  and  throwing  down  their  arms,  surren- 
dered and  put  an  end  to  the  day's  fighting. 

Brigadier-General  Taliafen'o  was  in  immediate  command 
of  Morris'  Island  during  the  day.  The  position  of  the  Fifty- 
first  was  such  that  it  bore  the  brunt  of  the  assault,  and  its 
members  were  therefore  the  most  active  participants.  The 
Confederate  loss  during  the  day  was  175,  of  which  the  Fifty- 
first  suffered  34  killed  and  40  wounded,  the  following  officers 
being  among  the  number:  Lieutenant  Giles  W.  Thompson^ 
of  Company  E,  killed ;  Lieutenants  Edward  Southerland,  W. 
H.  Littlejohn,  of  Company  A,  and  Lieutenant  J.  D.  Malloy^ 
of  Company  D,  wounded.  The  enemy  is  said  to  have  lost 
2,000,  800  of  whom  were  buried  in  front  of  the  fort  next 
morning.  This  great  slaughter  shows  how  desperately  our 
men,  maddened  and  infuriated  at  the  sight  of  negro  troops, 
fought.  The  next  morning  we  were  relieved  and  sent  to  Sul- 
livan's Island,  the  officers  and  men  being  complimented  by 
General  Beauregard  for  the  manner  in  which  they  had  be- 
haved. A  writer  from  another  State  referring  to  this  en- 
gagement, used  the  following  language:  "The  Fifty-fi.rst 
North  Carolina  brilliantly  sustained  the  honor  of  their  State 
and  were  highly  commended,  especially  the  field  officers,  Col- 

14 


'210  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

onel  Hector  McKethan,  Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  B.  Hobson, 
and  Major  J.  R.  McDonald." 

The  following  incident  is  vouched  for  by  Lieutenant  J.  A. 
McArthur,  of  Company  I,  Fifty-first  North  Carolina,  now 
a  resident  of  Cumberland  county:  The  day  of  the  assault 
Lieutenant  McArthur  was  the  officer  of  the  day,  and  as  such, 
had  a  guard  of  sixty-five  men  detailed  from  the  different 
commands  on  the  Island.  In  the  third  and  last  assault  when 
the  enemy  secured  a  lodgment  near  the  bomb-proof,  he  was 
ordered  by  General  Taliaferro,  in  command  of  the  post,  to  go 
with  his  guard  to  the  relief  of  that  part  of  the  line.  As  Lieu- 
tenant McArthur,  led  by  one  of  the  men  with  a  torch  ascended 
the  bomb-proof,  the  enemy  began  to  fire  upon  them,  and  the 
fire  was  promptly  returned  as  they  advanced,  but  as'  they 
neared  the  enemy  an  Irishman  from  one  of  the  Charleston 
companies  in  McArthur's  detail,  appealed  to  him  to  have  the 
firing  cease,  as  he  had  recognized  the  voice  of  his  brother  in 
the  ranks  of  the  enemy,  which  turned  out  to  be  true,  for  when 
they  surrendered  a  few  minutes  afterwards  the  brother  was 
found  to  be  among  the  prisoners.  Next  morning  the  prison- 
ers were  formed  to  be  sent  to  Charleston,  when  our  Irishman 
appeared  the  second  time  begging  that  his  brother  should 
not  be  sent  to  prison,  and  when  told  that  it  could  not  be 
helped,  as  he  had  been  captured  with  the  others,  he  then 
proposed  that  his  brother  be  permitted  to  enter  the  ranks  by 
his  side,  and  in  this  way  the  prisoner  was  transfonned  to  a 
Confederate  soldier. 

The  enemy  now  concluded  that  the  only  way  to  capture 
Wagner  was  by  slow  siege,  we  doing  our  share  of  the  garrison- 
ing while  this  was  going  on.  On  24  November  we  returned 
to  North  Carolina,  going  to  Tarboro  by  rail,  and  marching 
to  Williamston,  were  assigned  to  duty  at  Foster's  Mill,  in 
Martin  county.  On  13  December  we  returned  to  Tarboro, 
wdiere  we  remained  till  5  January,  1864,  going  thence  to  Pe^ 
tersburg,  Va.,  and  occupied  Camp  Hill  near  that  place.  Later 
in  January,  1864,  we  returned  to  North  Carolina,  marching 
on  New  Bern  and  engaging  in  a  sharp  skirmish  at  Bachelor's 
Creek,  driving  the  enemy  from  their  position  and  pushing 
them  into  New  Bern.     We  then  returned  to  Petersburg,  Va., 


THE  NEW  YORK! 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY  J 


A8TOR,  LEHOX  A  •35 

TILDEN  FOUNOATIOWa. 


FIFTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 

1.  Samu«'l  W.  Maultsby,  Captain,  Co.  H.     4.    E.  T.  McKethan,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  K. 

2.  Joseph  A.  McArthiir,  1st  Lt.,  Co  I.        5.    Alexander  Elliott,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  K. 

3.  Hector  McEacheni,  Ist  Lieut.,  Co.  D.     6.    Stephen  J.  Cobb,  Private,  Co.  D. 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  211 

and  about  1  April  were  ordered  to  Ivor  Station  and  marched 
on  Suffolk,  driving  the  enemy's  pickets  to  a  point  beyond  that 
town.  About  1  May,  General  Butler  landed  a  strong  force 
at  City  Point,  Va.,  and  we  returned  to  Petersburg  and 
marched  to  Dunlop's  Farm,  about  four  miles  distant  in  the 
direction  of  Pichmond.  Here  we  met  and  skirmished  with 
the  enemy  for  several  days. 

PETERSBURG. 

On  12  May  we  marched  to  Dre\\T;v''s  Bluff  and  occupied 
the  works  previously  built.  Butler  followed  us  towards 
Richmond,  the  plan  being  to  draw  him  from  his  base  and  at- 
tack him  from  front  and  rear.  On  16  May,  having  been  re- 
inforced, we  were  ordered  by  General  Beauregard  to  mount 
the  works  and  charge  the  enemy.  This  we  did  over  ground 
strewn  with  fallen  trees,  the  limbs  of  which  had  been  sharp- 
ened as  an  additional  protection  for  the  works,  but  we  pressed 
forward  carrying  line  after  line  of  the  enemy  until  we  had 
them  in  full  retreat,  and  had  the  forces  from  Petersburg  co- 
operated in  the  same  manner  we  would  have  captured  But- 
ler's entire  command.  Our  loss  in  this  engagement  was  very 
heavy,  amounting  to  ten  officers  and  ]  50  men :  Captain  Wil- 
lis H.  Pope,  of  Company  E,  and  Lieutenant  J.  B.  McCallum, 
of  Company  D,  being  killed  ;  Lieutenants  W.  J.  Southerland, 
of  Company  A,  Hector  McEachern  of  Company  D,  Jacob  A. 
Evans  of  Company  C,  J.  A.  McArthur  of  Company  I,  and 
Captain  Samuel  W.  Maultsby  of  Company  H,  being  among 
the  wounded ;  Captain  W.  F.  Mui-phy  of  Company  K,  Lieu- 
tenants J.  D.  Malloy  of  Company  D,  and  L  A.  McArthur  of 
Company  I,  were  captured. 

SECOND    COLD    HARBOR. 

On  the  18th  and  19th  we  again  skirmished  with  the  enemy, 
sustaining  considerable  loss.  We  then  marched  to  Cold  Har- 
bor and  skirmished  with  the  enemy  on  31  May.  On  1  June 
the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  Avas  fought.  Here  we  were  charged 
by  line  after  line  of  the  enemy,  each  line  coming  within  a 
few  yards  of  us,  but  our  fire  was  so  murderous  they  could  not 
live  under  it;  but  notwithstanding  we  killed  thousands  of 


212  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

them,  fresh  lines  were  thrown  at  us  until  finally  a  lodgment 
was  secured  in  a  branch  supposed  to  be  impassable,  and  we 
were  flanked  and  compelled  to  retire.  Having  driven  the 
enemy  from  our  front,  the  order  to  retire  was  not  understood 
by  part  of  our  men  and  they  were  cut  off,  but  not  willing  to 
give  up,  they,  together  with  Lieut. -Col.  Jno.  R.  Murchison  and 
part  of  his,  the  Eighth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  continued 
the  fight  till  entirely  surrounded,  not  only  with  live,  but  also 
dead  yankees.  Our  losses  during  the  two  days  were  194  (11 
officers  and  183  men),  Captain  Robert  J.  McEachern,  of 
Company  D,  and  Lieutenant  Alexander  Elliott,  of  Company 
K,  being  killed ;  Captain  George  Sloan,  of  Company  I,  Lieu- 
tenant G.  P.  Higley,  of  Company  F,  wounded ;  and  Major 
J.  R.  McDonald,  together  with  the  wounded,  were  captured. 
We  remained  at  Cold  Harbor  for  several  days  and  then 
marched  to  Malvern  Hill,  thence  to  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  then 
to  Petersburg,  reaching  the  latter  point  in  time  to  prevent 
Butler  from  occupying  the  city. 

17  JUNE,  1864. 

On  16  and  17  June  the  enemy  charged  our  line  and 
we  repulsed  them,  inflicting  considerable  loss,  but  on  the 
17th,  they  succeeded  in  breaking  through  the  line  at  a 
point  held  by  Wise's  Virginia  Brigade,  and  at  once  be- 
gan to  pour  a  deadly  fire  on  our  flank.  Promptly  five 
companies  of  the  Fifty-first,  under  the  conmiand  of  Col- 
onel McKethan,  filed  to  the  rear.  Ransom's  Brigade, 
under  command  of  Colonel  W.  J.  Clarke,  of  the  Twenty- 
fourth  North  Carolina,  being  hastily  thrown  in  the  same  ])0si- 
tion  on  the  right  of  the  break,  and  at  the  sigmal  these  two 
commands  changed  front  and  rushed  forward  with  fixo^d  bay- 
onets and  soon  recaptured  the  lost  ground,  but  at  a  fearful 
loss,  Colonel  McKethan  l>eing  among  the  seriously  wounded. 
In  this  contest  the  bayonet  and  butts  of  giins  were  freely  used, 
as  there  was  not  time  to  load  and  fire.  The  position  \\as  r^^c\i 
that  the  five  companies  of  the  Fifty-first  and  the  Tlnrry-til'th 
North  Carolina  of  Ransom's  Brigade  occupying  the  centre 
and  being  the  assailants,  suffered  the  greatest  losses.     But  for 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  213 

the  prompt  action  of  tliese  commands  the  enemy  would  cer- 
tainly have  marched  into  Petersburg  on  17  June,  1864. 

We  remained  in  the  works  in  front  of  Petersburg  for 
months  under  fire  every  day,  and  it  has  been  estab- 
lished by  actual  measurements  since  the  close  of  the  war  that 
at  times  there  was  but  sixty-three  yards  between  our  line  of 
works  and  that  of  the  enemy,  while  only  thirty-five  yards  sep- 
arated our  pickets,  which  should  give  a  pretty  accurate  idea 
of  the  danger  and  hardships  under  which  we  passed  the  sum- 
mer of  1864.  On  19  August  we  were  called  upon  to  meet  a 
raiding  party  operating  on  the  Wilmington  &  Weldon  Rail- 
road south  of  Petersburg.  Here  we  met  the  enemy  and  after 
a  running  fight  of  many  miles  forced  them  into  their  lines. 
This  was  a  regular  woods  scramble,  it  being  impossible  to 
preserve  anything  like  a  line  of  battle  on  account  of  the  den- 
sity of  the  woods ;  the  result  was  that  we  captured  a  large 
number  of  prisoners,  and  suffered  considerable  loss  ourselves, 
some  of  our  men  being  captured  and  recaptured  several  times. 
General  Clingiuan  was  wounded  in  this  engagement,  and  the 
brigade  lost  the  services  of  this  gallant  soldier  till  near  the 
close  of  the  ^^'ar,  the  command  of  the  brigade  devolving  on 
■Colonel  McKethan   of  the  Fifty-first. 

FORT   HARRISON. 

We  were  next  taken  to  the  north  side  of  the  James  river 
and  on  30  September  assaulted  Fort  Harrison.  This  point  liad 
been  taken  by  the  enemy  from  our  people,  and  being  consid- 
ered a  point  of  importance,  was  at  once  strengthened  and 
very  heavily  garrisoned.  To  have  attempted  its  recapture 
under  such  circumstances  was  a  mistake,  and  as  carried  out 
a  terrible  blunder  on  the  part  of  some  one,  the  assaulting  par- 
ties going  in,  in  detail  and  being  cut  down  in  turn  by  the 
deadly  fire  of  the  enemy.  Our  officers  on  the  ground,  par- 
ticularly Colonel  McKethan,  the  brigade  commander,  seeing 
the  impossibility  of  success  and  the  heavy  loss  that  we  must 
sustain,  protested  against  making  the  assault,  but  being  or- 
dered by  superior  officers  to  go  forward,  nobly  offered  them- 
selves and  their  commands  as  sacrifices  for  their  country.  At 
the  command  the  Fifty-first  rushed  forward  with  the  other 


214  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

regiments  of  the  brigade,  preserving  their  alignment  until 
the  stockade  was  reached,  which  they  found  impossible  to 
pass.  To  retreat  was  death,  so  the  only  chance  was  to  throw 
down  their  guns  and  pull  up  these  obstructions,  which  the 
men  at  once  attempted,  but  a  double  line  armed  with  repeat' 
ing  rifles  posted  in  front  of  the  works,  and  a  deadly  fire 
from  the  garrison  in  the  fort,  said  to  have  been  several  lines 
deep,  and  the  concentration  of  all  the  artillery  upon  them, 
made  the  position  untenable  and  the  task  impossible,  so  that 
the  few  left  were  forced  to  seek  shelter  offered  by  two  old 
buildings  near  the  works.  Never  was  an  assault  made  more 
gallantly  or  against  greater  odds.  The  Light  Brigade  at 
Balaklava  did  no  more.  "Some  one  had  blundered,"  but  it 
was  a  soldier's  duty  to  obey.  Our  loss  was  seven  officers  and 
ninety-seven  men,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hobson  being  among 
the  killed,  Lieutenant  F.  S.  Currie,  of  Company  D,  and  Lieu- 
tenant J.  A.  Meares,  of  Company  H,  wounded,  and  others, 
whoso  names  cannot  now  be  recalled.  To  Sergeant-Ma j or 
W.  D.  McMillan  (Dr.  McMillan,  of  Wilmington),  who  was 
seriously  wounded  in  this  assault,  I  am  indebted  for  the  fol- 
lowing figures,  viz. : 

"The  brigade  went  into  this  engagement  with  857  guns, 
and  in  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  lost  587."  I  am  unable  to  give 
the  strength  of  the  Fifty-first  at  this  particular  time,  but  as 
the  brigade  contained  857  and  was  composed  of  four  regi- 
ments, the  Fifty-first  could  not  at  this  time  have  containod 
many  over  200. 

To  give  some  idea  how  the  Fifty-first  suffered  during  the 
four  and  one-half  months  from  15  May  to  1  October,  1864. 
On  15  May  we  had  1,100  officers  and  men,  going  into  the 
charge  of  16  May  with  800  men  ready  for  duty  (a  detail  was 
made  from  the  regiment  on  the  15th,  and  did  not  participate 
in  this  engagement).  On  1  October  we  had  reduced  to  145 
men,  many  of  the  companies  being  without  commissioned  of- 
ficers, and  in  some  cases  in  command  of  a  corporal. 

Our  casualties  aggregated  over  1,000,  as  some  were  wound- 
ed several  times.  Companies  D  and  I  each  suffered  a  loss  of 
more  than  100  men  to  the  company.  Clingman's  Brigade, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  McKethan,  was  then  placed 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  215 

in  the  line  of  works  protecting  Richmond,  our  left  resting  on 
the  Darbytown  road,  where  we  remained  until  December^ 
doing  picket  duty  and  engaging  in  one  or  two  feints  against 
the  enemy  to  draw  their  attention  from  Petersburg. 

WILMINGTON. 

On  24  December  we  received  marching  orders  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Richmond  on  our  way  to  ISTorth  Carolina,  having 
been  called  on  account  of  Butler's  threatening  Fort  Fisher. 
On  reaching  Wilmington  we  went  into  camp  at  Camp  Lamb, 
spending  about  one  week,  when  we  changed  our  camp  to  a 
point  near  Green's  mill  pond,  where  we  remained  until  the 
final  attack  on  Fort  Fisher.  On  12  January,  1865,  our 
division  (General  Robert  F.  Hoke's)  was  mustered  at  camp 
for  division  review  for  the  benefit  of  a  large  number  from  the 
city,  and  after  marching  and  counter  marching  for  the  gTeater 
portion  of  the  day  we  returned  to  our  quarters  for  rest,  but 
were  not  given  this,  as  the  "long  roll"  called  us  to  arms  dur- 
ing the  night  and  we  were  hurried  towards  Fisher.  A  march 
however,  had  been  stolen  on  our  people,  as  a  heavy  force  had 
been  landed  by  the  enemy  and  cut  us  off  from  the  fort. 

Why  we  should  have  been  stopped  in  Wilmington,  thirty 
miles  from  Fort  Fisher,  I  have  never  understood.  Had 
General  Hoke  and  his  division  been  put  in  supporting  dis- 
tance of  Fisher,  the  enemy  could  not  have  made  their  land- 
ing, and  without  this  the  capture  of  Fisher  was,  in  my  opin- 
ion, impossible. 

After  the  fall  of  Fort  Fisher  we  made  a  line  across  the 
peninsula  and  threw  up  works,  our  right  resting  on  the  Cape 
Fear  river  near  Sugar  Loaf,  and  our  left  on  the  ocean  near 
what  is  now  known  as  Carolina  Beach.  From  this  point  we 
fell  back  to  within  a  few  miles  of  Wilmington,  skirmishing 
with  the  enemy  as  they  followed.  We  then  evacuated  Wil- 
mington, crossing  North  East  river  and  marching  to  Rockfish 
in  Duplin  county. 

battle  of  southwest  ckeek:. 

From  this  point  we  were  taken  by  rail  to  Kinston  and  en- 
gaged in  three  days  fighting,  7,  8  and  9  March,  1865,  near 


216  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

that  ]ila('(\  (Iriviiio-  the  enenij  several  miles,  capturing  and 
killiiiii'  many  witli  but  small  loss  to  our  side.  The  change  from 
Eockfish  to  Kinston  carried  us  through  ]\Iagnolia,  where  the 
companv  which  1  then  commanded  was  raised,  and  the  homes 
of  many  of  the  men  could  be  seen  from  the  cars.  1  was 
given  orders  for  that  reason  to  put  my  command  in  an  ordi- 
nary box  car,  such  as  was  used  in  those  days  for  transporting 
soldiers,  and  to  get  on  top  myself  with  a  good  man  and  allow 
none  of  the  men  to  get  off  as  we  passed  through  the  section 
in  which  they  lived.  We  had  not  proceeded  far  when  the  en- 
gine stopping  at  a  tank  for  water,  I  discovered  two  of  my 
best  men  on  the  ground  near  the  car.  I  spoke  to  them  and 
demanded  an  explanation  of  their  violation  of  orders,  when 
one  of  them,  pointing  to  a  small  house  a  few  hundred  yards 
distant,  said  that  the  lady  standing  in  the  door  was  his  sis- 
ter;  that  he  was  going  to  stop  and  see  her,  but  would  be  on 
next  day.  To  permit  this  was  a  violation  of  orders  on  my 
part  as  well  as  that  of  the  soldiers,  ])ut  knowing  that  the  en- 
emy was  closing  in  behind  us  and  this  would  perhaps  be  their 
last  chance  to  see  their  loved  ones,  and  having  confidence  in 
the  men,  I  did  not  have  the  heart  to  stop  them,  whatever  the 
consequences  to  myself  might  be,  and  in  this  way  I  lost  the 
greater  part  of  my  company  before  reaching  Kinston,  and  in 
the  first  day's  fight  the  First  Sergeant  and  myself  represented 
the  company ;  but  true  men  as  they  were,  all  reported  for  duty 
that  night.  This  is  mentioned  to  illustrate  the  true  spirit 
and  patriotism  of  the  southern  soldier ;  the  cause  was  almost 
lost  and  he  knew  it,  and  immediately  before  him  he  could 
picture  his  fields  laid  in  waste,  his  home  plundered  and  his 
family  exposed  and  suffering,  yet  even  to  the  last  roll  call, 
he  answered  to  his  country's  summons  at  the  post  of  danger 
and  duty. 

BENTOXVTT.LE. 

Tlie  advance  of  tlie  enemy  from  Wilmington  and  the  near 
apjtroach  of  Sherman's  army  from  Fayettevillv^,  caused 
our  withdrawal  from  Kinston  and  rendering  the  evacmi- 
tion  of  (jlo]dsl)(»ro  necessary  we  were,  therefore,  ordered  to 
Bentonville,  wh(>re  we  met  and  checked  Sherman.      The  first 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  217 

day  we  fouglit  facing  Fayetteville  and  with  our  backs  on 
Goldsboro,  but  we  were  soon  flanked  and  compelled  to  face 
about.  Several  attempts  from  the  direction  of  Goldsboro 
were  made  to  dislodge  us,  but  failed ;  still  the  vast  forces  un- 
der Sherman  finally  forced  us  to  retire  to  escape  being  sur- 
rounded and  our  communications  cut  off.  This  we  did  in 
good  order,  marching  to  Smithfield,  where  we  remained  sev- 
eral days.  The  enemy  however,  soon  began  to  advance  and 
on  10  April  we  began  tO'  retire  before  them  towards  Raleigh, 
through  which  city  we  marched  12  April  just  ahead  of  Sher- 
man. From  Raleigh  we  went  to  Chapel  Hill,  finally  halt- 
ing at  Bush  Hill,  I^.  C,  where  we  surrendered  with  John- 
ston's army  and  were  paroled  2  May,  1865,  to  return  to  our 
homes. 

Thus  ends  the  history  of  the  Fifty-first  Xorth  Carolina 
Regiment.  The  regiment  was  composed,  rank  and  file,  of  men 
and  ofiicers  of  whom  any  country  on  earth  might  well  be 
proud.  Many,  as  was  the  case  with  our  Colonel  and  a  num- 
ber of  others,  saw  the  sun  of  the  South  rise  in  glory  at  Bethel, 
and  set  in  its  blood-red  sheen  at  Bentonville.  In  this  time 
many  a  loved  and  chivalric  comrade  passed  from  us  on  his 
long  and  sad  furlough.  Thirty-six  years  have  passed  and 
Time,  with  his  cruel  scythe,  has  cut  down  most  of  those  who 
w^ere  left ;  to  the  memory  of  those  that  have  passed  before  and 
since,  officers  and  men,  I  dedicate  this  feeble  tribute. 

In  closing,  I  desire  to  say  that  in  the  preparation  of  this 
very  imperfect  sketch,  I  have  been  compelled  to  do  so  with- 
out data,  as  our  official  papers  were  lost  during  the  latter 
days  of  the  war.  But  by  the  aid  of  Adjutant  J.  R.  Latta,  of 
'New  Hanover;  Stephen  J.  Cobb,  of  Company  D  (Captain 
Company  F,  Second  North  Carolina  Volunteers,  Spanish- 
American  War)  ;  and  H.  L.  Hall,  of  Company  I,  and  others 
who  were  fortunate  enough  to  escape  the  terrible  struggle,  I 
am  under  obligations  for  much  information,  and  in  particular 
as  to  the  casualties.  It  was  my  wish  to  give  a  full  list  of 
the  casualties  of  the  regiment,  but  I  found  it  impossible  to  do 
this  even  of  the  commissioned  officers  in  the  different  engage- 
ments in  which  the  regiment  participated.  I  attach  here- 
with a  roster  of  the  commissioned  officers  from  the  organiza- 


218  North  Carolkna  Troops,  1861-65. 

tion  to  the  surrender,  and  with  the  aid  of  others,  I  have  at- 
tempted to  give  from  memory  opposite  each  name  such  in- 
formation as  I  have  been  able  to  obtain.  While  this  roster 
is  not  perfectly  correct  it  is  as  near  so  as  can  be  made  thirty- 
six  years  after  the  close  of  the  war. 

I  also  insert  statistics  of  enlistments  in  Companies  D 
and  I  from  organization,  and  of  the  casualties  in  each  of  said 
companies.  The  casualties  in  these  two  companies  fairly 
represent  the  losses  in  the  eight  others,  and  the  loss  of  officers 
as  shown  by  the  roster  will  convey  some  idea  of  the  losses  sus- 
tained by  the  Fifty-first  from  17  December,  1862,  to  21 
March,  1865. 

ROSTER  OF  THE  FIFTY-FIRST  NORTH  CAROLINA  REGIMENT, 

Company  A — Captain  J.  L.  Cantwell,  promoted  to  Colo- 
nel on  organization,  resigned ;  Captain  Walker.  Lieutenant 
Edward  Southerland,  promoted  to  Captain,  wounded  at  Bat- 
tery Wagner  18  July,  1863,  again  wounded  in  1864;  Lieu- 
tenant W.  J.  Southerland  severely  wounded  16  May,  1864, 
and  never  returned  to  service;  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Littlejohn 
wounded  at  Battery  Wagner  18  July,  1863;  Lieutenant 
Reuben  J.  T.  Hawse  promoted  from  First  Sergeant,  lost  a 
leg  at  Fort  Harrison. 

Company  B — Captain  Caleb  B.  Hobson,  promoted  to  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel, killed  at  Fort  Harrison  30  September,  1864, 
Lieuteuant  W.  R.  Bell,  promoted  to  Captain,  wounded  and  re- 
tired ;  Lieutenant  J.  E.  Swinson,  resigned  during  fall  or  win- 
ter of  1862  ;  Lieutenant  Thomas  J.  Herring,  promoted  to 
Captain,  seriously  wounded ;  Lieutenant  Jesse  T.  Smith, 
promoted  from  Sergeant,  captured  and  retained  in  prison  till 
close  of  the  war;  Lieutenant  C.  L.  Cowles,  promoted  from 
ranks  to  Sergeant-Major  and  Lieutenant;  Lieutenant  A.  A. 
McKethan,  promoted  from  ranks,  wounded  at  Petersburg  17 
June,  1864. 

Company  C — Captain  W.  A.  Allen,  promoted  to  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel on  organization,  resigned.  Lieutenant  Robert 
James,  wounded  and  retired ;  Lieutenant  S.  M.  Stanford, 
promoted  to  Captain,  resigned  in  1864;  Lieutenant  E.  L. 
Watson,  promoted  to  Captain,  surrendered  at  Bush  Hill,  N". 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  219 

C. ;  Lieutenant  H.  V.  Houston ;  Lieutenant  J,  G.  Branch, 
resigned  in  1863  ;  Lieutenant  A.  M.  Sullivan,  promoted  from 
Sergeant,  wounded  at  Kinston  1865. 

Company  D — Captain  J.  R.  McDonald,  promoted  to 
Major,  captured  at  Cold  Harbor.  Lieutenant  R.  J.  Mc- 
Eachem,  promoted  to  Captain,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor ;  Lieu- 
tenant J.  D.  Malloy,  promoted  to  Captain,  wounded  at  Bat- 
tery Wagner  18  July,  1863,  captured  at  Drewry's  Bluff  16 
May,  1864;  Lieutenant  J.  B.  McCallum,  killed  at  Drewry's 
Bluff  16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  Hector  McEachern,  wound- 
ed and  captured  at  Drewry's  Bluff ;  Lieutenant  F.  S.  Currie, 
wounded  at  Fort  Harrison  30  September,  1864;  Lieutenant 
W.  R.  Boone,  promoted  from  ranks,  captured  August  1864. 

Company  E* — Captain  W.  P.  Moore,  resigned  in  Fall  of 
1862.  Lieutenant  Willis  H.  Pope,  promoted  to  Captain, 
killed  at  Drewry's  Bluff  16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  A.  J. 
Ashley,  promoted  to  Captain,  died  of  wounds ;  Lieutenant 
J.  P.  Pitman,  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant,  captured  30 
September,  1864;  Lieutenant  F.  F.  Floyd,  captured  10  June, 
1864;  Lieutenant  W.  A.  Bullock,  captured  19  August,  1864; 
Lieutenant  Giles  W.  Thompson,  killed  at  Battery  Wagner 
18  July,  1863. 

Company  F — Captain  — .  — .  Walters,  resigned  during 
spring  of  1863 ;  Captain  W.  S.  ISTorment,  transferred  from 
the  Eighteenth  Regiment,  severely  wounded  at  Fort  Harrison 
30  September,  1864.  Lieutenant  A.  C.  Fulmore;  Lieuten- 
ant G.  P.  Higley,  captured  at  Cold  Harbor;  Lieutenant  J, 
W.  Hartman,  wounded,  don't  remember  place  or  date. 

Company  G- — Captain  J.  W.  Lippitt,  pulled  through  safe, 
commanded  the  regiment  at  the  surrender  at  Bush  Hill,  1^.  C. 
Lieutenant  S.  R.  Chinnis,  resigned  during  the  winter  of 
1862  or  1863  ;  Lieutenant  Yopp  ;  Lieutenant  Jacob  A.  Evans, 
wounded  16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  T.  B.  Lippitt,  pulled 
through  safe;  Lieutenant  Ben.  A.  Cowan,  pulled  through 
safe. 

Company  H — Captain  J.  R.  Kelly,  resigned  in  1862. 
Lieutenant  S.  W.  Maultsby,  promoted  to  Captain,  severely 
wounded  16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  Lennon,  resigned  in 
1862;    Lieutenant    Jacob    Bamberger;    Lieutenant    J.    A. 


220  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Meares,  wounded  at  Fort  Harrison  80  September,  1864; 
Lieutenant  A.  M.  Thompson,  pulled  through  safe;  Lieuten- 
ant Jordan  Huglies. 

Company  I — Captain  Hector  McKethan,  elected  Major  on 
organization,  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  afterwards 
to  Colonel,  wounded  17  June,  1864.  Lieutenant  George 
Sloan,  promoted  to  Captain,  slightly  wounded  16  May,  1864, 
captured  1  June,  1864;  Lieutenant  J.  A.  McArthur,  wounded 
and  captured  16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  C.  T.  Guy,  pro- 
moted from  Sergeant,  pulled  through  safe ;  Lieutenant  J.  H. 
Taylor,  promoted  to  Adjutant  last  year  of  the  war. 

Company  K — Captain  J.  B.  Underwood,  resigned  in  1863. 
Lieutenant  W.  F.  Murphy,  promoted  to  Captain,  captured 
16  May,  1864;  Lieutenant  Solomon  Boykin,  killed  at  jSTeuse 
river  bridge  17  December,  1862;  Lieutenant  E.  T.  Mc- 
Kethan, transferred  to  General  Hoke's  staff,  and  afterwards 
assigned  to  light  duty  on  account  of  loss  of  health ;  Lieuten- 
ant Alexander  Elliott,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor  1  June,  1864; 
Lieutenant  J.  J.  Tew,  pulled  through  safe ;  Lieutenant  Eli 
Dudley,  wounded,  but  time  and  place  not  remembered. 

I  am  indebted  to  comrades  Private  Stephen  J.  Cobb,  of 
Company  D,  (Captain  of  Company  F,  Second  North  Caro- 
lina Volunteers  Spanish-American  War),  and  to  Sergeant 
D.  G.  McLellan,  of  Company  I,  for  the  following  statistics  in 
their  respective  companies : 

COMPANY    D. 

Total  enlistments,  151.  Killed:  Officers  1,  men  10,  total 
11.  Died  of  w'ounds:  Officers  1,  men  10;  total  11.  Wound- 
ed: Officers  3,  men  58;  total  61.  Captured:  Officers  3,  men 
20;  total  23.  Total,  officers  8,  men  98;  gi-and  total,  106. 
Of  the  twenty  enlisted  men  reported  as  captured,  thirteen 
died  in  prison. 

COMPANY  I. 

KiJlcfi:  Officers  0,  non-commissioned  officers  2,  men  43; 
total,  45.  W(>un»l(Ml :  Officers  2,  non-commissioned  officers 
3,  men  4S ;  total,  53.  Captured :  Officers  2,  non-commis- 
sioned officers  3,  men  24 ;  total,  29.  Total,  officers  4,  non- 
conmiissioned  officers  8,  men  115  ;  grand  total,  127. 


Fifty-First  Regiment.  221 

This  company  sustained  a  loss  of  twenty-nine  men  in  the 
charge  on  16  May,  1864,  exclusive  of  the  few  captured  who 
were  not  wounded. 

The  enemy  overnm  and  captured  our  picket  line  just  be- 
fore the  charge  and  our  loss  in  prisoners  was  due  to  that  fact. 
Tht;y  were  not  lost  in  the  assault. 

A.  A.  McKethan. 
Paybtteville,  N.  C, 

26  April,  1901. 


—=1 


PUBLIC  LIBRAR'^ 


;^TOR,  LENOX  ANO 


Fll'TYSECOND  REGIMENT. 
1.    Wm.  W.  Carmichael,  1st  Lt.,  Co.  F.       2.    Leroy  S.  Elliott,  Private,  Co  K. 


FIFTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


By  JOHN  H.  ROBINSON,  Adjutant. 


The  Fifty-second  Regiment  of  North  Carolina  Troops  was 
organized  at  Camp  Mangum  (camp  of  instruction),  near 
Raleigh,  on  22  April,  1862,  and  was  composed  of  ten  compa- 
nies of  infantry,  as  follows: 

Company  A — From  Cabarrus  County — Captain,  George 
A.  Propst;  First  Lieutenant,  John  M.  Alexander;  Second 
Lieutenant,  Phillip  A.  Correll,  Jr. ;  Second  Lieutenant,  Jas. 
A.  Black;  First  Sergeant,  Jas.  M.  Cook;  Second  Sergeant, 
Joseph  C.  Hill;  Third  Sergeant,  Alexander  F.  Hurley; 
Fourth  Sergeant,  John  W.  Felter ;  Fifth  Sergeant,  Leroy  W. 
Pope;  First  Corporal,  George  C.  Blume;  Second  Corpord, 
George  H.  Brown ;  Third  Corporal,  Richard  F.  Cook ;  Fourth 
Corporal,  George  A.  Misenheimer ;  and  100  privates. 

Company  B — From  Randolph  County — Captain,  James 
F.  Foulkes ;  First  Lieutenant,  Jesse  K.  Kyle ;  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, John  H.  Robinson,  Jr. ;  Second  Lieutenant,  W.  E. 
Kyle.  The  officers  of  this  company  were  all  from  Fayette- 
ville.  First  Sergeant,  Calvin  J.  Rush;  Second  Sergeant, 
Lindsay  C.  Hardister;  Third  Sergeant,  Calvin  B.  Lewis; 
Fourth  Sergeant,  Alvin  Bingham;  Fifth  Sergeant,  William 
N.  Glasgow;  First  Corporal,  Reuben  C.  Fesmire;  Second 
Corporal,  Reuben  Lowdermilk;  Third  Corporal,  Alpheus 
Gallihara;  Fourth  Corporal,  George  W.  Cooper;  and  123 
privates. 

Company  C — From  Gates  and  Chowan  Counties — Cap- 
tain, Julian  Gilliam;  First  Lieutenant,  George  Gilliam; 
Second  Lieutenant,  John  Gatling,  Junior;  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, J.  K  Harrell;  First  Sergeant,  Job  Hofier;  Second 
Sergeant,  James  J.  Floyd;  Third  Sergeant,  David  W.  Par- 
ker; Fourth  Sergeant,  Caleb  M.  Hayes;  First  Corporal, 
Richard  Arnold ;  Second  Corporal,  William  O.  Hofler ;  Third 


224  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Corporal,    Peterson    Hofler;    Fourth    Corporal,    Thomas    J. 
Monroe ;  and  93  privates. 

Company  I) — From  Stokes  County — (^aptain,  Leonidas 
R.  Gibson;  First  Lieutenant,  Isaac  Nelson;  Second  Lieuten- 
ant, Samuel  IL  Rierson ;  First  Sergeant,  A.  C.  Myers ;  Sec- 
ond Sergeant,  John  H.  Nelson ;  Third  Sergeant,  D.  P.  Tut- 
tle ;  Fourth  Sergeant,  Phillip  A.  James ;  Fifth  Sergeant,  J. 
F.  Landers;  First  Corporal,  John  M.  Alle;  Second  Coi-poral, 
J.  W.  Tuttle ;  Third  (^orporal,  Charies  M.  Williams ;  and  80 
privates. 

Company  E — From  Richmond  County — Captain,  Ben- 
jamin F.  Little;  First  Lieutenant,  Milton  S.  Austin;  Second 
Lieutenant,  M.  B.  McDonald ;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant, 
Thos.  R.  Baldwin ;  First  Sergeant,  John  W.  Ewing ;  Second 
Sergeant,  John  H.  Nichols ;  Third  Sergeant,  Thomas  R.  Ca- 
pel ;  Fourth  Sergeant,  Isaac  Gatelej ;  Fifth  Sergeant,  R,  F. 
Gibson ;  First  Corporal,  S.  C.  Crouch ;  Second  Corporal,  D. 
O.  Gray ;  Third  Corporal,  William  Kennedy ;  Fourth  Cor- 
poral, John  F.  Woods;  and  120  privates. 

Company  F — From  Wilhes  County — Captain,  Marcus  A. 
Parks ;  First  Lieutenant,  Nathaniel  A.  Foster ;  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, William  W.  Carmichael ;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant, 
J.  J.  Parlier ;  First  Sergeant,  Joseph  G.  Hall ;  Second  Ser- 
geant E.  R.  Vannoy ;  Third  Sergeant,  William  TI.  Foster, 
Fourth  Sergeant,  James  P.  Warren ;  Fifth  Sergeant,  Charles 
Carlton ;  First  Corporal,  James  P.  Gilreath ;  Second  Corpor- 
al, Daniel  Wilcox;  Third  Corporal,  Orrin  J.  Harris;  Fourth 
Corporal,  Zenah  A.  Harris;  and  160  privates. 

Company  G — From  Lincoln  County — Captain,  Joseph 
B.  Shelton ;  First  Lieutenant,  James  M.  Kincaid ;  Second 
Lieutenant,  J.  D.  Wells ;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant,  Ilaniel 
M.  Asbury ;  First  Sergeant,  William  D.  Thompson ;  Second 
Sergeant,  John  W.  Lilly ;  Third  Sergeant,  Frederick  Linehar- 
ger;  Fourth  Sergeant,  Thomas  B.  Tliom])son ;  Fifth  Ser- 
geant, John  F.  Little;  First  Corporal,  ]\Ioses  H.  Caldwell; 
Second  Corporal,  Albert  M.  Nixon ;  Third  Corporal,  W.  G. 
P.  Houston;  Fourth  Corporal,  William  Little;  and  116  pri- 
vates. 

Company  H — From  Lincoln  Cotinty — Captain,  Eric  Er- 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  225 

son  ;  First  Lieutenant,  William  A.  Sununerson ;  Second  Lien- 
tenant,  Lawson  A.  Bellinger ;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant,  Wil- 
liam R.  Arents ;  First  Sergeant,  James  A.  Patterson;  Second 
Sergeant,  Peter  S.  Beal ;  Third  Sergeant,  Ephraim  Garrison ; 
Fourth  Sergeant,  John  C.  McCall ;  Fifth  Sergeant,  Samuel 
H.  Randleman ;  First  Corporal,  Lafayette  Lof tin ;  Second 
Corporal,  John  C.  Goodson ;  Third  Corporal,  John  C.  Del- 
linger;  Fourth  Corporal,  Richard  McCorkle;  and  125  pri- 
vates. 

CoisiPANY  I — From  Sternly  County — Captain,  George  C 
McCain ;  First  Lieutenant,  James  D.  Hearne ;  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, Samuel  S.  Lilly ;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant,  Willis 
Randall ;  First  Sergeant,  B.  K.  Crowell ;  Second  Sergeant^ 
James  M.  McCorkle ;  Third  Sergeant,  George  P.  Parker ; 
Fourth  Sergeant,  H.  Clay  Turner;  Fifth  Sergeant,  Reuben 
Harris ;  First  Corporal,  D.  D.  Rogers ;  Second  Corporal,  Ben- 
jamin P.  Austin  ;  Third  Corporal,  William  A.  Smith  ;  Fourth 
Corporal,  Wm.  D.  A.  Mason;  and  112  privates. 

Company  K — From  Forsyth  County — Captain,  Julius  C. 
Blackburn ;  First  Lieutenant,  Junius  W.  Goslin ;  Second 
Lieutenant,  Romulus  M.  Cox;  Junior  Second  Lieutenant, 
Virgil  H.  Walker ;  First  Sergeant,  John  W.  Beck ;  Second 
Sergeant,  John  M.  Crews ;  Third  Sergeant,  Gideon  E.  Clay- 
ton ;  Fourth  Sergeant,  William  P.  Dawson ;  First  Corporal, 
James  R.  Ingram ;  Second  Corporal,  Lauriston  F.  Elliot ; 
Third  Corporal,  Thomas  R.  Davis ;  Fourth  Corporal,  Eph- 
raim B.  Terry;  and  100  privates. 

These  companies  were  organized  as  the  Fifty-second  j^orth 
Carolina  Regiment  on  22  April,  1862,  the  following  field 
officers  being  elected : 

James  K.  Marshall^  Colonel. 
Marcus  A.  Parks^  Lieutenant-Colonel. 
John  Q.  Richardson^  Major. 
Subsequently  the  following  Staff  was  appointed : 
John  Gatling,  Adjutant. 

James  M.  McCorkle^  Assistant  Quartermaster. 
George  H.  Coke^  Assistant  Commissary. 
James  F.  Foulkes,  Surgeon. 
15 


-220  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'05. 

AViLLiAM  H.   Lilly,  Assistant   Surgeon. 
-H.  Clay  Turner^  Sergeant  Major. 
^Valter  R.  Russell,  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 
W.  F.  Brookshire,  Commissary  Sergeant. 
E.  J.  DeBerry,  Hospital  Steward. 
J .  R.  Pepper,  Ordnance  Sergeant. 

Musicians,  Charles  DeCamp,  J.  H.  C.  Pearce,  R.  F.  War- 
ren and  W.  II.  Shaw. 

Captain  Marcus  A.  Parks,  of  Company  F,  having  been 
promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  regiment,  all  of 
the  officers  of  this  company  were  advanced  one  grade,  and 
Sergeant  Joseph  G-  Hall  was  promot-ed  to  the  Second  Lieuten- 
ancy to  fill  the  vacancy. 

Upon  the  completion  of  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  it 
was  assigned  to  Brigadier-General  J.  G.  Martin's  Brigade. 
About  1  June  the  regiment  was  moved  from  the  camp  of  in- 
struction hy  rail  to  a  point  in  Lenoir  county  on  the  railroad, 
near  where  the  village  of  LaGrange  now  stands,  and  went  into 
camp. 

We  named  this  encampment  "Camp  Black  Jack,"  and  here 
we  remained  about  a  week  or  ten  days,  engaged  in  drilling 
and  performing  other  camp  duties.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time  the  command  was  moved  nearer  Kinston,  where  we  had 
more  suitable  ground,  and  this  encampment  was  called 
"Camp  Johnston,"  at  which  point  the  regiment  remained, 
di'illing  daily,  until  tlie  16th,  when  it  was  ordered  to  do  picket 
duty  about  five  miles  below  Kinston.  The  writer  and  a  Lieu- 
tenant being  detailed  to  remain  at  camp  and  care  for  the  sick 
(of  whom  there  were  quite  a  number  at  that  time,  suffering 
with  measles  and  colds),  and  giiard  the  camp,  did  not  par- 
ticipate in  this,  the  first  duty  performed  by  the  regiment  in 
the  field.  The  regiment  continued  in  the  discharge  of  this 
duty  until  relieved  by  other  troops  on  the  24th,  when  it  re- 
turned to  camp  and  resumed  its  regular  routine  duties,  with 
daily  drillings  of  the  officers  as  well  as  the  men. 

On  the  afternoon  of  30  June,  orders  were  received  to  cook 
all  the  rations  on  hand  and  be  ready  to  move  at  an  hour's  no- 
tice, whereupon  all  was  bustle  in  the  camp  and  the  orders 
were  promptly  complied  with.     The  regiment  moved  late  in 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  227 

the  afternoon,  taking  the  cars  to  Kinston,  and  thence  march- 
ing about  five  miles  below  the  town  on  the  road  leading  to 
New  Bern,  to  meet  a  column  of  the  enemy  advancing  in  our 
direction.  Night  coming  on,  the  regiment  bivouacked  by  the 
roadside,  but  the  enemy,  having  received  information  of  our 
movements,  retraced  his  steps  in  the  direction  of  New  Bern, 
and,  in  consequence.  General  Martin  sent  a  courier  during 
the  night  to  Colonel  Marshall,  ordering  him  to  return  to 
camp ;  accordingly  the  regiment  began  its  march  early  next 
morning  and  reached  camp  in  the  forenoon  of  1  July.  Rest- 
ing this  day,  we  resumed  our  drillings  on  the  2d  and  con- 
tinued our  routine  work  until  the  afternoon  of  the  5th,  when 
orders  were  received  to  cook  three  days'  rations  and  be  ready 
to  move  at  a  moment's  notice.  These  orders  having  been 
promptly  and  cheerfully  complied  with,  we  were  kept  in  sus- 
pense until  Tuesday  evening,  the  8th,  when  we  boarded  the 
train  for  the  half-way  station  on  the  Petersburg  &  Richmond 
Railroad,  reaching  that  point  about  daylight  Friday  morning, 
the  11th,  having  been  delayed  en  route  by  an  ex- 
press train  derailed  on  the  track  ahead  of  us  Tuesday 
night,  and  awaited  transportation  at  Petersburg.  We 
camped  temporarily  at  that  point  until  the  14th,  on  which 
date  we  marched  to  Drewry's  Bluff,  going  regularly  into 
camp  at  this  place,  and  naming  our  encampment  "Camp 
Campbell."  Here  we  were  engaged  in  work  upon  fortifica- 
tions, drilling  and  the  various  duties  of  the  camp. 

Captain  James  F.  Foulkes,  of  Company  B,  having  re- 
signed in  order  to  accept  his  commission  as  Surgeon  of  the 
regiment,  on  2  July  the  officers  of  this  company  were  each 
promoted  one  grade  and  on  21  July,  Sergeant  Lindsay  C. 
Ilardister  was  promoted  to  Second  Lieutenant.  The  regi- 
ment continued  at  this  camp  until  the  morning  of  20  Au- 
gust, when  we  broke  camp  at  daylight  and  marched  to  Peters- 
burg, Va.,  to  await  orders.  Here  we  went  into  camp  about 
two  miles  east  of  the  city  and  called  this  encampment  "Camp 
French." 

On  22  August,  Lieutenant  Lindsay  C.  Hardister,  of  Com- 
pany B,  died  in  his  tent  at  Camp  Campbell,  after  an  illness 
of  a  few  days.     About  the  26th,  the  regiment  was  trans- 


228  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

ferred  to  General  J.  Johnston  Pettigrew's  Brigade.  On  the 
28th  Captain  Joseph  B.  Shelton,  of  Company  G,  resigned, 
and  the  officers  of  this  company  were  each  promoted  one 
grade,  and  Corporal  R.  B.  B.  Houston  was  promoted  to  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  of  this  company.  On  28  October,  James  W. 
Huske  was  transferred  from  Captain  James  McNeill's  com- 
pany of  cavalry  to  Company  B,  and  promoted  to  Second  Lieu- 
tenant to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Har- 
dister. 

The  regiment  remained  at  Camp  French,  doing  work  on 
fortifications,  drilling,  etc,  etc.,  until  2  November,  when  it 
was  moved  to  the  vicinity  of  Franklin,  Va.,  on  the  Black 
Water  river,  reaching  this  point  on  the  following  evening. 
We  were  placed  at  Joyner's  Ford  on  picket  duty  and  re- 
mained there  until  15  November,  when  we  moved  and  went 
into  camp  at  Black  Creek  Church,  Southampton  county,  Va., 
which  we  reached  during  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day. 
While  occupying  this  camp  we  were  engaged  in  picketing  the 
Blackwater  at  several  points. 

On  the  18th  the  enemy  advanced  with  a  force  of  cavalry 
and  infantry  and  made  an  attempt  to  cross  the  river  at  Joy- 
ner's Ford,  which  point  was  held  by  a  detail  of  an  officer 
and  twenty  men.  The  attack  was  first  made  by  a  body  of 
cavalry,  which  was  driven  back  by  our  picket.  They  were 
reinforced  by  a  body  of  infantry  and  made  a  second  attack, 
in  which  they  were  successful  in  forcing  a  passage,  our  men 
retreating;  not,  however,  until  a  messenger  had  been  sent  to 
Colonel  Marshall,  informing  him  of  the  attack  and  the  neces- 
sary retreat  of  his  men.  Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of 
this  information  the  Colonel  moved  at  once  with  his  regiment 
to  the  support  of  his  men,  marching  about  three  miles.  When 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  ford,  he  was  told  that  a  body  of 
about  300  cavalry  had  crossed  the  river,  and  was  occupying 
the  camp  whicli  wo  had  left  on  tlie  15th.  The  regiment  was 
hurried  forward,  and  on  reaching  a  position  which  com- 
manded a  view  of  the  grounds,  said  to  be  held  by  the  enemy, 
was  halted.  No  enemy  was  to  be  seen,  although  they  could 
be  distinctly  heard  giving  commands.  Skirmishers  were 
thrown  forward  and  advanced,  but  the  enemy  declined  an 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  229 

engagement  and  recrossed  the  river.  Having  re-established 
our  picket  post  at  Jojner's  Ford  and  strengthened  it,  the  reg- 
iment returned  to  camp. 

After  crossing  the  river  the  enemy's  cavalry  moved  in  the 
direction  of  Franklin ;  and,  reaching  a  point  from  which  they 
could  shell  the  town,  amused  themselves  with  this  com^- 
ardly  occupation  for  an  hour  or  more,  the  only  result  of  which 
was  the  wounding  of  two  men  of  the  Eleventh  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina Regiment  stationed  there. 

On  the  26th,  Captain  George  A.  Propst,  of  Company  A, 
having  resigned,  the  officers  of  this  company  were  promoted 
one  grade  each.  Lieutenants  P.  A.  Correll  and  James  A. 
Black  having  resigned,  Sergeants  James  A.  Cook  and  J.  C. 
Hill  were  promoted  to  fill  the  vacancies. 

The  regiment  continued  to  do  picket  duty  along  the  Black- 
water  river,  in  the  vicinity  of  Franklin,  until  16  December. 
About  1  ]Srovember,  Captain  James  M.  McCorkle  resig-ned  the 
office  of  Assistant  Quartermaster,  and  Adjutant  John  Gat- 
ling  was  appointed  to  this  office.  In  consequence  of  this  ap- 
pointment the  office  of  Adjutant  was  vacant  and  Lieutenant 
John  H.  Robinson,  of  Company  B,  was  promoted  to  this  po- 
sition. 

On  16  December  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  proceed  im- 
mediately to  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  and  in  obedience  to  this  order 
we  took  the  cars  at  Franklin  and  reached  Goldsboro  some 
time  after  midnight,  and  reported  to  General  G.  W.  Smith, 
who  was  in  command  of  this  department.  The  Colonel  was 
ordered  to  report  with  his  regiment  to  General  Thomas  L. 
Clingman,  Avho  commanded  on  the  south  side  of  the  Neuse 
river.  The  regiment  was  at  once  conveyed  by  train  across 
the  river  and  reported  as  instructed.  General  Clingman  or- 
dered that  the  men  should  rest  where  they  had  quit  the  train, 
at  a  point  on  the  Wilmington  &  Weldon  road,  about  one-half 
mile  from  the  railroad  bridge  over  the  ]^euse  River,  and  at 
the  intersection  of  the  county  road  and  railroad. 

BATTLE  OF  GOLDSBORO. 

About  sunrise  on  the  morning  of  the  17th  scouts  came  in 
and  reported  the  enemy  advancing  from  the  direction  of  Kin- 


230  North  Carolina  Troops,    1S()1-'G5. 

ston  iiloiig  tlie  county  road  in  heavy  force.  Our  regiment 
was  at  once  formed  in  line  of  battle,  parallel  with  the  rail' 
road  and  across  the  county  road.  Holding  this  position  for 
the  space  of,  probably,  half  an  hour,  the  enemy  still  advanc- 
ing, Colonel  Marshall  was  ordered  to  proceed  to  the  railroad 
bridge  and  hold  it  all  hazard.  He  moved  his  regiment 
rapidly  along  the  railroad  track  by  the  left  flank,  and  imme- 
diately upon  arriving  at  the  bridge,  placed  his  command  to 
the  best  advantage  for  carrying  out  his  orders.  Shortly  after 
the  regiment  was  in  position  the  enemy  advanced  upon  us 
in  heavy  force.  One  column  approached  the  bridge  on  the 
east  side  of  the  railroad  and  up  the  river  bank,  attacking  our 
left  companies  with  great  vigor.  Another  approached  up 
the  railroad  track,  and  as  it  approached,  threw  out  a  force  on 
the  west  side  of  the  railroad.  The  regiment  fought  with 
great  spirit  and  very  gallantly,  but  the  force  was  so  vastly  su- 
perior in  number  that  the  left  of  the  regiment  was  driven 
back  and  the  enemy  advancing,  reached  the  bridge  and  ap- 
plied the  torch.  It  being  constructed  of  inflammable  mate- 
rial, was  soon  in  a  light  blaze  and  burned  rapidly.  Tn  the 
meantime  the  right  of  the  regiment  was  hotly  engaged,  and 
no  support  having  been  sent  to  our  relief,  and  the  colunm 
spoken  of  having  been  thrown  out  on  the  Avest  or  upper  side 
of  the  railroad  having  advanced  so  far  as  to  greatly  endanger 
our  successful  retreat,  the  regiment  was  moved  rapidly  up 
the  bank  of  the  river  in  the  direction  of  the  county  bridge, 
half  a  mile  or  more  above.  During  our  retreat  the  Fifty- 
first  Xorth  Carolina  Regiment,  which  now,  when  it  was  too 
late,  had  been  ordered  to  our  support,  mistaking  us  for  the 
enemy,  poured  a  volley  from  one  company  into  us,  not  doing 
any  damage,  liowever,  as  they  flred  across  an  angle  formed  by 
two  fences  and  shot  too  high.  At  this  point  tlie  regiment 
halted. 

The  enemy,  apjiarcntly  satisfied  for  tlie  time  with  having 
accomplished  the  destruction  of  the  bridge,  fell  back  and 
took  position  on  a  commanding  liill  on  tlie  east,  or  lower  side 
of  the  railroad,  about  five  or  six  hundred  yards  from  the  site 
of  the  lu'idgc.  Hoping  to  dislodge  the  enemy,  an  attack  was 
made  upon  liis  lines  during  the  afternoon. 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  231 

General  Clingman  foiined  his  infantry  line,  composed  of 
the  Fifty-first  and  Fifty-second  ITorth  Carolina  Regiments, 
under  the  immediate  command  of  Colonel  Marshall,  in  a 
skirt  of  woods  on  the  west  of  the  railroad,  and  about  500  yards 
from  it.  While  in  this  position  we  were  subjected  to  a  very 
heavy  shelling  from  the  enemy's  battery  of  four  guns.  Leav- 
ing his  infantry  in  line  as  stated,  General  Clingman  moved 
with  two  guns  of  Starr's  ITorth  Carolina  Battery  by  the 
county  road  to  attack  the  enemy  in  flank,  with  directions  to 
Colonel  Marshall  to  move  at  once  upon  the  enemy's  line  so 
soon  as  he  should  open  fire  upon  him.  While  the  infantry 
line  was  awaiting  developments  by  Starr's  guns,  General 
Evans,  of  South  Carolina,  rode  up  behind  the  infantry  line, 
and,  inquiring  what  troops  they  were,  ordered  an  immediate 
advance.  When  he  was  informed  of  General  Clingman's 
plan  of  attack,  and  suggestion  was  made  to  him  that  a  move- 
ment before  Starr  had  reached  his  position  would  disconcert 
all  of  General  Clingman's  plans  and  result  in  disaster,  he  re- 
plied :  ''I  rank  Clingman ;  move  forward  at  once ;  I  will  sup- 
port you  with  the  Holcombe;  Legion."  Of  course,  commands 
must  be  obeyed,  and  the  infantry  moved  out  at  double-quick, 
under  a  galling  fire  from  the  battery,  and  reached  the  rail- 
road embankment,  under  cover  of  which  it  halted  just  long 
enough  to  reform  its  line. 

Moving  again  quickly  over  the  railroad,  a  high  rail  fence 
was  encountered  which  had  to  be  climbed  in  the  face  of  a 
heavy  discharge  from  the  battery  of  grape  and  canister. 
Meanwhile  Starr's  guns  had  not  yet  come  into  position,  but, 
fortunately,  he  opened  fire  directly  after  the  infantry  had 
crossed  the  railroad,  and  drew  the  fire  of  a  portion  of  the  en- 
emy's battery,  the  line  still  advancing;  but  in  a  very  few 
moments  all  saw  the  hopelessness  of  the  attempt  to  drive  the 
enemy,  and  an  order  was  issued  to  fall  back,  and  for  all  who 
could  to  save  themselves  by  precipitate  retreat. 

Under  General  Clingman's  plan  of  attack  there  was  a  pos- 
sibility of  successfully  dislodging  the  enemy.  Under  Gen- 
eral Evans'  order  the  attack  was  simply  reckless  disregard 
of  the  lives  of  his  troops.  The  Adjutant  of  the  Fifty-second 
Regiment,  in  his  report  of  the  fight,  made  on  the  morning  of 


232  North  Carolina  Troops,  18G1-'G5. 

the  18th,  reported  8  killed  on  the  held,  58  wounded  and  13 
missing.  Of  the  latter,  subsequent  reports  show  some  of 
them  to  have  been  killed.  The  regiment  was  camped  in  the 
vicinity  of  Goldslxjro  until  about  the  23d,  Avhen  it  returned  to 
its  camp  on  the  Blackwater  near  Franklin,  Va. 

On  the  25th  orders  were  received  to  cook  three  days'  ra- 
tions and  be  prepared  to  move  at  daylight  on  the  26th.  Ac- 
cordingly rations  were  prepared  and  at  dawn  on  the  26th  we 
crossed  the  river,  entering  the  enemy's  territory  on  a  forag- 
ing expedition.  We  remained  for  five  days  and  procured  a 
considerable  quantity  of  forage,  and  this  having  been  success- 
fully accomplished,  General  Roger  A.  Pryor,  in  whose  com- 
mand we  were  serving  temporarily,  concluded  to  go  in  search 
of  the  enemy.  Marching  all  day,  we  arrived  at  Windsor  Sta- 
tion, on  the  Seaboard  Railroad,  about  night,  and  finding  the 
place  occupied  by  two  companies  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  we 
opened  on  them  with  artillery,  when  they  made  a  hasty  re- 
treat. The  command  rested  here  for  the  night,  and  at  day- 
light next  morning  we  resumed  our  march,  reaching  camp  at 
midday  1  January,  1863. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  3d  we  broke  camp  on  the  Black- 
water  and  marched  to  Garysburg,  N.  C,  where  we  took  cai's 
and  reached  Rocky  Mount  on  the  night  of  the  5th  at  11:30 
o'clock,  and  rejoined  General  Pettigrew,  to  the  delight  of 
the  entire  reginient.  On  the  26th  we  struck  our  tents  and 
moved  to  Magnolia,  reaching  that  point  on  the  evening  of  the 
same  day. 

We  pitched  our  cain]")  near  the  town,  where  we  were  en- 
gaged in  drilling  daily,  when  the  weather  permitted,  and 
during  our  sojourn  here  underwent  a  rigid  inspection  In-  the 
inspecting  ofiicer  of  the  brigade. 

On  the  morning  of  13  February  tbe  reginiout  took  \\p  its 
line  of  march  in  the  direction  of  Greenville,  and  on  the  1 6th, 
while  in  bivouac  ten  miles  from  Goldsboro,  orders  were  re- 
ceived to  remain  Avhere  we  were  and  await  further  orders.  On 
the  17th  we  were  directed  to  return  to  Goldsboro,  which  place 
we  reached  the  same  day,  and  went  into  camp  about  two  miles 
from  the  town.  While  here  we  were  engaged  in  drilling 
every  day.      March  Dth  we  broke  oam]i  and  the  regiment,  to- 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  233 

getber  with  other  troops,  started  on  a  march  for  the  purpose 
of  making  an  attack  upon  the  enemy  at  'New  Bern.  The  reg- 
iment arrived  near  the  town  at  daybreak  on  the  morning  of 
the  13th  and  supported  our  artillery,  which  opened  fire  upon 
the  enemy  at  sunrise.  An  artillery  duel  was  fought  nearly 
all  day  without  any  satisfactory  result,  when  the  troops  were 
withdrawn,  falling  back  to  a  position  about  three  miles  from 
the  town,  where  we  rested  until  12  o'clock  that  night. 

WASHINGTON^   N.    C. 

About  this  hour  we  resumed  our  line  of  march  and  halted 
nine  miles  from  the  town  at  daylight  next  morning.  In  this 
position  we  remained  until  3  o'clock  in  the  afteraoon,  when 
the  line  of  march  was  again  taken  up  and  continued  day  and 
night,  with  occasional  short  rests,  until  the  17th,  on  wdiich 
date  we  went  into  camp  near  the  town  of  Greenville.  On  the 
18th  we  were  again  on  the  march  and  arrived  at  Tranter's 
Creek,  about  eight  miles  from  Washington,  on  the  19th.  Re- 
maining here  for  a  day  or  two  we  returned  to  our  camp  near 
Greenville  on  or  about  the  23d.  Resting  here,  we  received 
orders  on  the  28th  to  be  ready  to  move  in  one  hour.  March- 
ing on  this  day,  we  reached  a  point  on  the  Pamlico  river, 
seven  miles  below  the  town  of  Washington,  on  Sunday,  March 
29th.  Here  w^e  erected  a  heavy  earthwork  on  a  bluff  on  the 
river  bank  and  called  it  Fort  Hill,  in  honor  of-  General  D. 
H.  Hill,  who  commanded  the  expedition.  The  Federal 
troops  occupying  the  town  of  Washington  were  reported  to 
be  running  short  of  both  ammunition  and  rations,  and  Fort 
Hill  was  erected  for  the  purpose  of  commanding  the  river 
and  preventing  communication  between  the  transports  and 
gunboats  in  the  river  below  and  the  garrison  of  the  town.  Our 
battery  was  composed  of  guns  of  light  calibre,  all  field  pieces 
and  not  able  to  cope  with  the  gunboats  in  the  river  below, 
which  gave  the  fort  heavy  shellings  each  day.  They  were 
suspicious  of  us,  however,  for  occasionally  two  Whit  worth 
guns  would  be  sent  down  from  the  battery  near  the  town,  and 
w^hile  they  were  in  battery,  we  would  open  on  them  at  long 
range,  and  on  several  occasions  inflicted  considerable  damage. 
When  these  guns  were  withdrawn,  the  gunboats  would  ap- 


234  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

proach  quite  near  and  open  on  the  fort  without  eliciting  anj 
reply.  This  puzzled  them,  and  they  were  timid  and  would 
not  venture  the  passage  of  the  fort. 

On  7  April,  in  obedience  to  orders,  Colonel  Marshall,  with 
six  companies  of  his  regiment,  moved  at  daylight  to  meet  a 
force  of  the  enemy,  reported  to  be  moving  on  our  rear  from 
New  Bern.  When  about  three  miles  from  the  fort  the  bat- 
talion was  halted  to  await  orders.  Remaining  until  night, 
it  was  learned  that  the  enemy  had  returned  in  the  direction  of 
New  Bern  and  the  command  returned  to  the  fort. 

On  the  10th  the  enemy  advanced  from  New  Bern  in  force 
by  the  Blount's  Mill  road,  and  the  regiment  was  moved  out 
to  meet  them  and  check  the  advance.  Forming  line  of  bat- 
tle at  Blount's  Mill,  we  awaited  their  attack,  and  after  a 
skirmish  of  abouttwo  hours  duration  they  retired  in  flight, 
felling  trees  across  the  road  to  retard  pursuit.  About  the 
13th  or  14th  the  boats  in  the  river  mustered  courage  to  at- 
tempt the  passage  of  the  fort.  Steaming  boldly  up,  one  of 
them  made  a  successful  passage,  as  we  had  none  but  the  field 
guns  in  the  battery,  and  although  we  fired  upon  her  repeat- 
edly in  her  passing,  the  damage,  if  any,  was  of  a  trifling  na- 
ture. 

The  fort  having  failed  eventually  in  accomplishing  the  ob- 
ject for  which  it  had  been  constructed,  was  evacuated  on  the 
15th  and  all  the  troops  below  drawn  in  nearer  to  the  town. 

On  the  18th  orders  were  received  to  move  in  the  direction 
of  Kinston,  via  Ilookerton,  which  latter  place  we  reached  on 
the  10th,  Avhere  we  remained,  awaiting  orders  until  the  25th. 
Captain  Julian  Gilliam,  of  Company  C,  having  resigned  1 
April,  1803,  First  Lieutenant  George  Crilliam  was  promoted 
to  Captain  and  Second  Lieutenant  John  C  Warren  to  First 
Lieutenant.  Lieutenant  John  Gatling  liad  previously  been 
promoted  to  Adjutant,  and  1  Noveinl)('r,  1^0-2,  to  Captain 
and  Acting  Quartermaster. 

On  the  25th  the  regiment  marched  to  Kinston  and  remain- 
ed there  until  2  May,  when  we  took  the  train  for  Virginia, 
reaching  Taylorsville,  near  Hanover  Junction,  on  the  14th 
and  going  into  camp.  The  regiment  was  divided  for  some 
time  during  our  stay  at  this  point;   tliree  companies  were 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  235 

held  in  camp,  five  were  detached  for  duty  at  the  railroad 
bridge  over  the  South  Anna  river  on  the  Central  Railroad, 
engaged  in  building  fortifications,  and  two  were  doing  picket 
duty  at  the  Richmond  &  Fredericksburg  Railroad.  When 
not  engaged  in  building  fortifications  and  doing  picket  duty, 
the  regiment  was  drilled  daily,  and  it  was  in  the  finest  condi- 
tion when  we  began  our  march  to  join  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia. 

About  1  June  Pettigrew's  Brigade  was  assigned  to  duty  in 
Major-General  Harry  Heth's  Division  of  General  A.  P.  Hill's 
Corps.  On  6  June  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  proceed  to 
Hamilton's  Crossing,  and  we  marched  until  late  on  Sunday 
evening,  the  7th,  when  we  were  directed  to  strike  the  railroad 
and  take  the  cars.  Obeying  this  order,  we  were  conveyed  by 
rail  the  remainder  of  the  distance  and  reached  the  Crossing 
at  4  o'clock  Monday  morning,  the  8th.  Upon  arrival,  we 
were  placed  in  position  on  the  Rappahannock  river,  about  six 
miles  below  Fredericksburg,  where  we  remained  in  line  of 
battle  until  10  June,  when  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  pro- 
ceed to  Hanover  Junction  to  relieve  General  Corse,  of  Pick- 
ett's Division.  Reaching  the  railroad  depot,  we  awaited 
transportation  for  several  hours.  Fortunately,  before  cars 
could  be  furnished  the  order  was  countermanded  and  the  reg- 
ment  directed  to  report  to  General  Pettigrew,  which  was  done 
on  the  same  night,  when  we  resumed  our  place  in  the  line  of 
battle  along  the  river. 

GETTYSBUEG   CAMPAIGN. 

On  14  June  we  left  the  lines  in  front  of  Fredericksburg 
and  started  on  the  ever  memorable  Gettysburg  campaign.  By 
easy  marches  we  reached  Culpepper  Court  House  on  the  I7th. 
Continuing  the  march  on  the  18th,  passing  through  Berry- 
ville,  Charlestown,  and  other  villages,  we  reached  Shepherds- 
town  on  the  23d,  and  on  the  24th  waded  the  Potomac  at  this 
point,  thence  proceeding  leisurely  towards  Gettysburg,  pass- 
ing through  the  battlefield  of  Sharpsburg,  crossing  the  Antie- 
tam  river  on  the  stone  bridge,  on  through  Chambersburg,  Pa., 
and  halting  on  the  29th  at  Cashtown,  a  village  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountains  on  the  Baltimore  and  Chambersburg  pike,  and 


236  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

distant  about  six  miles  northwest  from  Gettysburg.  Here 
we  rested  until  the  morning  of  1  July.  On  the  evening  of 
the  29th  Company  B,  Fifty-second  Regiment,  under  com- 
mand of  First  Lieutenant  W.  E.  Kyle,  was  detailed  to  picket 
the  Emmettsburg  road  at  a  village  called  Millertown,  a]x)ut 
five  miles  to  the  right  of  our  camp,  and  during  the  night  had 
a  skirmish  with  a  picket  post  held  by  the  enemy's  cavalry. 
During  the  night  of  the  30th  the  company  was  withdrawn 
and  reported  at  camp. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  1  July  we  moved  in  the  direction 
of  Gettysburg.  Archer's  Brigade  of  Heth's  Division,  lead- 
ing the  advance,  encountered  a  heavy  force,  commanded  by 
General  Buford,  of  the  enemy's  cavalry,  on  the  Chambers- 
burg  road  about  one  mile  from  Gettysburg,  and  was  at  once 
engaged ;  the  cavalry,  pressing  Archer  very  luird,  and  skil- 
fully using  their  artillery,  checked  his  advance,  when  Petti- 
grew's  Brigade,  the  Fifty-second  holding  the  right  of  his  line, 
was  rapidly  advanced  to  his  support.  By  a  vigorous  attack 
we  succeeded  in  forcing  Buford's  line  back  in  the  direction  of 
the  town,  when,  being  reinforced  by  a  heavy  infantry  column, 
they  in  t\irn  checked  Heth's  advance.  By  this  time  Petti- 
grew's  Brigade  had  reached  Willoughby's  Run,  westward 
from  the  town  and  halted  ;  lying  here  under  a  heavy  shelling 
from  the  enemy's  guns,  and  greatly  annoyed  by  their  sharp- 
shooters, who  occupied,  at  this  time,  the  second  story  of  a 
brick  buihling  immediately  in  front  of  our  line,  we  awaited 
the  arrival  of  Anderson's  Division  of  Hill's  Corps  which  was 
moving  up  to  strengtiien  the  lines. 

About  noon  we  advanced  and  Pettigrew's  Brigade  encoun- 
tered the  enemy  in  an  open  field  when  a  most  desperate  fight 
ensued.  I  have  already  stated  that  Colonel  Marshall's  regi- 
ment held  the  right  of  Pettigrew's  line,  and  as  we  advanced 
through  the  open  field  our  right  flank  was  menaced  by  a  body 
of  the  enemy's  cavahy,  seeking  an  opportunity  to  charge  our 
lines.  While  on  the  advance  and  uiulcr  heavy  fire  Colonel 
Marshall  fornunl  his  regiment  in  s(iuare  to  giuu'd  against  at- 
tack from  this  body,  and  at  the  same  time  deployed  Comjnmy 
B,  under  comuiand  of  Lieutenant  W.  E.  Kyle,  to  protect  his 
flank.      'I'liis  gnlhnit  ofiicer  succeeded  in  holding  the  cavalry 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  237 

in  check  and  finally  drove  them  from  our  flank.  This 
maneuver  was  executed  by  the  regiment  as  promptly  and  ac- 
curately as  if  it  had  been  upon  its  drill  grounds.  The  fight- 
ing continued  with  unabated  fury  until  sundown,  when  we 
had  gradually,  but  steadily,  driven  the  enemy's  lines  back 
upon  the  towai,  but  at  a  tremendous  cost  of  valuable  lives. 
About  this  time — sundown  or  nearly  so — General  Pender  was 
sent  to  our  relief,  and  passing  over  our  lines  took  up  the  fight 
and  drove  the  enemy  into  and  through  the  town,  halting  only 
when  commanded  to  do  so,  and  thus  ended  the  first  day's  fight 
so  far  as  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  concerned. 

The  losses  in  the  brigade  were  appalling,  and  those  of  the 
Fifty-second  Regiment  very  heavy.  Here  the  gallant  Cap- 
tain McCain,  of  Company  I,  fell  dead,  pierced  by  a  minie 
ball,  while  leading  his  company  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight. 
About  the  same  time  the  young  and  chivalrous  Captain  Black- 
burn, of  Company  K,  fell  dead  at  the  head  of  his  company 
while  leading  his  men  to  victory.  In  addition  to  this  great 
loss  many  valuable  officers  w-ere  wounded  and  the  loss  in  the 
ranks  was  very  heavy.  At  this  time,  over  thirty-seven  years 
having  elapsed,  and  without  access  to  records,  I  am  unable 
to  state  the  casualties  with  accuracy. 

On  the  second  day  our  regiment  w^as  not  engaged.  A 
greater  portion  of  the  forenoon  of  the  3d  was  consumed  in 
perfecting  the  arrangements  for  the  assault  on  Cemetery  Hill. 
General  Lee  was  concentrating  his  batteries  along  the  brow 
of  Seminary  Ridge,  and  by  noon  had  massed  145  cannon  to 
open  the  attack.  To  reply  to  these  guns  the  enemy,  who  w^ere 
able  to  see  what  was  going  on  in  our  lines,  had  crowned 
Cemetery  Hill,  according  to  report,  with  80  cannon.  On  this 
day  Heth's  Division  was  imder  command  of  General  Petti- 
grew,  General  Heth  having  received  a  disabling  wound  the 
day  before. 

PettigTew's  Brigade  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Marshall, 
and  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  under  command  of  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Parks.  The  column  of  attack  was  lying  un- 
der the  crest  of  the  ridge  in  rear  of  our  guns.  Pettigrew's 
Brigade  occupied  the  position  in  line  immediately  to  the  left 
of  Archer,  who  joined  the  left  of  Kemper's  Brigade  of  Pick- 


238  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

ett's  Division,  which  occupied  the  right  of  the  column  of  at- 
tack. Between  1  and  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  our  guns 
opened  upon  the  enemy's  batteries  and  elicited  a  prompt  and 
spirited  reply.  This  artillery  duel  was  continued  for  the 
space  of  about  two  hours  without  intermission,  and  the  roar 
of  the  guns  and  bursting  of  shell  were  frightful  to  hear  and 
dreadful  to  contemplate.  A  slackening  of  the  enemy's  fire 
was  taken  advantage  of  to  advance  the  column  of  attack.  In 
obedience  to  orders  the  line  moved  gallantly  and  steadily  for- 
ward under  fire  of  our  gims  until  it  reached  a  point  beyond 
which  it  was  unsafe  to  fire  over  our  heads.  Steadily  the  ad- 
vance was  made,  and  as  steadily  and  coolly  met  with  a  mur- 
derous fire  from  the  enemy's  cannon,  charged  with  grape, 
shrapnel  and  canister.  Still  the  line  advanced,  and  at  every 
step  our  comrades  fell  on  every  side,  killed  or  wounded. 
Still  we  advanced  under  the  incessant  discharge  of  the  can- 
non, assisted  by  the  infantry's  rifles,  and  had  almost  attained 
success,  when  by  the  overpowering  force  and  almost  impreg- 
nable position  of  the  enemy,  our  lines  were  forced  back,  and 
then  the  slaughter  was  terrific.  We  fell  back  to  the  point 
from  which  the  attack  was  made,  rallying  all  whom  it  was 
possible  to  reach,  and  reforming  our  shattered  lines. 

In  this  fatal  charge  our  losses  were  very  heavy.  The 
gallant  Marshall,  pierced  through  the  body  while  leading 
his  brigade  to  the  attack,  fell  from  his  horse,  dead,  within 
a  very  short  distance  of  the  enemy's  lines.  In  his  death 
our  cause  sustained  a  very  great  loss.  Of  his  rank  the  Con- 
federate Army  had  few  equals  and  no  superiors.  His 
regiment  was  greatly  attached  to  him ;  his  uniform  courtesy, 
coupled  with  great  firmness  and  rigid  discipline  in 
camp,  as  well  as  on  the  march,  had  won  the  entire  confidence 
of  his  men,  and  all  mourned  him  as  a  brother  lost. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Parks  was  shot  through  both  thighs,  and 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  our  brave 
and  dashing  Major  Richardson  sealed,  with  his  life,  his  de- 
votion to  the  cause  he  loved  so  well,  and  for  the  advance- 
ment of  whose  success  he  had  striven  so  zealously.  He  was 
instantly  killed  by  a  rifle  ball  while  leading  the  left  wing  of 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  239 

his  regiment.  Of  the  line  officers,  but  few  escaped  wounds  or 
capture. 

The  regiment  was  commanded  on  the  4:th  by  Captain  Na- 
thaniel A.  Foster,  of  Company  F,  the  Junior  (^aptain  en- 
gaged in  the  fight.  The  Adjutant  of  the  regiment  reported 
the  lossas  in  tlie  engagements  of  the  first  and  third  days  as 
33  killed  on  the  field,  114  wounded  and  169  missing.  Of 
this  latter,  nearly  all  of  whom  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands,  it 
is  fair  to  presume  many  were  wounded. 

We  held  our  lines  during  the  night  of  the  3d  and  the  day 
of  the  4th,  strengthening  them  with  temporary  works,  and 
expecting  an  attack  by  the  Federal  army.  As  no  advance  was 
made  by  the  enemy.  General  Lee  began  to  retire  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  Potomac  on  the  night  of  the  4th.  In  consequence 
of  the  death  of  our  field  officers  on  the  3d,  Captain  B.  F.  Lit- 
tle, of  Company  F,  was  commissioned  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
and  Captain  Eric  Erson,  of  Company  H,  was  commissioned 
Major,  the  officers  of  Companies  E  and  H  were  each  promoted 
one  grade,  as  were  also  the  officers  of  Companies  I  and  K,  in 
consequence  of  the  death  of  Captains  McCain  and  Blackburn. 
On  account  of  the  bad  roads  and  caution  observed  on  retiring, 
we  did  not  reach  Hagerstown,  Md.,  until  the  10th.  Finding 
the  waters  of  the  Potomac  so  much  swollen  from  recent  heavy 
rains  as  to  make  fording  impracticable,  and  General  Lee's 
pontoon  bridge  partially  destroyed,  we  halted  at  this  place. 
On  the  morning  of  the  11th  our  regiment  went  into  line  of 
battle  about  three  miles  from  the  town,  expecting  General 
Meade  would  attack  us  as  soon  as  he  had  come  up.  We  held 
this  line  until  the  night  of  the  13th,  with  occasional  skirmish- 
ing between  the  picket  lines.  During  this  halt  the  pontoon 
bridge  had  been  repaired  so  as  to  be  available,  and  was  thrown 
across  the  Potomac  at  Falling  Waters.  The  rain  had  been 
falling  nearly  every  day  since  we  began  to  fall  back  from 
Gettysburg,  and  consequently  the  roads  were  in  a  horrible 
condition.  During  the  13th  wagon  trains  were  put  in  mo- 
tion to  cross  the  river,  and  at  night  the  troops  from  our  por- 
tion of  the  line  were  withdrawn  and  marched  for  the  pontoon 
bridge,  but  the  roads  were  so  cut  up  by  the  heavy  wagon 


240  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

trains  and  the  artillery  as  to  make  tlieni  almost  impassable, 
and  our  march  was  necessarily  slow. 

FALLING  WATERS. 

To  Pettigrew's  Brigade  had  been  assigned  the  responsible 
duty  of  protecting  the  rear  of  the  army  while  crossing  the 
river.  The  march  had  been  so  retarded  by  the  difficulty  of 
getting  the  artillery  and  the  wagon  trains  forward  that  we  did 
not  reach  our  position  until  10  o'clock  Tuesday  morning,  14 
July.  General  PettigTew  chose  a  hill  by  the  roadside,  and 
between  one  and  two  miles  from  the  river,  for  his  position. 
There  he  formed  his  line  and  ordered  a  rest,  whereupon  the 
men  threw  themselves  upon  the  ground,  and  in  a  few 
moments  many  of  them,  responding  to  the  call  of  exhausted 
nature,  were  sound  asleep.  We  had  been  followed  by  a  large 
body  of  cavalry  which  had  not  yet  the  temerity  to  attack  us. 
While  resting,  as  stated,  awaiting  the  crossing  of  that  portion 
of  the  army  which  had  not  yet  succeeded  in  reaching  the 
pontoon,  a  squad  of  Federal  cavalry,  numbering  about  fifty 
men,  passing  through  a  skirt  of  woods  in  our  rear,  behind 
which  was  massed  a  division,  advanced  upon  us  at  a  trot  with 
sabres  drawn  and  rode  over  us  before  we  could  check  them. 
In  explanation  of  this  fact  it  should  be  stated  that  a  regiment 
of  our  cavalry  had  passed  us  going  to  the  rear  a  short  time 
before  for  the  purpose  of  crossing  the  river  at  Williarasport 
above,  but  we  thought  they  were  between  us  and  the  enemy. 

As  the  cavalry  body  approached,  the  men  were  waked  up 
and  called  to  arms,  but  some  of  the  superior  officers,  mistak- 
ing them  for  our  own  men,  ordered  the  men  not  to  fire,  and  it 
was  not  until  they  were  upon  us  that  the  error  was  seen ;  then 
the  bursting  of  caps  with  the  occasional  discharge  of  a  rifle, 
was  heard,  and  the  enemy  began  to  reap  the  reward  of  his 
rashness.  Having  ridden  over  our  lines,  they  Avere  now 
using  their  pistols  with  deadly  effect,  when  our  rifles  began 
to  explode  and  in  a  few  moments  all  of  the  squad  save  five  or 
six  who  made  their  escape,  were  either  killed,  wounded  or 
prisoners,  not  however,  before  General  Pettigrew  had  been 
mortally  wounded  by  one  of  the  party.  The  exposure  to  rain, 
to  which  we  had  been  subjected  for  so  many  days,  had  left  the 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  241 

rifles  of  our  men  in  such  bad  condition  tliat  but  few  would 
fire  at  first,  and  to  this  fact  is  attributed  the  losses  we  sus- 
tained— had  the  gams  of  our  men  exploded  when  first  tried, 
not  a  man  of  the  attacking  party  would  have  been  left  to  tell 
the  tale,  and  valuable  lives  would  have  been  saved.  This  en- 
gagement caused  a  general  advance  on  the  part  of  the  enemy, 
and  that  portion  of  General  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps  not  yet  over 
the  river  was  hurried  to  the  suppport  of  Pettigrew.  We 
formed  line  of  battle  to  meet  the  advance,  though  all  of  our 
artillery  having  passed  the  river,  we  had  none  in  line;  but 
skirmishing  with  the  enemy  and  fighting  and  falling  back,  we 
held  them  in  check  until  the  Avhole  army  had  crossed,  with  all 
of  the  wagons  and  artillery,  save  two  pieces,  the  horses  draw- 
ing which  had  become  so  exhausted  as  to  be  unable  to 
move  them,  and  before  fresh  horses  could  be  procured  the 
rear  of  the  army  had  passed  them.  The  whole  army  thus 
crossed  the  river  successfully  in  the  face  of  a  large  body  of  the 
enemy.  The  loss  in  our  regiment,  however,  was  considerable, 
its  commanding  officer,  Captain  Nathaniel  A.  Foster,  being 
among  the  number  captured. 

Upon  crossing  into  Virginia  we  took  up  our  line  of  march, 
passing  through  Martinsburg  to  Bunker  Hill  where  we  rested 
several  days.  Resuming  our  line  of  march,  passing  through 
Winchester,  we  crossed  the  Shenandoah  river  at  Front  Royal, 
and  thence  marched  by  way  of  Flint  Hill  to  Culpepper  Court 
House,  which  place  we  reached  on  the  25th,  and  went  into 
camp  about  one  mile  from  the  town.  Resting  until  Monday 
morning,  3  August,  we  moved  towards  Orange  Court  House, 
reaching  the  vicinity  of  the  town  on  the  5th,  and  there  went 
into  camp.  About  10  August  Colonel  William  Kirkland,  of 
the  Twenty-first  ]^orth  Carolina  Regiment,  was  promoted  to 
Brigadier-General  and  ordered  to  assume  command  of  our 
brigade,  and  henceforth  it  was  known  as  Kirkland's  Brigade. 

BRISTOE   STATION. 

We  remained  in  our  camp  near  Orange  Court  House  until 

about  20  September,  doing  picket  duty  and  drilling  daily. 

On  the  20th  the  regiment  was  moved  to  Rapidan  Station  and 

placed  in  position,  together  with  the  remainder  of  the  brigade, 

16 


242  North  Carolina  Trooi-s,   1801-'05. 

to  meet  an  expected  advance  of  General  Meade's  army.  On 
■B  October,  ISiJi],  we  left  our  line  at  Ilapidan  Station  with 
•a  view  of  flanking  the  enemy  and  giving  him  battle  at  Culpep- 
per Court  House,  but  we  were  not  sviccessful  in  bringing  on 
this  tiglit.  The  enemy,  learning  of  General  Lee's  move- 
>ftfents,  began  to  fall  back  towards  Centreville,  we  following 
in  hot  pursuit.  On  the  13th  the  Corps  of  A.  P.  Hill  had 
reacluMl  Warrenton,  Va.,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  we 
moved  out  from  Warrenton  along  the  turnpike  road  to  New 
Ealtiuiore,  where  we  wheeled  to  the  right  in  pursuit  of  Gen- 
eral French,  who  was  just  ahead  and  retreating  very  rapidly, 
as  was  evidenced  by  the  beaten  tracks  on  both  sides  of  the 
road  over  which  his  troops  had  passed.  Reaching  the  hills  to 
the  westward  and  just  above  Bristoe  Station  in  the  after- 
noon, we  saw  the  rear  of  his  column  in  the  valley  just  beyond 
Broad  Kun  river.  He  had  escaped  us,  but  we  were  destined 
for  a  fight. 

About  the  time  of  our  reaching  Bristoe  Station  the  advance 
of  Warren's  Corps,  whom  General  Ewell  was  following  up 
the  railroad,  made  its  appearance  and  Cooke's  and  Kirkland's 
Brigades  were  formed  for  immediate  attack.  The  two  brig- 
ades, under  cover  of  artillery,  gallantly  advanced  against 
overwhelming  numbers  posted  behind  the  railroad  embank- 
ment. Everything  was  moving  smoothly  until  we  had 
reached  point  blank  range,  when  the  infantry  posted  behind 
the  railroad,  opened  a  withering  fire  upon  our  lines  which 
baited  and  were  forced  to  fall  back.  The  Fifty-second  and 
Eleventh  Tvegiments  moved  steadily  forward  and  sua'.eeded 
in  driving  the  eneni}^  immediately  in  their  front,  next  to  the 
railroad  bridge,  from  their  position.  About  the  time  we  had 
gained  the  road  in  our  front,  a  section  of  artillery  passed  rap- 
idly over  the  river,  and,  crossing  the  railroad  track,  unlim- 
bered,  preparatory  to  giving  us  a  raking  enfilading  shelling. 
Looking  for  our  support  on  the  right,  we  were  dismayed  to 
see  the  enemy  to  our  right  and  rear,  in  possession  of  the  field 
and  part  of  our  ai-tillory.  The  command  was  at  once  given  to 
fall  back  and  we  retreated  rapidly  and  successfully.  The 
Eifty-second  Begiment,  whose  losses  were  comparatively  few 
on  this  occasion,  had  three  killed  on  the    field,    twenty-one 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  243 

woimded  and  forty-two  missing.  General  Kirkland  was 
wounded  and  conveyed  from  the  field.  In  view  of  the  fact  that 
General  A.  P.  Hill  had  an  entire  army  corps  within  half  a 
mile,  and  the  remainder  of  Heth's  with  all  of  Wilcox's  Divis- 
ion, were  spectators,  the  lack  of  timely  reinforcements  was 
strange,  to  say  the  least  of  it.* 

MINE   RUN. 

We  bivouacked  upon  the  battlefield  during  the  night  of  the 
14th,  and  the  following  morning  fell  back  to  Rappahannock 
Station,  destroying  the  railroad  as  we  retreated,  tearing  up 
the  rails  which  we  heated  over  burning  piles  of  cross  ties  and 
twisted  so  as  to  render  them  useless  for  the  time  being.  Upon 
arrival  at  Rappahannock  Station  we  at  once  entered  upon 
picket  duty,  engaged  in  drilling  and  other  incidental  camp 
duty  until  7  November.  About  11  o'clock  Saturday  night, 
the  7th,  we  received  orders  to  cook  rations  and  be  ready  to 
move  at  a  moment's  notice.  At  the  time  we  supposed  the 
army  would  make  another  advance,  but  instead  we  fell  back 
to  a  line  on  the  Rapidan  river.  During  Sunday,  the  8th, 
we  were  in  line  of  battle  throughout  the  day,  expecting  an  at- 
tack, but  were  not  engaged.  On  the  9th  we  were  ordered  on 
picket  duty  at  Peyton's  Ford,  where  we  remained  until  the 
13th,  on  which  day  we  received  orders  to  cook  two  days' 
rations  and  be  ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice,  but  did 
not  receive  marching  orders  until  the  29th.  On  this  date  we 
left  camp  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and,  proceeding  by  the 
Orange  Court  House  and  Fredericksburg  road  to  a  point  near 
Vidiersville,  we  came  up  with  our  cavalry  engaged  in  a  skir- 
mish with  the  enemy.  Our  skirmishers  were  deployed  and 
thrown  forward,  engaging  the  enemy  until  nightfall,  and  we 
held  this  line  during  the  night.  The  remainder  of  the  army 
having  arrived  during  the  night.  General  Lee  formed  his  line 
of  battle  at  Mine  Run,  On  the  morning  of  the  30th  the  en- 
emy opened  his  artillery  on  portions  of  the  Confederate  line, 
and  we  confidently  expected  an  attack.     It  seems,  however. 


*  When  General  Lee  arrived  on  the  scene  of  A.  P.  Hill's  bloody  blun- 
der his  pointed  rebuke  was  "  nothing  remains  to  be  done,  General  Hill, 
except  to  bury  your  unfortunate  dead." — Ed. 


244  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

that  upon  an  inspection  of  General  Lee's  lines  General  Meade 
recognized  the  position  to  be  inipregiiable,  and,  declining  bat- 
tle, retired  behind  the  Rapidan  on  the  night  of  1  December, 

Onr  regiment  remained  at  tliis  point  until  Thursday,  3 
December,  when  we  returned  to  ("amp  Marshall,  our  winter 
quarters,  near  Orange  Court  House,  where  we  remained  em- 
ployed in  drilling  and  general  camp  duty  until  3  February, 
1864,  on  wliich  day  our  regiment  was  ordered  on  picket  duty 
on  the  Rapidan  river.  On  the  20th  General  Kirkland,  having 
recovered  from  his  wound  received  at  Bristoe  Station,  re- 
turned to  cam])  and  again  took  comnumd  of  his  brigade. 

During  the  month  of  March  Governor  Vance  paid  a  visit 
to  the  Nortli  Carolina  troops  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia and  made  addresses  to  the  several  brigades.  He  had  an 
appointment  to  speak  to  Cooke's  and  Kirkland's  Brigades, 
jointly,  on  the  29th,  but  on  account  of  the  very  bad  weather 
our  commands  were  deprived  of  the  pleasure  of  hearing  him. 
The  regiment,  having  been  in  winter  quarters  since  3  Febru- 
ary, on  27  April  vacated  the  cabins  and  moved  to  an  encamp- 
ment one  mile  distant.  As  sickness  prevailed  to  a  great  ex- 
tent about  this  time,  the  change  was  made  as  a  sanitary  meas- 
ure with  good  results. 

THE    WILDERNESS. 

On  4  May  our  regiment  broke  camp  and  marched  by  the 
Orange  Court  House  and  Fredericksburg  plank  road,  reach- 
ing Vidiersville,  near  which  it  rested  for  the  night.  On  the 
5th  it  continued  to  march  in  the  direction  of  Fredericksburg, 
and  early  in  the  afternoon  reached  a  point  at  which  the  plank 
road  is  intersected  by  what  is  known  as  the  Brock  road ;  and 
here  General  Hill,  finding  the  enemy  in  his  front,  formed  his 
line  of  battle  extending  across  the  Plank  road.  About  this 
time  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  ordered  to  retrace  its 
steps  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  our  wagon  train,  which 
was  reported  to  be  threatened  by  the  enemy's  cavalry.  Ac- 
cordingly, we  proceeded  to  execute  this  command,  and,  having 
gone  as  far  as  Parker's  store,  about  four  miles  to  the  rear, 
were  informed  that  its  services  were  not  required.  Immedi- 
ately it  faced  about  and  returned  to  join  its  brigade.     In  the 


Fifty-Second  RegixMent.  245 

meantime  the  battle  had  beo;un,  and  as  we  approached  the 
lines  we  were  met  by  great  numbers  of  our  men  wounded  and 
seeking"  the  rear  for  shelter  and  relief.  These  men  were 
wounded  in  every  conceivable  manner — some  slightly,  others 
severely  and  not  a  few  mortally.  Nothing  daunted  by  this 
spectacle,  the  gallant  old  Fifty-second  moved  rapidly  forward 
and  took  its  position  in  the  brigade,  and  at  once  became  hotly 
engaged.  The  ground  over  which  we  were  fighting 
was  covered  with  dense  undergTowth,  and  the  enemy  could 
scarcely  be  seen,  in  many  places,  one  hundred  yards 
in  our  front.  From  the  time  we  joined  the  brigade,  which 
must  have  been  about  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
until  nightfall  there  was  one  continuous  roll  of  musketry, 
when  night  coming  on  put  a  stop  to  the  battle  for  this 
day.  The  regiment  spent  the  night  upon  the  ground  on 
which  it  had  ceased  to  fight  in  the  evening,  and  the  exhausted 
men  sought  what  rest  they  could. 

From  the  nature  of  the  ground  over  which  the  battle  had 
raged,  our  lines  had  become  very  much  disarranged,  and  in 
many  places  there  was  no  connection  with  our  troops  to  the 
right  or  left.  Longstreet,  it  was  known,  was  marching  to  re- 
lieve Hill's  Corps,  and  was  expected  to  be  up  by  12  o'clock 
that  night.  Possibly  for  this  reason  the  inexcusable  blunder 
of  not  re-establishing  our  lines  during  the  night  of  the  5th 
was  made. 

Longstreet  was  delayed  and  did  not  reach  us  at  the  expected 
time,  and  sunrise  of  the  6th  found  us  fighting  under  these 
great  disadvantages.  The  enemy  having  penetrated  our  lines 
at  one  of  these  gaps,  opened  fire  upon  the  Fifty-second  Regi- 
ment from  the  rear.  Finding  we  were  flanked  we  began  to 
fall  back,  fighting  as  we  retreated.  By  this  time  the  whole 
line  to  the  right  of  the  plank  road  was  being  forced  back  and 
the  safety  of  the  army  for  a  time  was  greatly  endangered. 
Longstreet  with  his  gallant  men  reached  the  field  about  this 
time ;  rapidly  forming  his  line,  he  met  the  advancing  lines  of 
the  enemy,  checked  them,  and  in  a  few  moments  was  rapidly 
driving  them  back  upon  their  own  lines,  and  thus  re-estab- 
lishing those  of  General  Hill. 


246  North  Carolina  Trooi's,   18G1-'65. 

spottsylvania  to  peteksbukg. 

Our  regiment  remained  in  line  of  battle  in  the  Wilder- 
ness until  the  evening  of  the  8th,  when  we  were  marched  to 
Spottsylvania  Court  House,  which  place  we  reached  on  the 
morning  of  the  9th  and  were  assigned  to  a  position  in  the  line 
to  the  left  of  the  court  house  where  we  began  immediately  to 
intrench  ourselves.  Here  we  remained  in  line  of  battle,  fight- 
ing at  intervals  and  constantly  exposed  to  heavy  shelling  from 
the  enemy's  battery.  Our  losses  since  the  5th  had  been 
heavy — Captain  Kyle  and  Lieutenant  Huske  wounded  among 
numbers  of  others,  and  on  the  11th  Captain  Leonidas  R.  Gib- 
son, of  Company  I,  was  killed.  In  consequence  of  his  death 
the  officers  of  this  company  were  each  promoted  one  grade. 

General  Grant  had  again  taken  up  his  movement  to  the 
left,  and  on  the  2 2d  we  were  withdrawn  from  our  lines  and 
moved  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  Hanover  Junction.  Cross- 
ing the  North  Anna  river  our  regiment  was  placed  in  line 
on  the  south  side  of  the  river  about  two  miles  from  the  junc- 
tion. General  Warren  having  crossed  the  river  at  Jericho 
Ford  on  the  23d,  was  met  by  Hill's  Corps  near  N^oel's  Sta- 
tion and  after  a  spirited  engagement  was  forced  to  halt  for 
the  day. 

After  this  the  regiment  resumed  its  place  in  the  line  of 
battle,  where  it  remained  until  the  31st,  when  it  was  moved 
ill  the  direction  of  Gaines'  ^lill,  which  point  it  reached  about 
noon  on  1  June.  Here  we  were  placed  in  line,  but  not  en- 
gaged until  the  2d,  when  we  participated  in  a  heavy  skinnish 
with  the  enemy.  In  this  fight  General  Kirkland  was  again 
\voundcd,  receiving  a  rifle  ball  through  the  thigh,  and  was 
taken  from  the  field.  In  consequence,  Colonel  George  H. 
Faribault,  of  tlie  Forty-seventh  Regiment,  was  in  comiiiand 
of  the  brigade.  On  the  afternoon  of  3  June  Ileth's  Division, 
occupying  the  left  of  General  Early's  line,  (he  was  com- 
manding A.  P.  Hill's  Corps  at  this  time),  was  twice  most 
vigorously  attacked,  but  the  enemy  was  handsomely  repulsed 
with  considerable  loss.  The  Fifty-second  Regiment  sus- 
tained its  part  of  these  attacks  with  its  accustomed  coolness 
and  spirit.  On  5  June,  for  the  first  time  since  leaving  Or- 
ange Court  House,  Ileth's  Division  was  resting,  awaiting  or- 


Fifty-Second  Regiment,  247 

ders.  Worn  down  with  fighting,  and  constant  marching  to 
meet  the  enemy's  advance,  the  men  greatly  enjoyed  this  much 
needed  repose. 

PETERSBURG. 

On  the  evening  of  the  9th,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to 
proceed  to  Bottom's  Bridge,  on  the  Chickahominy  river,  for 
picket  duty,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  10th  was  ordered  to 
join  the  brigade  in  the  line  on  the  following  morning. 
From  here  we  moved  to  White  Oak  Swamp,  reaching  that 
point  on  the  14th,  where  we  remained,  doing  picket  duty  until 
the  18th,  when  we  marched  for  Petersburg,  Va.,  reaching 
the  neighborhood  of  that  city  on  the  night  of  the  18th,  after  a 
dusty  and  very  fatiguing  march.  We  were  placed  in  line  of 
battle  on  the  south  side  of  Appomattox  river.  About  the 
25th  the  regiment  was  taken  from  the  trenches  and  marched 
about  four  miles  north  of  the  city  and  assigned  the  duty  of 
guarding  the  bridges  on  the  turnpike  and  railroad  over  Old 
Town  creek.  In  the  latter  part  of  July,  Colonel  William 
MacRae,  of  the  Fifteenth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  was 
made  Brigadier-General,  and  ordered  to  assume  command  of 
the  brigade.  Henceforward,  we  were  known  as  MacRae's 
Brigade.  We  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Petersburg  until 
Wednesday,  27  July,  when  we  marched  to  Chaffin's  Bluff, 
reaching  that  point  Thursday  morning  after  a  very  tiresome 
tramp.  • 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  28th  our  skirmish  lines  were  heav- 
ily engaged  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  w^e  expected  an  attack 
upon  our  lines,  which  did  not  take  place.  We  remained 
here  in  line  until  the  30  th,  when  we  received  orders  to  move 
at  once  to  the  south  side  of  the  James  river.  We  marched  a 
distance  of  about  ten  miles  to  Rice's  Turnout  on  the  Rich- 
mond &  Petersburg  Railroad,  and  at  that  point  took  the  cars 
to  Petersburg,  and  occupied  our  position  in  the  intrench- 
ments.  At  this  point  we  remained  until  2  August,  when  we 
were  moved  further  to  the  left  and  placed  in  reserve.  On 
the  9th  we  relieved  General  Cooke  in  the  trenches,  our  line 
at  this  point  not  exceeding  200  yards  distance  from  the  en- 
emy's lines,  and  our  sharpshooters,  as  well  as  those  of  the  en- 


248  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'05. 

emy,  kept  up  a  constant  firing  both  night  and  day.  We  held 
this  line  until  the  13th,  when  we,  in  turn,  were  relieved,  and 
camped  temporarily  in  rear  of  our  lines  until  the  18th,  when 
we  were  moved  outside  the  lines  to  a  point  about  two  and  one- 
half  miles  southwest  from  Petersburg,  and  one  mile  east  of 
the  Petersburg  &  Weldon  Railroad,  where  we  had  been  sent 
to  confront  General  Warren,  who  was  pressing  for  the  rail- 
road. In  the  afternoon  we  made  a  sudden  and  vigorous  at- 
tack upon  Warren's  left  and  drove  him  back  about  one  mile, 
when  our  command  was  withdrawn.  By  the  evening  of  the 
20th  the  enemy  had  succeeded  in  gaining  possession  of  the 
railroad  and  intrenched  himself  at  a  point  about  one  mile 
south  of  Vaughn's  house,  at  what  we  called  the  Yellow  Tav- 
ern, located  on  the  railroad  about  four  miles  south  from 
Petersburg.  On  the  night  of  the  20th  we  were  withdrawn 
from  the  trenches  and  again  moved  to  the  south  of  the  city  to 
attack  the  enemy,  who  now  held  the  railroad.  Reporting  to 
General  Heth,  whom  we  found  at  Vaughn's  house,  before  day 
on  the  21st,  we  were  soon  in  line,  and  advanced  our  sharp- 
shooters'to  clear  the  front,  and  after  a  pretty  sharp  skirmish 
they  drove  the  enemy's  picket  lines  in.  Under  Pegram's 
guns,  we  advanced  to  the  attack ;  and,  after  having  driven  in 
two  lines  of  the  enemy  who  fell  back  under  cover  of  their 
batteries,  we  M'ere  halted  in  a  skirt  of  woods  about  half  way 
between  Pegram's  guns  in  our  roar  and  the  enemy's  batteries 
in  our  front,  and  between  the  two  we  were  subjected  to  a 
furious  shelling.  The  column  sent  to  attack  the  enemy  in 
flank  failing  to  come  up,  we  held  our  lines  until  night,  when 
we  were  withdrawn  and  retired  within  our  lines  of  intrench- 
ments.  On  the  24th  we  moved  out  to  our  works  and 
marched  for  Reams  Station,  halting  at  night  near  Arm- 
strong's Mills,  about  eight  miles  southeast  of  the  city.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  2r)th  we  resumed  the  march  and  halted 
at  a  point  :d)oiit  tliree  miles  from  Reams  Station. 

kea:v[S  STAT] ox. 

About  2  o'clock  an  attack  had  been  made  iijioii  tlu^  (mi- 
emy  by  a  part  of  General  A.  P.  Hill's  commant],  which 
was  di'iven  back  with  loss,  after  which  the  North  Carolina 


Fifty-Second  Regiment.  249 

Brigades  of  Lane,  Cooke  and  MacRae  were  ordered  up,  taking 
position  in  the  enemy's  front.  Advancing  steadily  and  rap- 
idly under  the  fire  of  Pegram's  guns,  we  captured  the  whole 
line,  not,  however,  before  the  enemy  were  driven  off  in  a 
hand-to-hand  encounter  in  the  works,  in  which  in  a  few  in- 
stances clubbed  rifles  were  used.  In  this  fight  our  losses  were 
necessarily  heavy.  We  captured  seven  stands  of  colors,  2,000 
prisoners  and  nine  pieces  of  artillery.  (See  General  Lee's 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  26  August,  1864.)  The  en- 
emy having  been  driven  from  the  railroad,  fell  back  to  their 
own  line,  and  at  nightfall  our  troops  fell  back  to  Petersburg. 
On  reaching  the  city  we  were  placed  in  line,  the  right  of 
our  brigade  resting  on  the  Petersburg  &  Weldon  Railroad. 
Here  we  were  engaged  in  throwing  up  a  new  line  of  works  in 
front  of  those  at  that  time  occupied.  At  this  employment  we 
continued  until  16  September,  when  we  were  moved  to  a 
point  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  Boydton  plank  road,  and 
about  three  miles  southwest  of  the  city,  where  we  were  em- 
ployed in  constructing  rifle-pits  until  the  20th.  On  this  day 
we  were  moved  about  one  mile  further  south  of  the  Boydton 
road  and  engaged  in  constructing  works  of  a  more  elaborate 
character  until  the  29th,  when  we  were  ordered  to  Petersburg 
to  supply  the  places  in  the  line  of  troops  who  had  been  sent 
north  of  the  James.  We  reached  the  city  on  the  same  day 
and  awaited  orders.  On  the  30th  we  were  ordered  to  coun- 
ter-march and  take  position  on  the  right  of  the  line.  During 
the  time  we  had  been  withdrawn,  the  enemy  advanced  and 
had  taken  a  portion  of  the  rifle  pits  and  a  heavy  earthwork 
(Fort  MacRae)  which  we  had  constructed  and  held  on  the 
Squirrel  Level  road.  Attempting  to  move  thence  in  the 
direction  of  the  Boydton  plank  road,  he  was  met  by  Heth's 
Division,  and  after  a  sharp  and  spirited  attack,  was  driven 
back  on  his  lines.  MacRae's  Brigade  now  took  position  in 
the  line  further  to  the  right  and  was  engaged  daily  in  throw- 
ing up  earthworks  and  drilling  until  the  morning  of  27  Oc- 
tober. 

burgess'  mills. 

The  enemy  having  driven  in  our  cavalry  holding  the  right 
of  the  line,  and  penetrating  to  the  Boydton  plank  road  at  a 


250  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

point  known  as  Burgess'  Mills,  about  six  miles  southwest  of 
Petersburg,  MacRae's  Brigade,  together  with  other  troops^ 
was  sent  to  their  support.  Finding  the  enemy  in  heavy  force 
on  the  west  side  of  Hatcher's  Bun,  and  south  of  the  plank 
road,  we  crossed  the  run  some  distance  below,  and 
immediately  after  crossing  advanced  our  corps  of 
sharpshooters,  who  at  once  encountered  the  enemy's  skir- 
mish line,  which  was  rapidly  forced  back  upon  the  Federal 
line  of  battle.  In  the  meantime  our  line  of  liattle  had  been 
formed.  With  a  yell  we  charged  the  enemy's  lines,  which 
were  broken  by  the  impetuosity  of  our  attack,  and  were 
driven  rapidly  before  us.  Having  driven  the  enemy  for 
nearly  a  mile,  and  finding  no  support  advancing  to  our  assist- 
ance, the  enemy  being  in  great  number  on  both  our  right  and 
left  flank,  General  MacBae  w^as  forced  to  call  a  halt  and  fall 
back  on  our  lines.  In  this  engagement  the  loss  of  officers  and 
men  was  heavy.  Among  the  former  was  Lieutenant  James 
W.  Huske,  of  Company  B,  Fifty-second  Begiment,  who  fell, 
pierced  through  the  body  with  a  minie  ball  while  gallantly 
leading  the  left  wing  of  the  regiment  in  this  charge.  He  had 
on  this  occasion,  as  on  all  others,  beliaved  with  conspicuous 
gallantry.  He  died  upon  the  field,  and  in  his  death  the  regi- 
ment lost  one  of  its  most  valuable  officers,  and  his  company  a 
kind  and  considerate  friend.  Fighting  until  nearly  dark  our 
lines  were  drawn  back  and  reformed,  where  we  awaited  an  ex- 
pected attack,  but  apparently  the  enemy  had  been  sufficiently 
punished,  as  they  witlidrcw  under  cover  of  night,  leaving 
their  killed  and  wounded  on  the  field.  A  i\Tajor-General 
said  in  the  hearing  of  this  writer,  next  morning,  that  he 
counted  286  dead  and  145  so  severely  wounded  as  to  be  un- 
able to  help  themselves. 

On  the  29th  ]\racBae's  Brigade  roturncMl  to  tlK>  lines  near 
Hart's  liouse,  Avhence  it  had  been  tak(Mi,  and  was  employed 
in  changing  our  lines,  building  a  new  line  of  works  and  tear- 
ing down  the  old  ones.  At  this  point  we  erected  cabins  and 
went  into  winter  (piarters.  Occupied  in  working  on  fortifica- 
tions, drilling  and  the  ordinary  camp  duties,  we  were  not 
called  upon  to  move  until  0  December,  1864.  when  the 
brigade  started  upon  a  tramp  in  ])nrsuit  of  a  party  of  the  en- 


Fifty-Second  Rkgiment.  251 

emy's  troops  engaged  in  an  effort  to  destroy  the  Petersburg  & 
Weldon  Railroad.  We  did  not  get  a  fight,  but  were  success- 
ful in  driving  them  back  within  their  own  lines,  after  whicE 
we  returned  to  our  camp,  reaching  it  on  the  14th,  From  this 
date  until  5  February,  1865,  we  remained  in  our  winter 
quarters,  doing  picket  duty,  drilling  and  performing  such 
other  duty  as  is  incident  to  camp  life. 

HATCHER^S  RUN. 

On  the  5th  MacRae's  Brigade,  accompanied  by  other 
troops,  moved  out  to  intercept  a  column  of  the  enemy  moving 
by  the  Vaughn  road,  in  the  direction  of  the  South  Side  Rail- 
road, which  had  reached  a  point  near  Armstrong's  Mill,  on 
the  left  bank  of  Hatcher's  Run.  Finding  the  enemy  strongly 
intrenched,  we  made  a  demonstration  against  them  which 
was  repulsed  with  some  loss.  We  were  withdrawn  after  dark 
and  returned  to  our  quarters.  On  the  7th  we  were  ordered 
under  arms  at  daylight  expecting  to  attack  the  enemy,  but  on 
account  of  a  very  heavy  sleet  and  snowstorm,  did  not  move. 
On  the  night  of  31  March  we  were  moved  to  the  right  and  oc- 
cupied a  position  in  our  lines  on  the  right  of  the  Boydton 
plank  road  beyond  Hatcher's  Run,  which  we  held  until  the 
night  of  2  April,  when  we  began  our  retreat  by  a  road  leading 
from  Five  Forks  to  Southerland  Station,  closely  pursued  by 
the  enemy.  Reaching  Southerland  Station  on  the  morning 
of  the  3d,  we  were  so  closely  pressed  as  to  find  it  necessary  to 
fight.  We  therefore  selected  a  position  on  the  brow  of  a 
slight  hill  in  an  open  field  and  rapidly  fortified  our  line,  as 
well  as  we  could,  with  bayonets  used  to  break  the  earth,  and 
such  other  means  as  were  at  command.  Before  we  had  suc- 
ceeded in  doing  any  considerable  work  the  enemy  charged  our 
line.  His  advance  was  met  with  a  well-delivered  and  telling 
volley  from  our  rifles  (we  had  no  artillery)  and  they  were 
driven  back  with  heavy  loss.  A  second  attack  with  strength- 
ened lines  was  made  and  again  they  retreated  with  greater 
loss.  A  third  and  much  heavier  column  was  hurled  against 
our  little  band ;  and,  after  fighting  with  great  desperation, 
being  flanked  on  our  left,  we  were  driven  from  our  lines  and 


252  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

retreated  in  the  direction  of  the  Appomattox  river  with  but 
little,  if  any,  organization. 

Since  the  war  a  Federal  General  told  General  MacGowan, 
of  South  Carolina  who,  being  the  ranking  officer  present  on 
this  occasion,  commanded  our  line,  that  this  was  the  most  gal- 
lantly defended  line  of  any  within  his  knowledge  during  the 
war ;  that  we  had  killed  and  wounded  more  of  their  men  than 
we  numbered.  Following  the  course  of  the  river  by  the  near- 
est accessible  road,  and  often  through  the  woods,  crossing 
Namozine  and  Deep  creeks,  we  joined  General  Lee  at  Goode's 
Bridge  and  proceeded  thence  to  Amelia  Court  House,  reach- 
ing this  point  on  the  4th  and  halting  for  rest  and  rations. 
Here  General  Lee  expected  to  ration  his  army,  having  or- 
dered supplies  to  meet  him  at  this  point.  In  this  hope,  how- 
ever, he  was  greatly  disappointed.  The  authorities  at  Rich- 
mond, in  the  panic  caused  by  the  expected  evacuation  of  the 
lines  around  Richmond  and  Petersburg,  ordered  the  trains  to 
proceed,  wdthout  stopping,  to  the  capital,  for  the  purpose  of 
moving  the  government's  effects,  which  they  did,  carrying 
with  them  almost  the  last  hope  of  the  army  in  the  shape  of  its 
subsistence,  there  to  be  destroyed,  or  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy. 

We  rested  here  during  the  4th  and  5th  sending  out  forag- 
ing parties  for  supplies,  which  resulted  in — nothing.  The 
troops  had  now  been  forty-eight  hours  without  regular  rations 
and  the  prospect  was  disheartening.  On  the  night  of  the  5th 
we  left  Amelia  Court  House,  marching  westwardly  by  way 
of  Deatonsville,  thence  towards  Farmville.  Approaching 
High  Bridge  over  the  Appomattox  river,  we  encountered  a 
body  of  cavalry  disputing  our  passage.  MacRae's  Brigade 
charged,  driving  them  off  and  capturing  General  Gregg,  after 
which  we  continued  the  retreat,  and  crossing  the  river  over 
the  bridge,  bivouacked  for  the  night.  On  the  morning  of  the 
7th  the  retreat  w^as  continued.  Reaching  a  commanding  po- 
sition al")out  five  miles  north  from  Farmville,  a  line  of  bat- 
tle was  formed  and  fortifications  quickly  erected.  Here  we 
rested  until  night,  when  the  retreat  was  continued  in  the 
direction  of  Lynchburg,  and  by  the  night  of  the  Sth  the  army 
had  reached  the  vicinity  of  Appomattox  Court  House. 


Fifty-Second  Regiment,  253 

On  the  9th  an  advance  was  begun  but,  finding  the  enemy  in 
possession  of  our  only  line  of  retreat,  the  army  was  halted 
pending  negotiations  for  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  ISTorth- 
em  Virginia.  On  the  12th,  in  accordance  with  the  terms 
agreed  upon,  the  Fifty-second  Regiment,  together  with  the 
remainder  of  what  had  been  the  noble  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia, marched  to  a  point  designated  by  the  commissioners 
appointed  for  that  purpose,  and  stacked  their  arms,  deposit- 
ed their  furled  banners,  gave  their  parole  and  took  up  their 
line  of  march  for  those  homes  they  had  fought  so  bravely  to 
defend  through  four  long  years  of  blood,  hardships  and  toil. 

I^OTE : — After  the  regiment  had  been  assigned  to  a  brigade 
I  have  not,  in  many  instances,  been  able  to  speak  of  it  as  a 
separate  command,  but  it  is  to  be  understood  that  in  all  cases 
where  the  movements  of  the  brigade  are  spoken  of,  the  Fifty- 
second  Regiment  participated. 

Having  no  access  to  records,  I  have  not  been  able  to  note 
casualties  with  accuracy  as  to  detail,  except,  in  a  few  cases, 
where  my  information  is  derived  from  letters  written  to  my 
wife  at  the  time. 

John  H.  Robinson. 
Fayetteville,  N.  C, 
9  April,  1901. 


&.   Jamsx'wm 


exw^ 


■x^_~-'7 


By  COLOXEL  JAMES  T.  MOREHEAD. 


The  duty  a—  _  ■     —     ■         .     —  — 

of  the  Fifrr-U-..\.  ,•.   :„  '_-.-._-  ^_i^_ ::;  .  ^   .__  ;  :; 

dischaige,  with  pleasure,  but  I  did  not  realize  uii::.  I  ^in 
how  great  the  difficnltr  would  be,  with  no  record  -  ::  :  '.-r 
conflicting  recollections  of  sorviring  comrades  as  -  -:i:i 
and  persons.  It  may  be  and  no  doubt  it  is  true,  rJ  I  -~f 
not  beai  accurate  as  to  the  personnel  of  the  cffi;  f 

regiment,  as  to  the  dates  of  commissionss,  death  an^  ,  :^^, 
and  if  any  injustice  by  omission  or  conmiisgifm  is  done^  I  as- 
sure my  living  comrades  and  frioids  of  such  as  have  crc^^si-?! 
over  the  river,  that  no  <me  regrets  more  idban  I  the  lack  of  re- 
liable data  to  rectify  any  mistakes. 

The  limited  length  of  this  sketch  of  course,  forbids  my  en- 
tering into  the  details  of  casualties  among  over  one  thousand 
men  who  at  different  dates  composed  the  rank  and  file. 

The  characteristics  of  this  regiment  were  common  to 
Xorth  CaioKna  troops.  Obedience  to  and  reverence  for  law 
and  authority,  for  which  the  State  has  been  so  l<mg  known,  in 
my  opinion,  constitute  the  basis  of  siddierly  qualities  for 
which  her  soldiers  will  be  famous  in  history. 

This  regiment  was  like  other  Xordi  Carolina  regimaits: 
it  was  never  known  to  shirk  a  duty :  never  refused  to  advance 
when  ordered :  never  known  to  retire  without  command.  In 
June,  after  its  organizatico,  it  was  ordered  to  Itiehmcmd  and 
during  the  seven  days  contest  it  was  cm  duty  <m  the  so--.th 
side  of  the  James.  The  greater  part  of  its  first  year  of  so*- 
vice  was  spent  in  Eastern  Xorth  CarcJiina  and  it  recaved  its 
first  bapdsm  of  fire  as  a  raiment  at  Washington,  IST.  C,  in 
Gen.  D.  H.  HiO's  winter  campaign  of  1S62  and  18^^  ^  '  -  - 
days  after  the  battle  of  Chancelloisville  it  became  : 

the  Army  of  Xorthem  Virginia,  and  as  a  part  of  Daniers 
Brigade,  was  attached  to  the  Second  Corps,  with  which  it 


256  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

inarched  and  fought  from  FrcHiericksburg  to  A])p(una(tox, 
and  participated  in  more  than  twenty  general  engageuionts, 
inchiding  Gettysburg,  the  Wikh^niess,  Spottsylvania,  Wash- 
ington City,  Kernstown,  Snicker's  Ford,  Wincliester,  P'ish- 
er's  Hill,  Cedar  Creek,  Hare's  Hill,  Petersburg,  and  in  num- 
erous combats  and  smaller  affairs,  in  some  of  which  the  con- 
flict was  more  hotly  contested  than  in  the  great-er  battles.  Dan- 
iel's Brigade  was  composed  of  the  Thirty-second,  Forty-third, 
Forty-fifth  and  Fifty-third  Xorth  Carolina  l-fegimcntvS,  and 
Second  Xorth  Carolina  Battalion.  After  General  Daniel's 
death,  General  Bryan  Grimes  became  Brigadier-General. 
The  histories  of  the  other  regiments  in  the  brigade  necessarily 
outline  the  chief  incidents  in  the  career  of  the  Fifty-third  and 
make  it  unnecessary  to  give  its  battles  and  marches  in  detail. 

I  select  two  special  instances  of  its  coolness  and  discipline : 
One  was  on  the  first  day  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  This 
regiment  had  hastened  from  Carlisle,  Pa.,  its  steps  quickened 
by  the  report  of  big  guns  on  the  morning  of  1  July.  Imme- 
diately upon  its  arrival  at  Gettysburg  it  was  thrown  into  line 
and  advanced  to  the  assault  with  the  brigade.  Soon  it.  was 
ascertained  that  there  was  not  room  between  the  brigade  on 
the  left  and  the  one  on  the  right,  and  this  regiment  was  drop- 
ped out  of  the  line,  which  closed  up  in  its  front  and  for  some 
time  it  had  to  stand  under  shot  and  shell  in  an  open  field  with- 
out being  able  to  return  the  fire  until  the  brigade  on  the  left, 
having  given  away,  it  moved  to  the  left,  took  its  place  and 
drove  the  enemy  into  the  town. 

In  this  trying  situation,  and  there  could  have  been  none 
more  trying,  except  a  retreat  under  fire,  the  regiment  manoeu- 
vered  as  upon  parade  and  drill,  and  its  behavior  on  this  occa- 
sion was  greatly  commended  by  the  brigade  and  division  com- 
manders. 

Another  instance:  At  the  battle  of  Winchester,  19  Septem- 
ber, 1864,  after  hours  of  desperate  fighting,  when  all  the 
troops  on  the  right  and  left  had  abandoned  the  contest  and 
retired  from  the  field,  this  regiment,  alone,  continued  to  fight 
the  foe  until  ordered  to  retreat,  which  it  did,  across  an  open 
field  for  several  hundred  yards  (the  enemy  advancing  ten  to 
one  in  numbers)  in  ]->erfect  order,  and  at  intervals,  when  or- 


Fifty-Third  Regimeist.  257 

dered,haltiiig,facing-  about  and  delivering'its  fire  almost  in  the 
faces  of  the  pursuers.  Not  a  man  broke  ranks  or  quickened 
his  steps.  As  is  well  known  to  every  soldier,  a  retreat  under 
fire  is  the  severest  test  of  discipline  and  courage. 

At  the  battle  of  Winchester,  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  dis- 
covering the  gap  on  the  left,  I  had  deployed  the  greater  part 
of  my  regiment  as  skirmishers,  and  this  thin  line  successfully 
held  five  times  its  numbers  at  bay,  until  the  failure  of  prom- 
ised support  to  arrive,  and  all  of  Early's  army  on  our  left  had 
been  driven  from  the  field.  It  was  known  to  every  man  in 
the  regiment  that  the  enemy  w^as  getting  rapidly  in  our  rear, 
and  that  there  was  imminent  danger  that  we  would  be  cut  off 
and  surrounded,  but  until  ordered  so  to  do,  not  a  man  left  his 
position,  and  the  regiment  then  retreated  across  the  field  in 
the  manner  above  told. 

Experience  and  observation  have  taught  that  one  of  the 
results  of  organization  and  discipline  is,  that  when  soldiers 
retire  or  retreat  in  face  of  the  enemy  by  order,  they  will  halt, 
but  if  they  "break"  without  order,  it  is  difficult  to  raJly  and  re- 
form them.  An  incident  of  this  battle  illustrates  this.  The 
temporary  works  of  the  enemy  above  referred  tO'  'were  con- 
structed just  beneath  the  brow  of  the  liill  or  slope  up  which  the 
regiment  was  charging  at  a  run  and  was  not  observed  until  we 
were  within  a  few  feet  of  them.  When  the  men  had  reached 
nearly  the  top  of  the  slope,  to  their  astonishment  they  saw  be- 
hind the  work  a  third  line  of  the  enemy  and  such  of  the  other 
two  lines  as  could  be  prevailed  on  tO'  stop,  outnumbering  us 
four  or  five  to  one.  Our  men  immediately  faced  about  and 
started  for  the  shelter  of  a  wooded  hill  from  and  through 
which  they  had  just  driven  the  enemy.  Seeing  the  condition 
and  thinking  of  the  fact  above  stated,  I  at  once  ordered  a.  re- 
treat, had  the  officers  to  repeat  the  order,  semingly  so  superflu- 
ous, and  directed  the  regiment  to  halt  as  soon  as  the  woods 
were  reached.  When  I  reached  the  woods,  I  had  the  satisfac- 
tion of  seeing  the  regiment  reformed  and  "ready  for  busi- 
ness" as  if  nothing  had  happened  to  dampen  their  ardor. 

I  select  these  out  of  many  instances,  which  particularly 
distinguished  this  regiment,  because  of  the  trying  situations. 
17 


'258  North  Carolina  Troops,    1801-65. 

After  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  Daniel's  Brigade,  it 
participated  in  the  battles  of  Gettysburg,  three  days,  and  at 
Mine  Kun  and  fought  more  or  less  from  5  May,  1864,  to  30 
May  at  tlic  Wilderness  under  fire  every  day.  It  was  in  the  fa- 
mous Horse  Shoe  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House,  during  the 
terrible  days  of  9,  10,  11  and  12  May,  losing  its  Major,  James 
Johnston  Iredell,  killed,  Col.  Owens  wounded,  several  of  its 
Captains  and  Lieutenants  and  scores  of  its  men  killed  and 
wounded.  It  was  brought  out  of  the  Horse  Shoe  to  straighten 
the  lines  after  the  assault  of  the  12th  under  command  of  a 
Captain,  its  only  remaining  field  officer,  its  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel being  in  command  of  the  brigade,  the  Brigadier-General 
(Daniel)  and  every  other  officer  in  the  brigade  senior  in  com- 
mission, having  been  killed  or  wounded.  On  30  May  it 
was  engaged  in  the  battle  at  Bethesda  church,  and  on  the  next 
day  was  withdrawn  from  the  front  preparatorv  to  its  march 
to  the  Valley  of  Virginia. 

On  5  or  6  May,  1864,  the  sharpshooters  of  this  regiment 
were  much  annoyed  by  one  of  the  Federal  sharpshooters  who 
had  a  long  range  rifle  and  who  had  climbed  up  a  tall  tree 
from  wliich  he  could  pick  off  our  men,  tlioiigh  sheltered  by 
stump  and  stones,  himself  out  of  range  of  our  guns.  Pri- 
vate Leon,  of  Company  B  (Mecklenburg),  concluded  that 
"this  thing  had  to  be  stopped,"  and  taking  advantage 
of  every  knoll,  liollow  and  stump,  he  crawled  near  enough 
for  Ins  rifle  to  reach,  took  a  "pop"  at  this  disturber  of 
the  peace  and  he  came  tumbling  down.  Upon  running  up 
to  his  victim,  Leon  discovered  him  to  be  a  Canadian  In- 
dian, and  clutching  his  scalp-lock,  dragged  him  to  our  line  of 
sli  a  rpsl  looters. 

Tlie  regiment  was  at  Lynchl)urg  when  the  pursuit  of  Hun- 
ter began,  marched  with  General  Early  to  Wasliington,  D.  C, 
was  one  of  the  regiments  left  to  support  the  picket  line  under 
the  walls  of  Washington,  while  the  rest  of  the  corps  made  good 
its  retreat  to  the  valley — the  Nineteenth  and  Sixth  Corps  of 
the  Federal  army  having  been  poured  into  the  city  for  its  de- 
fense. While  supporting  the  pickets,  this  regiment  became 
involved  in  one  of  the  hottest  conflicts  in  its  experience,  but 
succeeded  in  holding  its  position,  repulsing  and  driving  the 


P^ifty-Third  Regiment.  259 

enemy  back  to  the  earthworks,  which  defended  the  city.  At 
jnidnight  it  received  orders  to  retire  in  perfect  silence,  and 
to  the  surprise  of  all  when  we  reached  the  position  on  the  hills 
near  the  city,  Avhere  we  had  left  the  corps,  it  was  ascertained 
that  the  corps  had  left  the  night  before,  twenty-four  hours — 
and  we  marched  the  whole  night  and  a  greater  part  of  the 
next  day  before  we  caught  up  with  the  rear  guards.  Early's 
ruse,  as  usual,  had  succeeded  in  deceiving  the  enemy. 

This  regiment  participated  in  all  of  the  battles  in  the  Val- 
ley in  1864,  and  in  numerous  combats  and  skirmishes.  In 
this  Valley  Campaign  the  regiment  lost  its  gallant  Colonel 
Owens,  who  was  killed  at  Snicker's  Ford,  near  Snicker's  Gap, 
in  August,  1864.  He  had  been  absent  since  10  May,  disabled 
by  wounds  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House ;  had  returned  just 
as  the  regiment  was  eating  dinner,  and  almost  while  we  were 
congratulating  him  on  his  safe  return,  we  received  notice  that 
the  enemy  had  crossed  the  river  at  Snicker's  Ford.  The  or- 
der to  ''fall  in"  was  given,  we  marched  to  the  river,  and  drove 
the  enemy  across,  after  a  short,  but  severe  conflict.  The  firing 
had  ceased,  excepting  now  and  then  a  dropping  shot,  when 
Colonel  Owens  was  killed  by  one  of  these  stray  shots.  He 
was  a  good  officer,  brave,  humane,  social,  popular  with  both 
men  and  officers.  He  was  succeeded  by  the  writer  as  Colonel. 
At  Winchester,  on  19  September,  1864,  Adjutant  Osborne 
was  killed.  Two  years  ago  Color  Sergeant  Taylor,  of  Com- 
pany E,  Surry  county,  who  has  resided  in  Utah  since  1866, 
visited  me.  He  received  a  ball  in  his  hip  from  which  wound 
he  still  limps  and  in  talking  about  his  own  wound,  he  told 
me  as  we  w^ere  charging  the  third  Federal  line  at  Winches- 
ter, having  broken  the  first  two,  and  when  near  the  tempor- 
ary breastwork  of  the  enemy,  he  received  the  shot  which  dis- 
abled him  for  life,  and  that  as  he  fell,  young  Osborne  picked 
up  the  flag  waving  it,  ran  forward,  cheering  on  the  men  and 
was  killed  within  20  feet  of  the  Color  Sergeant.  He  was  an 
efficient  officer  and  daring  soldier,  I  suppose  not  older  than 
20  years.  Lieutenant  W.  R.  Murray,  of  Company  A,  than 
whom  there  was  not  a  better  officer  or  braver  soldier  in  the 
^'Old  Guard"  of  iSTapoleon,  acted  as  Adjutant  after  the  death 
of  Osborne  till  the  surrender  at  Appomattox. 


260  NoKTH  Cakolina  Tkooi's,   186] -'Go. 

As  stated  before,  Major  Iredell,  a  true  gentleman  and  brave 
soldier,  was  killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House.  Captain 
Jolm  W.  Rierson  succeeded  him.  At  Winchester,  finding  that 
there  was  a  gap  of  two  or  three  hundred  yards  between  my 
left  and  the  troops  on  the  left,  and  that  the  enemy  had  discov- 
ered and  \vfr(^  ])reparing  to  take  advantage  of  it,  I  directed 
Major  Itierson  to  find  General  Grimes  on  the  right  of  the 
division,  (General  Rodes  had  been  killed  in  the  beginning  of 
the  action),  and  apprise  him  of  the  situation.  After  some 
time  he  returned,  saluted  and  reported,  the  fighting  being 
very  heavy  all  the  time,  when  I  discovered  that  J\Lajor  Rier- 
son was  shot  through  the  neck,  which  wound  was  received  be- 
fore he  found  General  Grimes,  but  he  nevertheless  performed 
the  duty,  returned  and  reported,  and  did  not  then  go  to  tbe 
rear  until  I  directed  him  to  do  so.  This  gallant  officer  was 
killed  when  the  enemy  broke  over  our  lines  at  Peter.-bvD-g,  a 
few  days  before  Appomattox.  He  was  entitled  to  his  com- 
mission as  Lieutenant-Colonel  from  the  date  of  the  battle  of 
Snicker's  Ford,  but  I  do  not  know  that  he  received  it. 

This  was  a  volunteer  regiment,  enlisted  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  winter  and  first  part  of  the  spring  of  1862,  and  was 
organized  at  Camp  Mangum,  near  Raleigh,  the  first  week  in 
May,  1862,  and  assigned  to  Daniel's  Brigade,  (Rodes'  Divis- 
ion). William  A.  Owens,  of  Mecklenburg  county,  was 
elected  Colonel ;  James  T.  Morehead,  Jr.,  of  Guilford  county, 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  James  Johnston  Iredell,  of  Wake 
county.  Major, 

Colonel  Owens  had  already  been  in  the  service  more  than 
one  year,  having  served  as  Captain  in  the  First  (Bethel)  Reg- 
iment, and  at  the  time  of  his  election  was  Lieutenant-Colonel 
of  the  Eleventh  Regiment. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Morehead  had  also  been  in  the  service 
the  preceding  year,  having  entered  the  same  in  April,  1861, 
as  Lieutenant  of  the  "Guilford  Grays,"  (afterwards  Com- 
pany B,  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Regiment),  and  at  the  time 
of  his  election  was  a  Captain  in  the  Forty-fifth  Regiment. 

William  B.  Osborne,  of  Mecklenburg  county,  M^as  ap- 
pointed Adjutant  and  John  M.  Springs,  of  Mecklenburg,  was 
appointed    Captain    and    Assistant  Quartermaster.     He   re- 


Fifty-Third  Regiment.  261 

signed  in  the  fall  of  1862  and  was  succeded  by  Captain  John 
B.  Biirwell.  J.  F,  Long  was  appointed  Surgeon ;  Lauriston 
H.  Hill,  of  Stokes  county,  Assistant  Surgeon,  and  promoted 
Surgeon  in  1863.  William  Hill,  of  Mecklenburg,  was  ap- 
pointed Captain,  A.  C.  S.  In  1863  Charles  Gresham,  of 
Virginia,  was  assigned  to  duty  with  this  regiment  as  Assist- 
ant Surgeon.  James  H.  Colton,  of  Randolph  county,  was 
appointed  Chaplain ;  J.  H.  Owens,  Sergeant  Major  (pro- 
moted Second  Lieutenant  of  Company  I  and  killed)  ;  R.  B. 
Burwell,  Quartermaster  Sergeant;  J.  C.  Palmer,  Commis- 
sary Sergeant;  R.  S.  Barnett,  Ordnance  Sergeant.  Upon 
the  promotion  of  J.  H.  Owens,  Aaron  Katz,  of  Company  B, 
succeeded  him  as  Sergeant-Ma j or,  and  upon  his  being  cap- 
tured, Robert  A.  Fleming,  of  Company  A,  was  Sergeant- 
Major. 

Company  A  was  from  Guilford  county.  A.  P.  McDaniel 
was  its  first  Captain,  commissioned  25  February,  1862,  and 
upon  his  retirement  in  1863,  Lieutenant  J.  M.  Sutton  was 
promoted  Captain  and  wounded  at  Bethesda  Church  and  on 
21  September,  1864,  in  the  Valley,  and  captured  at  Peters- 
burg; P.  W.  Haterick  (killed  at  Gettysburg),  First  Lieuten- 
ant; J.  M.  Sutton,  Second  Lieutenant;  W.  L.  Fleming,  pro- 
moted from  Sergeant  to  Second  Lieutenant  in  August,  1863  ; 
William  R.  Murray,  promoted  from  ranks  to  Second  and 
First  Lieutenant  in  1863;  J.  W.  Scott,  promoted  Second 
Lieutenant  from  Sergeant  (chief  of  regimental  corps  of 
sharpshooters). 

Company'  B  was  from  Mecklenburg  county  and  its  first 
Captain  was  J.  Harvey  White,  commissioned  1  March,  1862, 
killed  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House  in  May,  1864.  Samuel 
E.  Belk,  First  Lieutenant ;  John  M.  Springs,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, promoted  Assistant  Quartermaster ;  William  M.  Mat- 
thews, Second  Lieutenant,  promoted  from  First  Sergeant; 
M.  E.  Alexander,  promoted  Second  Lieutenant  from  Second 
Sergeant.  Lieutenants  Belk,  Matthews  and  Alexander  were 
wounded  at  Gettysburg. 

Company  C  was  from  Johnston,  Chatham  and  Wake, 
mostly  from  Johnston.  Its  first  Captain  was  John  Leach, 
commissioned  28  February,  1862 ;  was  succeeded  as  Captain 


262  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

by  J.  C.  Kicliardson  (wounded  at  Petersburg),  commissioned 
17  April,  1863,  both  from  Johnston  county;  George  T. 
Leach,  of  Chatham,  commissioned  First  Lieutenant  7  March, 
1862  ;  John  H.  Tomlinson,  of  Johnston  county,  commissioned 
Second  Lieutenant  in  April,  1862,  resigned  and  succeeded  by 
E.  Tomlinson  in  1862  ;  S.  R.  Horn,  of  Johnston  county,  was 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  21  July,  1862. 

Company  D  was  from  Guilford,  Cumberland,  Forsyth, 
Stokes,  Bladen  and  Surry.  David  Scott,  Jr.,  of  Guilford 
county,  was  commissioned  Captain  1  March,  1862,  resigned 
and  was  succeeded  15  May,  1863,  by  Alexander  Ray,  of  Cum- 
berland county,  promoted  from  First  Lieutenant  and  killed  at 
Petersburg,  April  1865.  Alexander  Ray  Avas  commissioned 
First  Lieutenant  1  March,  1862  ;  Madison  L.  Efland,  of  Guil- 
ford county,  commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  1  March,  1862, 
promoted  First  Lieutenant  15  May,  1863,  and  wounded;  A. 
H.  Westmoreland,  of  Stokes  county,  was  promoted  from  Ser- 
geant to  Second  Lieutenant ;  W.  N.  Westmoreland,  Stokes 
county,  was  promoted  from  the  ranks  to  Second  Lieutenant 
in  1863. 

Company  E  was  from  Surry  county.  J.  C.  ]N"orman  was 
commissioned  Captain  on  8  March,  1862,  resigned  the  follow- 
ing December  and  was  succeeded  by  First  Lieutenant  Rob- 
ert A.  Hill,  killed  in  1864,  succeeded  in  turn  as  Captain  by 
First  Lieutenant  B.  W.  Minter ;  Samuel  Walker  was  commis- 
sioned Second  Lieutenant  8  March,  1862,  promoted  to  First 
Lieutenant  December,  1862,  and  resigned;  B.  W.  Minter, 
Second  Lieutenant,  promoted  First  Lieutenant  and  Captain ; 
Henry  Hines,  Second  Lieutenant,  in  1862  ;  Logan  Bemer, 
promoted  from  Corporal  to  Second  Tjieutenant,  wounded  and 
captured  in  1864;  James  A.  Hill,  Second  Lieutenant,  cap- 
tured in  1864. 

Company  F  was  from  Alamance  and  Chatham.  G.  M. 
G.  Albright  was  commissioned  Captain  5  May,  1862,  killed 
July,  1863,  at  Gettysburg,  and  was  succeeded  by  A.  G.  Al- 
bright, promoted  from  First  Lieutenant  (wounded  at  Fisher's 
Hill,  1864)  ;  Jesse  M.  Holt,  First  Lieutenant,  16  July,  1863, 
promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant,  (killed  at  Winchester, 
1864)  ;  Branson  Lambe,  commissioned  in  1864,  promoted 


Fifty-Third  Regiment.  263 

from  Second  Lieutenant;  John  J.  Webster,  commissioned 
Second  Lieutenant  May,  1862,  and  resigned;  S.  J.  Albright, 
commissioned  Second  Lieutenant  in  1862  and  killed  at 
Spottsylvania  Court  House  in  1864. 

Company  F  was  from  Stokes.  G.  W.  Clarke  was  com- 
missioned Captain  on  20  March,  1862,  and  resigned  May, 
1862 ;  was  succeeded  by  John  W.  Eierson,  promoted  from 
Second  Lieutenant  and  who  was  in  1863  promoted  to  Major, 
wounded  at  Winchester  and  killed  at  Petersburg,  April,  1865. 
He  was  in  time  succeeded  as  Captain  by  H.  H.  Campbell, 
promoted  from  First  Lieutenant  and  killed  at  Winchester. 
G.  B.  Moore  was  commissioned  First  Lieutenant  in  March, 
1862,  resigned  in  June ;  John  W.  Rierson,  commissioned  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  March,  1862  ;  W.  H.  McKinney  was  promo- 
ted from  the  ranks  in  May,  1862,  to  second  Lieutenant,  and 
wounded  at  Winchester ;  C.  F.  Hall,  promoted  from  ranks  to 
Second  Lieutenant,  mortally  wounded  at  Gettysburg;  W.  F. 
Campbell,  promoted  First  Lieutenant  and  wounded  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Company  H  was  from  Stokes  county.  Captain  Spotts- 
wood  B.  Taylor  was  commissioned  on  20  March,  1862,  re- 
signed on  account  of  health  in  ISTovember,  1863,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  John  E.  Miller,  promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant, 
who  was  wounded  at  Snicker's  Ford  and  captured  September, 
1864;  Thomas  S.  Burnett,  commissioned  First  Lieutenant 
20  March,  1862,  and  killed  in  1863;  Charles  A.  McGehee, 
First  Lieutenant,  November,  1862,  woimded  at  Gettysburg 
3  July,  1863,  and  captured;  Alexander  M.  King,  Second 
Lieutenant,  March,  1862  ;  J.  Henry  Owens,  promoted  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  from  Sergeant-Ma j or,  December,  1862,  and 
killed ;  Alexander  Boyles,  promoted  First  Lieutenant. 

Company  I  was  from  Union  county.  E.  A.  Jerome  was 
commissioned  Captain  20  March,  1862,  and  resigned  in  Jime 
following,  and  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  E.  Ashcraft,  pro- 
moted from  First  Lieutenant ;  John  D.  Cuthbertson,  commis- 
sioned Second  Lieutenant  20  March,  1862,  promoted  First 
Lieutenant;  Joshua  Lee,  commissioned  Second  Lieutenant 
20  March,  1862 ;  James  E.  Green,  promoted  from  the  ranks, 


204  North  Carolina  Trooi's,    1 801-65. 

Second  Lieutenant  24  June,  1862;  A.  T.  Marsh,  promoted 
froni  Sergeant  to  Second  Lieutenant  19  May,  1864. 

Company  K  was  from  Wilkes  county.  William  J,  Mil- 
ler was  commissioned  Captain  20  March,  1862,  killed  at  Get- 
tysburg 1  July,  1863,  and  was  succeeded  by  Jesse  Y.  Eller, 
promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant;  Thomas  C.  Miller,  pro- 
moted from  Second  Lieutenant  to  First  Lieutenant  1  July, 
1863 ;  Thomas  C.  Miller,  commissioned  Second  Lieutenant 
in  August,  1862. 

This  regiment  lost  in  killed  its  first  Colonel,  who  was  twice 
wounded ;  both  of  its  Majors,  one  of  them,  Rierson,  several 
times  wounded  and  its  xidjutant.  Its  surviving  Colonel  was 
wounded  three  times,  at  Gettysburg,  Fisher's  Hill  and  in  the 
assault  upon  the  Federal  lines  at  Hare's  Hill  on  25  March, 
1865,  in  which  last  engagement  he  was  captured  within  the 
enemy's  works. 

As  it  is,  I  have  only  the  approximately  correct  report  of 
the  losses  of  one  of  the  companies  of  the  regiment,  and  that 
only  in  one  battle,  but  I  think  the  losses  of  the  other  com- 
panies may  be  fairly  estimated  from  the  losses  of  this  one. 

Company  B  lost  at  Gettysburg  out  of  about  65  men,  8 
killed  and  22  wounded,  and  of  the  four  officers,  three  vvere 
wounded. 

I  meet  many  of  these  scarred  and  now  grizzly  veterans  of 
the  companies  from  Alamance,  Guilford,  Stokes  and  Surry 
at  my  courts  in  these  counties,  and  hear  sometimes  from  those 
from  the  other  counties,  and  with  very  few  exceptions  they 
have  shown  themselves  to  be  as  good  citizens  as  they  were  gal- 
lant soldiers.  They  illustrate  that  ''peace  hath  her  victories 
no  less  renowned  than  war." 

The  regiment  reduced  to  a  handful  of  men  shared  the  for- 
tunes of  the  historic  retreat  and  surrendered  at  Appomattox, 
being  then  commanded  by  Captain  Thomas  E.  Ashcraft,  the 
brigade  l)eing  commanded  by  Colonel  David  G.  Cowand. 
General  Grimes  having  boon  made  a  ^^fajor-General,  com- 
manded the  division. 

I  cannot  close  this  sketch  without  acknowledging  my  in- 
debtedness to  Captain  Sutton  and  Private  J.  Montgomery,  of 
Company  A ;  L.  Leon,  of  Company  B,  who  kindly  furnished 


Fifty-Third  Regiment.  265 

me  with  copy  of  a  diary  kept  by  him  from  organization  of 
the  regiment  up  to  5  May,  1864,  when  he  was  captured ;  Cap- 
tain Albright,  of  Company  F ;  Captain  S.  B.  Taylor,  of  Com- 
pany H,  and  Lieutenant  W.  F.  Campbell,  of  Company  G, 
for  valuable  information ;  and  I  hope  that  the  publication 
of  the  sketches  of  the  North  Carolina  regiments  will  excite  in- 
terest enough  among  the  old  soldiers  to  give  us  further  dates 
and  incidents.  I  wish  I  could  write  a  history  of  my  regi- 
ment which  would  do  the  officers  and  men  full  credit  for  their 
patriotism  and  services. 

The  patriotism  and  heroism  of  these  soldiers  were  illus- 
trated by  the  patient  and  uncomplaining  endurance  of  the 
forced  march,  the  short  rations,  the  hardships  of  winter  camps 
and  campaigns  as  much  as  by  their  lighting  qualities.  Pos- 
terity will  hesitate  to  decide  which  is  most  worthy  of  admira- 
tion. 

James  T.  Morehead. 
Obeensboro,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


--^ 


FIFTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 


1.  K.  M.  Murchison,  Colonel. 

2.  Rev.  John  Paris,  Chaplain. 


3.  J.  Marshall  ■Williams.  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  C. 

4.  R.  A.  Russell,  ~M  Lieut.,  Co.  E. 


FIFTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 


By  J.  MARSHALL  WILLIAMS,  First  Lieutenant  Company  C. 


This  regiment  was  organized  at  Camp  Mangum,  near  Ral- 
eigh, N.  C,  on  10  May,  1862,  and  was  composed  of  t^  com- 
panies of  infantry,  viz. : 

Company  A — Rowaon  County — Captain  Anderson  Ellis. 

Company  B — Burke  County — Captain,  J.  C.  S.  McDow- 
ell. 

Company  C — Cumberland  County — Captain,  K.  M.  Mur- 
chison. 

Company  D — Northampton  County — Captain,  J.  A. 
Rogers. 

Company  E — Iredell  Coimiy — Captain,  — .  — .  Parker. 

Company  F — Guilford  Cou??^^/— Captain,  — .  — .  Wat- 
lington. 

Company  G — MHlkes  County — Captain,  A.  H.  Martin. 

Company  H — Yadkin  County — Captain,  D.  S.  Cocker- 
ham. 

Company  K — Columbus  County — Captain,  W.  B.  Hamp- 
ton. 

Company  K — Granville  County — Captain,  S.  J.  Parham. 

Each  company  containing  its  full  quota  of  men,  it  pro 
ceeded  to  elect  Field  Officers,  which  resulted  as  follows : 

Captain  J.  C.  S.  McDowell^  of  Company  B,  Colonel.     ■ 
Captain  K.  M.  Muechison^  of  Company  C,  Lieutenant^ 
Colonel. 

Captain  A.  Ei.lis^  of  Company  A,  Major. 

Subsequently  the  following  Staff  was  appointed : 
Lieutenant  W.  C.  McDaniel.  Adjutant,  of  Company  C. 

D.  R.  MuRCHisoN^  Quartermaster. 

E.  G.  Greenlee^  Surgeon. 


268  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

W.  H.  Tate,  Assistant  Surgeon. 
Rev.  John  Paris,  Chaplain. 
Robert  G.  Russell,  Sergeant-Major. 
E.  G.  Brodie,  Ordnance  Sergeant. 
J.  J.  Forney,  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 

Tluis  it  will  be  seen  that  this  regiment  was  composed  of  ten 
companies  from  different  parts  of  the  State.  Though  high 
up  in  iiumhers,  it  was  made  up  of  good  material;  many  of  its 
officers  and  men  had  formerly  belonged  to  the  First  Volun- 
teers or  ''Bethel,"  Seventh  and  Eighth  jSTorth  Carolina  Regi- 
ments. 

Upon  the  completion  of  its  organization  this  regiment  was 
sent  to  the  coast  of  jSTorth  Carolina,  and  after  three  months 
seiwice  on  picket  duty,  and  other  duties  incident  to  camp  life, 
it  was  ordered  to  the  Anny  of  ISrorthern  Virginia,  and  was 
temporarily  placed  in  Law's  Brigade,  with  the  Sixth,  Twenty- 
first  and  Fifty-seventh  North  Carolina  Regiments,  which 
constituted  a  part  of  Hood's  Division.  Soon  after  it  was 
assigned  to  this  command,  the  first  battle  of  Fredericksburg 
came  off. 

FREDERICKSBURG. 

Here  we  ''fleshed  our  maiden  sword,"  and  at  once 
covered  ourselves  with  glory.  On  13  December,  1862,  this 
regiment,  with  the  Fifty-seventh,  being  new  regiments, 
were  detached  and  ordered  to  drive  the  enemy  from  a  rail- 
road cut,  from  which  they  had  driven  our  troops  in  the  early 
part  of  the  day.  At  5  o'clock  p.  m.  this  memorable  charge 
was  made  in  the  most  gallant  manner  in  the  presence  of  some 
of  our  prominent  generals,  and  to  use  the  language  of  General 
Hood,  our  comuumder,  "They  pursued  the  broken  enemy 
across  the  railroad  for  a  mile  into  the  plains.  Although 
scourged  by  a  galling  flank  fire,  it  was  uot  until  repeated  mes- 
sengers had  been  sent  to  repress  their  ardor  that  they  were 
recalled.  I  verily  believe  the  mad  fcdlows  would  have  gone 
on  in  spite  of  me  and  tlie  enemy  together;  and  <is  the_>  re- 
turned, souie  of  them  were  seen  weepiug  witli  vexation  be- 
cause they  had  been  dragged  from  the  bleeding  haunches  of 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  269 

the  foe,  and  exclaiming :  'It  is  because  lie  has  no  confidence 
in  Carolinians !  If  we  had  been  some  of  his  Texans  he  would 
have  let  us  go  on  and  got  some  glory.'  "  Our  loss  in  this  battle 
was  comparatively  light,  considering  the  deadly  work  we  were 
engaged  in,  but  we  left  some  brave  men  on  the  field,  which 
served  to  remind  us  that  in  our  next  it  might  be  our  lot  to  fill 
a  soldier's  grave.  After  this  battle  we  went  intO'  winter 
quarters  on  the  Rappahannock  river,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
campaign  of  1863  was  opened.  We  were  then  transferred 
to  General  Robert  F.  Hoke's  Brigade,  which  was  composed 
of  the  Sixth,  Twenty-first,  Fifty-fourth  and  Fifty-seventh 
No'rth  Carolina  Regiments  and  assigned  to  Early's  Division, 
Jackson's  Corps.  We  took  part  in  some  of  Jackson's  strater- 
gic  movements  around  Chancellorsville,  and  were  engaged 
in  several  "brushes"  which  were  very  common  at  that  time. 
On  3  May  our  division  alone,  was  sent  back  to  Fred- 
ericksburg, a  distance  of  sixteen  miles,  and  took  posi- 
tion on  Marye's  Heights  to  prevent  a  flank  movement  on 
General  Lee,  then  at  Chancellorsville.  On  the  following 
day  Sedgwick's  Corps,  with  other  troops,  crossed  the  river, 
and  swept  us  from  our  position.  Soon  Rode's  Division 
came  to  our  assistance,  and  after  a  bloody  struggle  we  rer 
gained  our  former  position,  and  the  enemy  were  driven 
back  across  the  river.  Many  of  our  brave  men  fell  in  this 
battle.  It  was  here  that  our  much-lamented  Colonel,  J.  C.  S. 
McDowell,  fell  mortally  wounded,  and  on  the  8th  yielded 
up  his  life,  "as  a  holocaust  to  his  country's  need."  His  re- 
mains were  then  taken  by  a  dear  friend  to  Richmond,  and 
placed  in  the  capital  by  the  side  of  the  immortal  Jackson, 
who  had  "crossed  over  the  river"  at  the  same  time.  After 
the  death  of  Colonel  ]\IcDowell,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ken- 
neth M.  Murchison  was  made  a  full  Colonel,  and  Captain 
James  A.  Rogers,  of  Company  D,  was  made  Major,  vice  Ellis 
promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Soon  we  joined  the  main 
army,  then  at  Chancellorsville,  and  were  assigned  to  Ewell's 
Corps,,  and  with  the  army  took  up  a  line  of  march  for 
Culpepper  Court  House:  From  thence  we  moved  north- 
ward, passed  Little  Washing-ton,  and  moving  with  the  ut- 
most rapidity  we  soon  entered  the  Valley. 


270  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

in  the  valley. 

Upon  reaching  Front  Royal,  liodes'  Division  of  our  Corps 
was  detached  and  sent  to  Berryville,  when  our  division 
(Early's)  with  Johnson's,  were  sent  to  Winchester,  On 
reaching  the  vicinity  of  Winchester  our  sharpshooters  be- 
came engaged,  and  soon  drove  the  enemy  into  one  of  their  ad- 
vanced forts,  which  was  very  strong.  A  line  of  battle  was 
soon  formed,  and  all  preparation  made  for  an  immediate  at- 
tack. General  Ewell  tinding  it  a  difficult  matter  to  procure 
a  suitable  position  for  his  artillery  on  the  hills  commanding 
the  town,  spent  the  day  in  posting  his  batteries. 

The  town  was  strongly  fortified,  and  it  was  thought  that 
Milroy,  with  a  garrison  of  G,000  men,  would  make  a  desper- 
ate effort  to  hold  it.  General  Ewell  at  once  resolved  to  storm 
the  works,  and  with  all  the  artillery  from  the  two  divisions 
opened  a  galling  fire  upon  their  works,  and  in  three  hours' 
time  the  Federal  guns  were  silenced.  At  6  o'clock  p.  m., 
Hays'  Brigade  of  our  division,  made  a  most  gallant  charge 
and  carried  their  redoubts  by  storm,  capturing  and  killing 
a  good  portion  of  the  garrison.  ISTight  coming  on,  Milroy, 
with  a  handful  of  his  men,  deserted  their  command  and  fled 
in  wild  confusion  and  reached  Hai'per's  Ferry  in  safety. 

In  this  engagement  2,000  prisoners,  equally  as  many 
horses,  and  a  vast  amount  of  commissary  stores  were  cap- 
tured. On  18  June  our  regiment,  then  numbering  400  men, 
was  ordered  to  take  these  prisoners  to  Staunton,  a  distance  of 
100  miles,  and  rejoin  the  army  then  in  Maryland,  at  a  speci- 
fied time.  The  Fifty-fourth  was  thus  depjfived  of  a  share 
in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  in  which  the  rest  of  the  brigade 
participated.  With  as  little  delay  as  possible  we  started  en 
route  for  Staunton,  marching  eighteen  miles  a  day,  and 
guarding  prisoners  at  night.  On  3  July,  1863,  we  returned  to 
Winchester,  and  in  conjunction  with  a  Virginia  regiment, 
were  ordered  to  guard  an  ordnance  train  to  the  army,  then  in 
Pennsylvania.  Upon  reaching  Williamsport  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  the  enemy  was  making  some  demonstrations  in 
our  front,  and  we  were  at  once  ordered  by  General  Imboden, 
who  was  tlien  in  command,  to  take  position  and  repel  any 


Fifty- Fourth  Regiment.  271 

attack  that  might  be  made  upon  our  wagon  train,  which  had 
arrived  there,  but  could  not  cross  on  account  of  the  high 
stage  of  the  water  in  the  Potomac. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  a  strong  force  of  cavalry  and 
artillery  advanced  on  the  Hagerstown  and  Boonsboro  roads. 
Our  force  being  small,  four  companies  under  command  of 
LieutenantrColonel  Ellis,  were  detached  to  support  our  only 
battery,  and  the  remainder  of  the  regiment  deployed  as  sharp- 
shooters, so  as  to  check  any  advance  of  the  enemy  that  might 
be  made  on  the  Boonsboro  road.  At  5  o'clock  p.  m.  the  en- 
emy advanced  their  artillery,  which  was  followed  by  dis- 
mounted cavalry,  and  a  fierce  little  battle  ensued,  which 
lasted  for  an  hour,  when  they  retreated.  In  this  fight  25 
were  killed  and  wounded  from  our  regiment,  and  a  good 
number  from  the  regiment  that  had  joined  us. 

General  Imboden  guarded  our  flanks,  while  Colonel  Mur- 
chison  manoeuvered  this  little  army  with  much  coolness,  and 
soon  won  the  unbounded  confidence  of  his  men  in  his  mili- 
tary skill  and  their  admiration  for  his  personal  bravery. 

retreat   from   GETTYSBURG. 

On  8  July  we  again  joined  the  main  army  at  Hagerstown, 
Md.,  and  with  it  we  again  crossed  the  Potomac.  Marching 
continuously  we  reached  Rapidan  Station,  and  went  into 
camp  for  a  short  rest,  which  was  so  much  needed.  From  this 
camp  heavy  cannonading  could  be  heard  in  our  rear,  and  we 
were  frequently  annoyed  by  the  cavalry  dashes  on  our  rear 
guard.  After  our  rest  we  moved  on  Somerville  Ford,  to 
check  a  column  of  cavalry  from  crossing;  but  after  a  feeble 
demonstration,  they  withdrew  to  Raccoon  Ford  to  reinforce 
some  troops  already  there,  and  confronting  Johnson's  Divis- 
ion. We  were  hurried  to  that  point  and  assisted  in  driving 
them  back. 

From  here  we  moved  to  Orange  Court  House,  and  after 
being  reviewed  by  General  Lee,  we  went  into  camp  and  were 
held  in  reserve  for  two  days.  Colonel  Murchison,  after  a 
short  absence,  joined  us  at  this  place,  and  took  command  of 
the  regiment.     In  a  short  time  we  were  sent  out  on  picket 


272  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

and  captured  a  good  lot  of  prisoners  that  had  been  cut  off 
from  their  commands. 

We  then  moved  on  to  Madison  Court  House,  and  in  ap- 
proching  Rapidan  river,  had  a  fierce  encounter  with  the 
enemy's  cavalry,  which  was  soon  driven  back.  We  then  con- 
tinued our  march  in  the  direction  of  Culpepper  Court  House, 
and  tipon  arriving  there  had  a  rest  of  tAvo  days,  awaiting  some 
troops  to  como  up.  On  the  12th  we  resumed  our  march  for 
Warrenton  Springs  and  rested  for  the  night.  The  next 
morning  we  crossed  the  river,  and  found  many  dead  Yan- 
kees and  horses  where  General  Stuart  had  fought  them  the 
day  before.  He  was  then  driving  them  in  the  direction  of 
Rappahannock  Station.  Our  whole  anny  then  began  de- 
stroying the  railroad  for  some  distance,  and  after  this  work 
was  accomplished  we  went  on  tO'  Rappahannock  Station  and 
went  into  camp.  The  next  day  we  moved  to  Brandy  Sta- 
tion, and  in  passing  through  an  open  space  of  fields,  we  were 
subjected  to  a  severe  enfilading  fire,  from  the  horse  artillery, 
which  caused  some  confusion ;  but  they  were  soon  driven  off, 
and  we  then  moved  on  quietly  and  bivouacked  near  Brandy 
Station. 

On  1  IsTovember,  1863,  we  moved  our  camp  two  miles  west 
of  Brandy  Station  on  tlie  railroad,  and  much  to  our  surprise, 
we  were  ordered  to  build  winter  quarters ;  and  what  rejoic- 
ing there  was  in  the  anticipation  of  a  long  rest  and  a  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities.  Those  of  us  who  possessed  a  talent  for 
making  ourselves  comfortable  soon  had  good  cabins,  and  as 
every  officer  was  priding  himself  upon  having  the  "best,"  a 
sudden  change  in  our  life  of  quietude  and  social  enjoyment 
came  over  the  spirit  of  our  dreams. 

RAPPAHANNOCK   BRIDGE. 

On  the  evening  of  the*  15th  our  brigade  was  called  out  and 
hurried  to  the  river  to  reinforce  Hays'  Brigade  of  our  divis- 
ion, then  on  picket,  and  threatened  by  a  heavy  force.  Just 
at  dark  we  reached  the  river,  and  were  hurried  across  on 
pontoon  bridges,  and  took  position  behind  some  works  that 
had  been  built  to  defend  the  passage  of  the  river.  It  was 
thought  bv  General  Earlv  that  a  successful  resistance  could 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  273 

be  made,  or  if  forced  to  withdraw,  it  could  be  done  under  the 
batteries  from  the  south  side.  In  a  short  time  Sedgwick's 
Corps  with  the  assistance  of  Russell's  and  Upton's  Brigades 
from  the  Fifth  Corps,  took  possession  of  our  bridge  and  the 
two  brigades  after  some  desperate  fighting,  were  oveiiDOwered 
and  compelled  to  surrender. 

Out  of  the  2,000  men  engaged  and  so  recklessly  exposed, 
1,750  were  captured  and  150  killed  and  wounded.  Those 
who  escaped  only  reached  the  south  side  by  swimming  the 
river.  From  our  regiment  only  three  commissioned  officers 
escaped,  viz..  Lieutenants  Edward  Smith,  Fitzgerald,  and 
the  writer  of  this  sketch,  who  was  then  carried  fifteen  miles 
at  night,  through  a  mist  of  rain  and  snow,  in  an  unconscious 
condition,  before  a  change  of  clothing  could  be  had.  Those 
that  were  captured  were  taken  to  Johnson's  Island,  Ohio, 
and  Avere  held  until  after  the  war. 

If  the  writer  is  not  mistaken,  General  Hoke  was  at  this 
time  home  on  a  wounded  furlough,  and  upon  hearing  of  this 
dreadful  disaster,  came  on  and  obtained  permission  to  take 
the  remnant  of  his  brigade  to  Kinston,  IST.  C,  to  be  recraited 
by  conscripts,  and  his  old  men  then  at  home  on  sick  and 
wounded  furloughs.  The  Twenty-first  ISTorth  Carolina  of 
our  brigade  was  absent  at  the  time,  being  on  detached  service 
in  jS'orth  Carolina,  and  thus  escaped  capture.  The  conscripts 
soon  began  to  pour  in  from  Raleigh,  and  for  three  weeks  we 
were  engaged  in  the  monotonous  business  of  preparing  these 
men  for  more  active  service. 

NEW   BERN. 

General  Hoke,  not  yet  entirely  well  of  his  wounds,  became 
restless  and  obtained  permission  to  "tackle"  New  Bern.  On 
30  January,  1864,  we  moved  in  that  direction,  by  the  Dover 
road,  and  were  reinforced  by  Clingman's  and  Corse's  Bri- 
gades. Upon  reaching  Core  creek  our  sharpshooters  were 
thrown  out  and  soon  became  engaged  with  the  enemy,  when 
they  were  driven  back  to  Bachelor's  creek,  where  they  were 
well  fortified  and  made  a  stubborn  resistance.  Our  artillery 
was  soon  in  position,  and  a  deadly  assault  was  made  upon 
18 


S74  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

their  works,  when  they  fled  in  much  confusion  tx>  New  Bern, 
-leaving  behind  several  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  good  many 
prisoners.  In  this  battle  our  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was 
■heavy.  Among  the  killed  was  Colonel  Shaw,  of  the  Eighth 
North  Carolina.  We  then  moved  on  to  New  Bern,  and 
finding  heavy  reinforcements  ])ouring  into  the  city  from 
Plymouth  and  other  points,  it  w^as  not  deemed  advisable 
to  make  the  attack  just  at  this  time,  and  our  little  army 
withdrew ;  but  not  until  much  damage  had  been  done  to 
the  enemy.  We  then  returned  quietly  to  Kinston,  and  re- 
mained there,  drilling  conscripts  which  were  daily  com- 
ing in  until  13  April,  when  our  brigade  moved  in  the  direc- 
tion of  Goldsboro,  Clingman's  and  Corse's  going  in  a 
different  direction.  This  movement  somewhat  puzzled 
lis,  as  we  knew  not  "'what  was  up"  until  we  reached  Ply- 
mouth, w^hen  some  changes  were  made  in  our  commands. 

CAPTURE  or  PLYMOUTH. 

The  Forty-third  North  Carolina  and  Twenty-first  Georgia 
Hegiments  were  temporarily  attached  to  our  brigades.  Col- 
onel Mercer,  of  the  Twenty-first  Georg-ia,  being  senior  ofiicer, 
took  command  of  our  brigade  (General  Hok^e  commanding 
the  whole  army).  In  the  first  charge  on  one  of  the  advanced 
forts,  which  was  very  strong.  Colonel  Mercer  was  killed, 
and  his  men  seeing  no  chance  of  getting  in  under  this  galling 
fire,  began  to  waver,  Avhen  Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  G.  Lewis, 
•of  the  Forty-third,  promptly  taking  in  the  critical  situation, 
assumed  command,  and  began  to  rally  the  men  behind  a  bluff 
in  a  few  yards  of  the  fort.  He  at  once  sent  for  two  pieces  of 
artillery,  which  soon  battered  down  one  corner  of  the  fort, 
and  we  went  in  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  This  movement 
evidently  saved  the  life  of  many  a  brave  man. 

From  this  time  Colonel  Lewis  was  in  command  of  our  bri- 
gade and  was  soon  made  Brigadier-General  for  his  heroic 
conduct  on  this  occasion. 

We  then  moved  on  the  town,  and  after  a  feeble  demonstra- 
tion by  the  enemy  it  was  surrendered  20  April,  1864,  with 
2,500  prisoners,  100,000  pounds  of  bacon,  1,000  barrels  of 
flour  and  a  vast  amount  of  other  stores.    Among  these  prison- 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  275 

ers  22  had  formerly  belonged  to  our  army,  and  had  gone 
over  to  the  enemy  and  taken  up  arms  against  us.  These  pris- 
oners were  sent  to  Kinston,  given  a  fair  trial  by  court-mar- 
tial, convicted  of  high  treason,  and  duly  executed  by  our 
brigade.* 

After  this  we  went  to  Washington,  N.  C.  The  enemy  soon 
fled  destroying  a  vast  amount  of  stores.  At  this  place  we  re- 
mained several  days  in  perfect  quietude.  We  then  moved 
back  to  iSTew  Bern,  where  General  Hoke  expected  to  add  an- 
other gem  to  the  diadem  of  his  military  fame,  but  alas! 
General  Lee  could  no  longer  do  without  him  and  we  were 
hurried  to  Virginia. 

BUTLER^S  ADVAIS^CE  ON  PETERSBTJEG. 

Arriving  at  Weldon,  IST.  C,  it  was  ascertained  that  the 
enemy  had  torn  up  the  railroad  and  burnt  two  of  our  bridges, 
and  we  were  compelled  to  march  fourteen  miles  and  take  the 
cars  again.  On  9  May  at  6  o'clock  p.  m.,  we  arrived  at 
Petersburg  just  in  time  to  save  the  city.  Butler  at  that  time 
was  in  possession  of  the  outer  works  of  the  city,  and  had  de- 
manded its  surrender  on  the  following  morning.  As  soon  as 
we  could  get  in  position  he  was  attacked  in  the  most  vigorous 
manner,  and  soon  fled  in  wild  confusion  to  Drewry's  Bluff, 
and  we  in  hot  pursuit  until  stopped  by  the  heavy  shelling 
from  his  gunboats.  We  then  crossed  the  James  and  took 
position  at  Chaffin's  fann,  and  after  some  shar]3  picket  fight- 
ing we  were  withdrawn  and  sent  to  Richmond  by  steamers. 
Arriving  there,  we  were  sent  four  miles  east  of  the  city,  and 
went  into  camp  for  the  first  time  in  several  days.  The  next 
day  we  again  crossed  the  James  river  to  check  a  column  of 
cavalry  that  was  supposed  to  be  moving  on  the  coal  field 
railroad.  The  enemy  made  but  a  feeble  demonstration,  and 
after  some  brisk  picket  fighting  they  withdrew. 

13  July,  1864,  we  were  ordered  back  to  Drewry's  Bluff  to 


*  After  the  war  Secretary  Stanton  had  in  contemplation  calling  Gen. 
Hoke  to  account  but  the  latter  took  the  initiative  by  going  to  Washing- 
ton and  calling  on  Gen.  Grant  who  promptly  stopped  the  proceedings. 
—Ed. 


276  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

reinforce  General  Beauregard,  who  was  threatened  by  a 
heavy  force.  Upon  our  arrival  there  the  sharp-shooters  be- 
came hotly  engaged,  and  at  6  o'clock  p.  ra.  General  Ransom's 
Brigade  was  moved  forward  and  made  a  most  brilliant  charge 
on  their  works,  but  by  some  misunderstanding  he  was  not  sup- 
ported and  was  compelled  to  fall  back,  losing  some  good  of- 
cers,  himself  painfully  wounded.  The  following  day  hot 
skinnishing  was  kept  up  during  the  entire  day,  both  armies 
preparing  for  bloody  work.  General  Beauregard  by  this 
time  knew  what  a  superior  force  in  numbers  he  had  to  con- 
tend against,  and  displayed  great  military  skill  in  getting  his 
troops  in  position. 

On  the  morning  of  the  ITtli  he  moved  forward  his  entire 
line,  and  after  a  most  desperate  stiiiggle  for  four  hours,  he 
drove  them  in  some  disorder  to  Bennuda  Hundreds,  under 
cover  of  their  giinboats  in  the  James  and  Appomattox  rivers. 
Thus  the  "bottling  up  of  Butler,"  so  gi-aphically  detailed  by 
General  Grant,  was  completed,  and  the  military  career  of 
this  "Beast  and  modem  Falstaff"  was  at  an  end  (at  least 
in  Virginia). 

In  this  battle  our  loss  was  very  heavy — 3,000  in  killed 
and  wounded.  Among  the  killed  was  our  noble  Major 
Rogers,  who  fell  pierced  by  two  balls,  while  gallantly  leading 
this  regiment.  Our  new  men  behaved  admirably,  but  being 
inexperienced  a  great  many  were  killed. 

After  this  battle  our  entire  regiment,  save  commissioned 
officers,  were  duly  exchanged  and  returned  for  duty,  swelling 
our  ranks  to  700  men.  At  this  time  we  only  had  five  com- 
missioned officers  on  duty,  and  the  arduous  duty  of  com- 
manding these  men  devolved  upon  them  alone. 

We  remained  here  several  days  watching  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  From  here  we  were  transported  by  steamers 
to  RiehniDud  to  reinforce  General  Stuart,  wlio  was  then  fight- 
ing a  heavy  column  of  cavali'y  that  was  making  a  raid  on  the 
city.  After  a  fierce  engagement  in  which  General  Stuart 
was  killed,  the  army  withdrew,  leaving  many  of  their  dead 
and  wovmded  behind  them. 

We  were  then  ordered  to  make  a  forced  march,  and  again 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  277 

join  the  main  army  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House.  Upon 
our  an'ival  there  General  Lewis  received  orders  from  Gen- 
eral Lee  in  his  own  handwriting  to  "continue  your  march  by 
most  direct  road  to  Jowls'  Mills  and  Mud  Tavern,  and  join 
General  Ewell's  Corps  between  Stannard  Mills  and  Crutch- 
field's  ;  lose  no  time,  and  bring  up  your  men  in  good  order." 
This  order  forced  General  Lewis  to  march  his  men  37  miles 
that  day,  which  was  one  of  the  longest  marches  in  one  day  on 
record. 

After  reporting  to  General  Ewell,  we  were  assigned  to 
Early's  Division  again,  and  had  the  honor  of  bringing  up 
the  retreat  to  Hanover  Junction,  and  not  being  pressed  at 
this  time  by  military  exigencies,  were  allowed  to  spend  a 
quiet  Sabbath  in  camp. 

The  next  morning  we  moved  for  Mechanicsville,  where  we 
had  a  brisk  skirmish  with  the  cavalry,  which  was,  as  usual, 
soon  driven  back.  On  11  June  we  reached  Petersburg  and 
took  position  in  the  trenches  near  the  city.  This  position  we 
did  not  fancy,  as  the  enemy  could  "pick  at"  us  from  the 
slightest  exposure.  But,  much  to  our  comfort  and  surprise, 
we  only  remained  in  this  position  four  days,  when  orders 
were  received  to  be  ready  to  march  in  a  short  time. 

LYNCHBURG. 

On  the  14th  our  entire  corps  took  up  a  line  of  march  for 
parts  unknown  to  us.  After  marching  some  days  we  reached 
Charlottesville,  and  took  the  cars  for  Lynchburg  to  meet 
Hunter's  army  then  threatening  the  city,  arriving  at  the  lat- 
ter place  at  2  o'clock  p.  m.  We  were  moved  four  miles  west 
of  the  city  and  formed  a  line  of  battle  on  the  Salem  turnpike. 
Our  skirmishers  were  advanced,  and  soon  attacked  the  enemy 
in  a  spirited  manner,  and  they  fell  back  to  Liberty  in  much 
confusion,  we  pressing  them  so  closely  they  left  many  wagons, 
prisoners  and  commissary  stores  behind. 

On  the  morning  of  the  22d  we  crossed  the  mountain  range 
at  Buford's  Still  in  pursuit,  and  at  Hanging  Eock  they  were 
intercepted  by  our  cavalry  and  a  brisk  little  fight  took  place, 
in  which  they  lost  200  prisoners,  15  pieces  of  artillery,  150 
horses,  and  many  wagons  laden  with  stores. 


278  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

The  infantry  was  then  so  much  exhaust<?d  from  quick 
marches  and  hot  weather,  that  they  were  compelled  to  give 
up  the  pursuit  and  rest  a  day.  This  pursuit  was  still  kept 
up  for  two  days  by  our  cavalry  until  reinforcements  came  to 
their  assistance. 

On  the  following  day  we  moved  northward.  Upon  reach- 
ing ]^exingt-on,  our  corps  was  filed  to  the  left  for  the  purpose 
of  passing  through  the  cemetery  to  pay  our  respects  to  the 
memory  of  our  fallen  commander,  the  brilliant,  matchless 
and  immortal  Jackson,  who  had  ''crossed  over  the  river  and 
rested  under  the  shade  of  tlie  trees."  Upon  approaching 
the  gi'ave,  arms  were  reversed  and  in  perfect  silence  we 
passed  the  sacred  spot  with  sadness  depicted  in  ever^^  man's 
face. 

After  this  we  crossed  the  Shenandoah  river  and  moved  on 
to  j\It.  Jackson,  where  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ellis,  of  this  regi- 
ment, having  been  exchanged,  joined  us  and  took  command 
of  the  regiment.  2  July  we  passed  Middletown  and  New- 
town, and  camped  in  four  miles  of  Winchester.  The  next 
day  we  came  in  contact  with  a  considerable  force  of  the  en- 
emy and  after  a  brisk  skirmish  they  fled,  leaving  several 
pieces  of  artillery  and  a  good  many  wagons. 

8  July  we  crossed  over  into  Marjdand,  "My  Maryland," 
near  Shepherdstown,  when  there  was  great  rejoicing  among 
us,  as  we  knew  the  heart  of  her  people  was  with  us,  though 
they  were  bound  in  fetters.  We  camped  for  the  night  at 
Sharpsburg.  The  next  day  Ave  passed  through  Boonsboro 
and  Middletown  and  camped  eight  miles  west  of  the  city.  On 
the  12th  we  were  hurried  to  Frederick  Junction,  and  forced 
a  passage  of  the  Monocacy,  and  again  the  "dogs  of  war"  were 
turned  loose.  After  a  struggle  of  three  hours  the  enemy  fled 
with  a  loss  of  1,000  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  700  prison- 
ers.    Our  loss  was  450  killed  and  wounded. 

WASHINGTON  CITY. 

On  the  14th  we  reached  Kockvillo,  in  the  vicinity  of  Wash- 
ington City,  and  at  once  formed  a  line  of  battle.  Our  sharp- 
shooters advanced  and  drove  the  enemy  from  his  outer  works, 
where  a  beautiful  view  of  the  city  could  be  had.     Our  bri- 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  279 

gade  occupied  a  position  immediately  in  front,  and  across 
the  yard,  of  a  most  magnificent  mansion,  upon  an  elevated 
plain,  from  which  the  dome  of  the  capitol  could  be  seen. 
This  building  was  the  property  of  F.  P.  Blair,  (Postmaster 
General),  and  was  occupied  by  him  until  we  began  to  ad- 
vance upon  the  city.  We  remained  in  this  position  three 
days,  keeping  up  a  spirited  picket  fire,  which  caused  great 
excitement  in  the  city. 

For  some  reason,  unknown  to  us,  we  withdrew  our  line 
without  any  interference,  and  moved  continuously  until  we 
crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac,  and  went  into  camp 
at  Big  Springs,  which  is  in  a  few  miles  of  Leestown. 

After  a  rest  of  two  days  we  moved  on,  passed  Hamilton, 
and  before  reaching  Snicker's  Gap  a  dash  was  made  upon  our 
wagon  train  and  seventy  of  our  wagons  captured,  which  were 
soon  recaptured  with  five  pieces  of  the  enemy's  artillery.  We 
then  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge,  and  camped  for  the  night  in 
eight  miles  of  Charlestown. 

1  September,  1864,  we  were  ordered  to  Winchester  to  take 
the  place  of  Kershaw's  Division,  which  was  to  be  sent  to  Rich- 
mond. Our  army  was  much  weakened  by  the  loss  of  this 
Division,  and  it  soon  met  with  a  series  of  disasters.  At  Win- 
chester we  remained  five  days  watching  the  movements  of 
the  enemy,  and  were  occasionally  engaged  in  picket  fighting. 
On  the  19th  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy  was  hurled  against  us 
which  was  repulsed  till  sun  down.  About  that  time  the 
cavalry  guarding  our  flanks  were  attacked  and  without  being 
pressed,  fled  in  a  shameful  manner,  causing  us  to  leave  our 
strong  works  and  fall  back  in  some  confusion  to  Strasburg, 
where  we  again  formed,  and  all  preparations  made  to  receive 
the  enemy,  who  were  rapidly  approaching.  At  4  o'clock  p.  m., 
on  the  22d  they  made  a  desperate  assault  upon  us  at  Fisher's 
Hill,  and  after  a  struggle  of  three  hours  we  were  driven  back. 
Our  cavalry  being  insufficient  to  protect  our  flanks,  we  again 
had  to  fall  back  under  cover  of  darkness  to  Mt.  Jackson.  In 
these  battles  our  loss  was  unusually  heavy  in  killed  and 
wounded.  Among  the  killed  on  the  19  th  were  Major-Gen  era! 
Rodes  and  Brigadier-General  Godwin,  the  latter  commanding 
our  (Hoke's)  old  brigade,  with  many  other  good  officers.  From 


280  North  Carolina  Troops,   186 1 -'65. 

Mt.  Jackson  we  moved  to  Fort  Republic,  and  were  reinforced 
by  Rosser's  cavalry.  The  enemy  then  had  halted  on  the  east 
side  of  Cedar  Creek,  and  began  to  entrench  themselves.  Gen- 
eral Early  wishing  to  redeem  his  character  as  a  military 
genius,  at  once  resolved  to  move  back  and  attack  them,  and 
by  surprising  and  giving  them  an  unexpected  blow,  a  victory 
might  be  won.  While  his  cavalry  and  artillery  were  making 
a  feint  on  the  right,  his  infantry  would  fall  upon  their  left. 

CEDAR  CREEK. 

At  midnight  our  division  was  ordered  to  the  point  of  attack, 
a  distance  of  four  miles  over  a  most  rugged  path  on  the  moun- 
tain side.  We  would  sometimes  lose  our  foot-hold  and  fall 
down  the  mountain  side,  and  would  have  literally  to  pull  our- 
selves up  by  bushes,  roots  or  anything  projecting  from  the 
mountain  side.  With  nothing  to  sustain  us  but  a  determined 
will  and  a  devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  we  were  engaged, 
at  5  o'clock  a.  m.  19  October,  we  reached  the  point  of  attack, 
still  hidden  from  the  enemy  by  a  heavy  fog.  We  forded  and 
partly  swam  the  creek,  and  dashed  into  their  camp  without  fir- 
ing a  gun,  capturing  1,500  prisoners  and  18  pieces  of  artil- 
lery, while  a  good  many  were  in  bed  and  asleep!  We  then  fell 
upon  another  corps  immediately  in  front  of  our  cavalry, 
which  was  soon  panic  stricken,  and  fled  in  dismay,  leaving 
all  their  artillery  behind,  which  was  turned  upon  them.  Our 
infantry  followed  on  closely  for  four  miles,  when  General 
Early  gave  over  the  pursuit. 

A  good  number  of  our  men,  thinking  the  enemy  had  fled 
to  Winchester,  took  advantage  of  this  heavy  fog  and  fell  out 
of  ranks  and  returned  to  plunder  the  camp,  so  rich  in  spoils. 
By  this  outrageous  conduct  our  line  was  weakened,  and  Sher- 
idan's cavalry  coming  to  their  assistance  from  Winchester, 
the  enemy  rallied  and  moved  back  upon  us.  Our  line  was  then 
thrown  in  disorder,  and  soon  retreated  in  much  confusion, 
and  the  fruits  of  this  l>rilliant  victory  lost.  Many  of  us 
were  soon  ridden  down  by  the  cavalry  and  captured,  killed 
or  wounded,  while  our  cavalry  was  of  little  assistanc^^.  The 
writer  of  this  sketch  was  painfully  wounded  in  this  retreat, 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  281 

and  was  carried  six  miles  on  a  liorse  led  by  his  faithful  ser- 
vant, Billy  Williams,  before  his  wound  was  staunched. 

Right  here  I  will  digress  for  one  moment:  ''Billy",  as  he 
was  known  throughout  the  division,  was  unlike  his  race ;  he 
seemed  to  love  the  excitement  of  war,  and  with  his  young 
master,  saw  the  sun  rise  at  Bethel  and  go  down  at  Appomat- 
tox. And  for  the  betrayal  of  a  squadron  of  yankees  into  our 
lines,  his  name  was  placed  upon  the  rolls  of  honor  in  Ral- 
eigh. 

The  enemy  recaptured  all  their  prisoners  and  guns  they 
had  lost  in  the  morning  and  captured  from  us  equally  as 
many  as  they  lost.  Major-General  Ramseur  was  killed. 
Lieutenant-Colonels  S.  McD.  Tate  and  A.  Ellis,  commanding 
the  Sixth  and  Fifty-fourth  North  Carolina  Regiments,  with 
many  other  good  officers,  were  severely  wounded  in  this  try- 
ing disaster.  Our  brigade  suffered  intensely  in  this  cam- 
paign, losing  seven  different  commanders  in  the  course  of  six 
"sveeks'  time. 

PETEKSBURG. 

The  battle  of  Cedar  Creek  was  the  last  event  of  importance 
in  the  Valley  campaign,  and  practically  closed  it.  The  de- 
feat of  General  Early  and  the  desolation  of  the  Valley  by 
Sheridan  made  it  impossible  for  an  army  to  remain  in  that 
region.  These  failures  caused  much  feeling  of  indignation 
against  General  Early,  and  he  was  soon  relieved  of  his  com- 
mand. The  remnant  of  his  army  was  then  placed  under 
command  of  General  J.  B.  Gordon,  and  sent  back  to  Peters- 
burg. Our  division  was  assigTied  to  General  Pegram,  and 
sent  nine  miles  west  of  the  city  on  the  Boydtown  Plank  road, 
where  we  went  into  some  cabins  that  had  been  built  by  other 
troops  for  winter  quarters.  Here  we  remained  three  days 
only,  before  the  enemy  began  to  manceuver  in  our  front, 
when  we  were  called  out,  and  in  a  short  time  our  division 
and  Gordon's  (which  had  just  come  up)  were  attacked  at 
Hatcher's  Run  6  Febiiiary,  1865,  and  a  struggle,  unprece- 
dented in  its  fui-y,  and  protracted  beyond  all  expecta- 
tions, was  commenced,  and  we  were  soon  compelled  to  fall 
back   a   short  distance.     Mahone's   and  Wilcox's  Divisions 


282  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

came  to  our  relief,  and  by  indefatigable  exertion  we  regained 
our  former  position,  and  the  enemy  fled  in  confusion.  Our 
loss  was  very  heavy  in  killed  and  wounded.  Among  the  killed 
was  our  much  lamented  General,  the  "gay  and  gallant" 
Pegram,  who  had  been  married  but  a  few  days. 

From  here  we  were  moved  two  miles  below  Petersburg, 
and  placed  in  Walker's  Division,  and  took  positions  in  the 
trenches  formerly  occupied  by  General  Ransom  and  at  some 
points  in  a  stone's  throw^  of  the  enemy.  Here  we  had  a  long 
rest,  but  were  much  annoyed  by  the  daily  shellings  from  their 
heavy  guns. 

HABEAS   HILL. 

At  4:45  a.  m.,  25  March,  1865,  a  detail  from  our  brigade 
and  another  emerged  from  our  works  in  column  of  at- 
tack and  dashed  across  the  narrow  space  that  separated  the 
two  armies,  tore  away  the  abatis  and  nished  into  Fort 
Stedman,  completely  surprising  the  garrison  and  canned  the 
works.  Instantly  the  captured  gims  were  turned  upon 
the  adjacent  forts  and  in  a  short  time  a  brigade  of  the  enemy 
w^as  put  to  flight,  and  three  batteries  on  our  flanks  were 
abandoned,  and  were  for  a  short  time  in  our  possession. 
In  this  brilliant  charge  many  pieces  of  artillery  were 
taken  and  spiked,  and  five  hundred  prisoners,  including 
one  Brigadier-General,  were  captured.  General  Gordon 
opened  this  battle  with  great  spirit  and  skill,  but  was 
not  sustained.  The  troops  on  his  right  made  but  a  feeble  de- 
monstration, and  were  soon  repulsed.  The  enemy  in  a  short 
time  recovered  from  the  surprise  and  poured  in  a  hurricane  of 
shells  into  the  works  they  had  just  lost,  at  the  ^ame  time 
throwing  forward  a  heavy  line  of  infantry,  which  caused  us 
to  fall  back,  losing  many  prisoners  and  a  great  many  killed 
and  woimded.  This  repulse  was  followed  up  and  after  a 
stubborn  resistance  our  picket  line  was  taken,  and  then  a  lull 
in  the  tempest  for  one  day,  which  was  but  a  prelude  to  its 
final  and  resistless  burst.  "The  mighty  huntsman  now  had 
the  srame  seciire  in  his  toils,  and  onlv  awaited  the  moment  of 
his  exhaustion  to  dispatch  him." 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  283 

the  retreat  to  appomattox. 

On  2  April,  1865,  a  most  terrific  bombardment  from  one 
end  of  the  line  to  the  other  commenced.  At  the  same  time  the 
enemy's  infantry  surged  forward  like  a  mighty  wave,  and 
rolled  up  to  our  works.  As  one  line  recoiled  from  our  deadly 
fire  another  would  take  its  place,  as  though  determined  to 
break  through  by  sheer  weight  of  numbers.  Our  little  band, 
so  much  exhausted  from  hard  fighting  and  superhuman  exer- 
tions, was  compelled  to  fall  back  in  the  direction  of  Appomat- 
tox river.  Following  the  river  by  the  most  accessible  roads, 
we  reached  Amelia  Court  House,  thirty-eight  miles  from 
where  we  started.  Here  General  Lee  expected  to  find 
a  quantity  of  supplies  for  his  troops,  but,  by  an  inexcusable 
blunder  of  the  Richmond  authorities  the  cars  passed  by  with- 
out stopping  to  unload  the  supplies.  We  then  had  been  two 
days  without  any  food,  and  not  a  ration  to  be  had.  Our  dis- 
appointment was  complete,  for  the  condition  we  were  left  in 
was  desperate,  and  for  some  time  we  were  wrapped  in  dis- 
consolate silence.  But  for  this  blunder,  General  Lee  could 
have  preserved  his  army  intact  and  passed  Burkeville  in 
safety  before  the  enemy  could  have  reached  there.  On  the 
night  of  the  5th  we  left  Amelia  Court  House,  marching  by 
way  of  Deatonville  in  the  direction  of  Farmville.  Upon 
reaching  Sailor's  creek,  and  after  some  desperate  fighting 
and  losing  some  of  our  best  men,  we  moved  on  to  Gettersville, 
a  distance  of  four  miles,  much  jaded,  footsore,  and  half 
starved,  and  soon  became  engaged  in  another  desperate  fight, 
in  which  our  lamented  Captain  A.  H.  Martin,  commanding 
this  regiment,  fell  instantly  killed,  while  gallantly  holding 
his  men  to  the  front.  When  the  enemy  reached  his  dead 
body,  they  had  it  decently  interred,  and  wrote  upon  an  en- 
velop, placing  it  upon  the  grave,  "^Here  lies  the  body  of 
a  brave  man.  Captain  Martin,  of  the  Fifty-fourth  North 
Carolina."  In  this  battle  our  regiment  lost  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  its  men  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners,  after 
which  the  remnant  moved  on  to  Farmville,  and  found  that 
the  enemy  had  just  taken  a  battery  in  our  front  and  had  in 
possession  our  only  line  of  retreat.     General  Lee  at  this  crit- 


284  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

ical  moment  seemed  very  much  exercised,  and  evinced  a  de- 
sire to  lead  a  charge  on  them  if  his  men  would  follow.  At 
once  many  exclaimed,  "No,  no,  but  if  you  will  retire  we  will 
do  the  work."  As  he  rode  off,  General  W.  G.  Lewis,  our 
brigade  commander,  so  distinguished  for  his  intrepid  valor, 
rallied  a  few  men  and  led  the  charge  until  he,  with  many 
others,  fell  severely  wounded,  and  was  unavoidably  left  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  writer  of  this  sketch  was  then 
acting  as  his  Inspector  General,  and  was  the  only  member 
of  his  staff  that  was  left  to  tell  the  tale  of  this  bloody  trag- 
edy. 

This  charge  was  evidently  the  last  one  of  importance.  As 
the  enemy  moved  on  for  a  stronger  position  in  our  front,  un- 
der cover  of  darkness,  we  moved  on  sluggishly,  and  at  every 
step  some  brave  man  was  compelled  to  step  out  of  ranks 
from  overpowering  fatigue.  At  12  o'clock  M.  we  reached 
the  vicinity  of  Appomattox  Court  House,  and  had  a  few 
hours  of  repose,  which  was  so  much  neede<:l. 

THE  SURRENDER. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  an  advance  was  begun,  but  find- 
ing overpowering  numbers  in  our  front,  and  upon  all  sides, 
this  little  army  then  reduced  to  something  over  8,000  in- 
fantry and  3,000  cavalry  and  artillery  actually  in  line,  was 
halted  pending  negotiations  for  its  sun-ender,  which  was 
made  on  that  bright  Sabbath  day.  On  the  succeeding  days 
the  rolls  were  made  out  and  the  army  paroled  in  accordance 
with  the  terms  agreed  upon  between  Generals  Lee  and  Grant. 
The  fragments  from  the  various  commands  were  gathered 
and  marched  to  a  spot  designated  for  that  purpose,  stacked 
their  arms  and  deposited  a  few  furled  colors.  Plaving  re- 
ceived their  paroles,  our  battle  and  famine-worn  soldiers  took 
up  the  lino  of  march  for  those  homes  they  had  so  bravely 
fought  to  defend  for  four  long  years  of  blood,  hardship  and 
toil. 

Thus  closes  the  volume  of  the  bloody  record  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  Regiment  of  North  Carolina  troops,  and  to  those  of  us 
who  still  survive,  it  is  indeed  pleasant  to  recall  that  fearful 
struggle  for  independence  and  to  look  back  upon  a  series  of 


Fifty-Fourth  Regiment.  286 

battles  and  victories  unequalled  in  history ;  and  every  one  of 
us  will  speak  with,  pride  of  the  time  when  he  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

N'oTE. — I  have  been  much  indebted  to  General  W.  G. 
Lewis  (who  has  since  died)  for  information;  also  tO'  Mrs. 
Paris,  who  so  kindly  furnished  me  with  diaries  containing 
data,  casualties,  etc.,  that  were  written  by  our  beloved  old 
Chaplain,  the  late  Rev.  John  Paris,  who  was  so  noted  for  his 
piety,  and  untiring  devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  we  were 
engaged.     He  was  indeed  one  of  God's  nobility. 

J.  Marshall  Williams. 
Fayetteville,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


.yj^^t'r     ■  ■' **"^■ 


KIFTY  FIFTH  KKIJIMKNT. 

1.  A.  H.  Belo,  Colonel.  3.    R.n-  William  Royall  Chaplain. 

2.  John  Kerr  Connally.  Colonel.  4.     I)    D   Dickson.  Captain,  Oo.  C. 

5.     C.  SI.  Cooke,  1st  Lieut,  ami  acting  Adjutant. 


FIFTY-FIFTH  REQinE/IT. 


By  CHARLES  M.  C^OOKE,  Adjutant. 


The  Fifty-fifth  North  Uarolina  Regiment  was  organized  at 
Camp  Mangum,  near  Raleigh,  in  the  early  part  of  1862.  The 
companies  composing  the  regiment  were : 

Company  A — From,  Wilson  County — William  J.  Bullock, 
Captain. 

Company  B — From  Wilhes  County — Abner  S.  Calloway, 
Captain. 

Company  C — From  Cleveland  County — Silas  D.  Randall, 
Captain. 

Company  E — From  Pitt  County — James  T.  Whitehead, 
Captain. 

Company  F — From  Clejseland,  BurJce  and  Cataivha  Coun- 
ties— Peter  M.  Mull,  of  Catawba  county,  Captain. 

Company  G — From  Johnston  County — J.  P.  Williams, 
Captain. 

Company  H — From,  Alexander  and  Onslow  Counties — 
Vandevere  Teague,  Captain;  Alexander  J.  Pollock,  First 
Lieutenant. 

Company  I — From  Franklin  County — ^Wilson  H.  Wil- 
liams, Captain. 

Company  K — From  Granville  County — Maurice  T. 
Smith,  Captain. 

John  Kerr  Connelly,  of  Yadkin  county,  who  was  for  a 
while  at  the  N'ational  !N"aval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  and 
who  had  been  Captain  of  a  company  in  the  Eleventh  Regi- 
ment of  North  Carolina  Volunteers,  was  elected  Colonel 
of  the  regiment. 

Captain  Abner  S.  Calloway,  of  Company  B,  was  elected 
Lieutenant-Colonel. 

Captain  James  T.  Whitehead,  of  Company  E,  was  elec- 
ted Major. 


288  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

William  H.  Young,  of  Granville  county,  was  appointed 
Adjutant. 

W.  N.  Holt,  of  Company  G,  was  appointed  Sergeant 
Major. 

Geokge  W.  Blount,  of  Wilson  county,  (Quartermaster. 

W.  P.  Webb,  of  Granville  county,  Commissary. 

Dr.  James  Smith,  of  Granville  county,  Surg-eon. 

De.  Isaac  G.  Cannady,  of  Granville  county,  Assistant 
Surgeon. 

Rev.  William  Royall.  of  Wake  Forest  College,  Chaplain. 

A.  H.  Dunn,  of  Company  I,  Quartermaster-Sergeant. 

W.  B.  Royall,  of  Company  I,  Commissary  Sergeant. 

J.  W.  C.  Young,  Ordnance  Sergeant. 

Peterson  Thorpe,  of  Company  K,  Hospital  Steward. 

Charles  E.  Jackey,  of  Pitt  county,  Chief  Musician. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Calloway  resigned  and  Major  White- 
head died  within  a  few  months  after  the  organization  of  the 
regiment,  and  Captain  Maurice  T.  Smith,  of  Company  K, 
was  made  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Captain  A.  H.  Belo,  of 
Salem,  who  commanded  a  company  in  the  Eleventh  Regiment 
of  North  Carolina  Volunteers,  was  made  Major.  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Smith  was  killed  at  Gettysburg  and  Major  Belo 
became  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  upon  the  resignation  of  Col- 
onel Connally,  on  account  of  severe  wounds  received  in  the 
same  battle,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Belo  became  Colonel.  On 
account  of  the  fact  that  the  senior  Captain  of  the  regiment 
was  in  prison  from  Gettysburg  until  the  close  of  the  war,  the 
regiment  had  no  other  field  officers. 

Adjutant  Young  resigned  in  November,  1862  and  Henry 
T.  Jordan,  of  Person  county,  was  appointed  Adjutant.  He 
was  captured  at  Gettysburg  and,  after  that  Lieutenant  Chas. 
R.  Jones,  of  Iredell  county,  acted  as  xldjutant  for  several 
months  and  then  C.  M.  Cooke,  from  Company  I,  was  assigned 
to  that  position  and  held  it  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Surgeon 
Jas.  Smith  resigned  in  December,  1862,  and  Dr.  B.  T. 
Greene,  of  Franklin  county,  was  appointed  Surgeon.  A.  H. 
Dunn  died  in  August,  1862,  and  Henry  S.  Furman,  of 
Franklin  county,  was  appointed  Assistant  Quartermaster  Ser- 
geant.    W.  N.  Holt,  Sergeant-Ma j or,  was  made  Lieutenant 


Fifty- Fifth  Regiment.  289 

in  Company  II,  and  Jesse  A.  Adams,  of  Johnston  county,  was 
made  Sergeant-Major. 

The  regiment,  after  it  had  been  sufficiently  drilled  to  take 
the  field,  was  sent  to  the  Department  of  the  Pamlico,  then  un- 
der the  command  of  General  James  G.  Martin,  and  remained 
there  during  the  summer  and  early  part  of  the  fall  of  1862. 
It  was  on  duty  a  greater  part  of  the  time  around  Kinston  and 
in  Trenton.  The  first  time  the  regiment  was  under  fire  was 
on  7  AugTist,  1862.  A  Federal  gunboat  had  come  up  the 
Neuse  to  a  point  a  few  miles  below  Kinston,  and  the  regiment 
was  sent  down  to  prevent  the  landing  of  the  troops.  We 
were  formed  in  a  line  on  the  south  side  of,  and  not  far  from 
the  river ;  the  gunboat  came  up  to  a  point  nearly  opposite  the 
position  occupied  by  the  regiment,  but  after  the  firing  of  a 
few  shells  went  back  without  attempting  to  land  any  troops. 

The  regiment  during  the  time  spent  in  that  section  was 
thoroughly  drilled  and  disciplined. 

WASHINGTON,   N.    C. 

On  3  September,  while  the  regiment  was  in  camp  near 
LaGrange,  there  was  a  special  order  read  on  dress  parade 
that  200  men  were  needed  for  daring  service  and  volunteers 
were  called  for.  That  number  was  at  once  obtained  and  they 
were  organized  into  two  companies  of  100  each.  Captain 
P.  M.  Mull,  of  Company  F,  was  put  in  command  of  one  com- 
pany, and  Captain  Maurice  T.  Smith,  of  Company  K,  in 
command  of  the  other,  and  the  Lieutenants  were  selected  from 
the  different  companies.  Captain  Williams,  of  Company  I, 
was  so  anxious  to  be  among  the  number  that  he  procured  the 
consent  of  the  Colonel  to  his  going  as  First  Lieutenant  of  one 
of  the  companies.  It  was  ordered  that  these  companies  be 
prepared  with  three  days'  rations  to  march  the  next  morning 
at  sunrise.  Captain  Mull  was  senior  officer  and  in  command 
of  the  detachment.  Just  as  the  sun  rose  the  next  morning 
we  moved  out  of  camp,  marching  a  little  north  of  east,  and  we 
were  then  informed  that  the  movement  meant  a  surprise  at- 
tack upon  Washington,  IST.  C,  and  that  we  would  be  joined  be- 
fore we  reached  the  place  by  other  troops.  We  met  on  the 
19 


290  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

•5tli,  Ijetween  Greenville  and  Washington,  a  detachment  from 
the  Eighth,  and  also  from  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  and  an 
artillery  company,  but  without  cannon,  armed  as  infantry, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  S.  D.  Pool,  who,  from  this 
time,  being  the  ranking  officer,  took  command  of  the  force  on 
the  march,  although  General  J.  G.  ]\Iartin  had  the  general 
direction  of  the  movement.  Later,  Captain  R.  S.  Tucker, 
with  his  company  of  cavalry,  joined  us.  We  camped  on  the 
night  of  the  5th  within  a  few  miles  of  Washington,  and  be- 
fore dawn  the  next  morning,  we  commenced  our  march  upon 
the  town.  We  struck  the  Federal  pickets  just  outside  of 
the  town  before  it  was  fairly  light;  we  followed  at  double- 
quick,  and  with  a  "Rebel  Yell,"  entered  the  town.  The  Fed- 
eral troops  were  taken  by  surprise,  and  after  firing  a  round 
or  two,  fell  back  through  the  town  upon  the  river,  under  cover 
of  their  gunboats.  We  were  in  possession  of  the  town,  the 
troops  from  our  regiment  being  stationed  on  a  square  near  the 
center  of  the  town.  We  held  the  position  for  several  hours, 
but  the  cannon  from  the  gunboats  were  turned  upon  us,  and 
the  Federal  infantry,  having  re-formed,  commenced  to  fire 
upon  us  with  long  range  rifles,  while  we  were  armed  with  the 
old  smooth-bore  muskets.  We  were  forced  to  fall  back  to  the 
place  where  we  had  camped  the  night  before ;  the  enemy  did 
not  pursue  us,  and  the  next  day  we  commenced  our  march 
back  to  camp.  Captains  Mull  and  Williams,  both  of  whom 
behaved  with  great  bravery,  were  wounded ;  of  the  men  of 
the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  engaged,  seven  were  killed  and  eight 
wounded.  There  was  no  other  meeting  with  Federal  forces 
while  the  regiment  was  in  this  section. 

On  1  October,  while  the  regiment  was  doing  picket  duty  at 
Wise's  Fork,  between  Kinston  and  New  Bern,  it  was  ordered 
to  Virginia,  and  for  a  while  did  provost  duty  in  the  city  of 
Petersburg.  With  the  Second,  Eleventh,  and  Forty-second 
Mississippi,  it  was  formed  into  a  brigade,  and  General  Joseph 
R.  Davis  was  assigned  to  its  command.  The  regiment  re- 
mained in  this  brigade  until  January,  1865,  when  it  was 
transferred  to  Cooke's  Brigade.  The  Twenty-sixth  Missis- 
sippi Regiment  and  the  First  Confederate  Battalion  were 
brought  into  the  brigade  in  the  early  part  of  1864.     It  was  a 


THE  NEW  T0^5g:i 

PUBUC  UBRA..RY.' 


A8TOR.  LENOX  AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 


KIKTYFIFTH  KECilMKNT. 

1      James  S.  AVhitehead,  Major.  4.     H.  G.  Whitehead,  Captain,  Co.  E. 

2.  \V.  II.  Williams,  Captain,  Co.  I.  5.    Robert  W.  Thomas,  Captain,  Co.  K. 

3.  P.  M.  Mull,  Captain,  Co.  F. 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  291 

fine  brigade.  The  Second  and  Eleventh  Mississippi,  with 
the  Fourth  Alabama  and  the  Sixth  North  Carolina,  had  con- 
stituted the  immortal  Bee  Brigade  at  the  first  battle  of  Man- 
assas, and  General  Whiting  afterwards  commanded  that  brig- 
ade. In  forming  the  brigade  for  General  Davis,  the  Sixth 
N^orth  Carolina  was  sent  to  Hoke's  Brigade,  the  Fourth  Ala- 
bama was  transferred  to  a  brigade  of  Alabama  troops,  and 
the  Forty-second  Mississippi,  which  was  brought  to  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia  for  that  purpose,  and  the  Fifty-fifth 
North  Carolina,  took  their  places  in  the  old  brigade.  Al- 
though all  the  other  regiments,  except  the  Fifty-fifth,  were 
from  Mississippi,  their  relations  with  the  officers  and  men  of 
that  regiment  were  quite  as  pleasant  as  they  were  with  each 
other.  The  regiments  of  Davis'  Brigade  were  a  part  of  the 
force  which  General  Longstreet  carried  to  Suffolk,  Va.,  in 
the  spring  of  1863. 

DUELS  BETWEEN  OFFICERS. 

It  was  while  near  Suffolk  that  an  incident  occurred  which 
illustrates  the  high  spirit  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment 
and  how  jealous  they  were  of  its  honor.  One  evening  about 
dark,  a  heavy  piece  of  Confederate  artillery  was  cap- 
tured by  an  unexpected  and  sui'prise  attack  by  a  brigade  of 
Federal  troops.  Captain  Terrell  and  Captain  Cousins,  the 
one  Assistant  Adjutant-General  of  General  Laws'  Brig- 
ade, and  the  other  on  the  staff  of  that  General,  reported  that 
the  Fifty-fifth  North  Carolina  had  been  assigTied  to  protect 
the  battery,  whereas,  in  fact,  it  was  a  mistake.  As  soon  as 
Colonel  Connally  heard  of  the  report,  he  went  to  see  those 
gentlemen  and  stated  to  them  that  they  were  mistaken ;  that 
the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  had  held  the  position  to  which  it 
had  been  assigned,  and  was  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  dis- 
aster; and  demanded  that  they  should  correct  their  report 
at  once.  This  they  declined  to  do.  Thereupon  Colonel  Con- 
nally returned  to  his  regiment,  called  a  meeting  of  the  field 
officers  and  Captains,  stated  the  circumstances  to  them,  and 
insisted  that  the  honor  of  the  regiment  required  that  its  of- 
ficers should  demand  satisfaction  from  those  who  had  slan- 
dered it.     He  proposed  that  the  field  officers  should  first  chal- 


292  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

lenge  the  Alabamians,  and  if  the  matter  was  not  satisfactorily 
arranged,  consistent  with  the  honor  of  the  regiment,  and  if 
they  should  be  killed,  each  officer  should  pledge  himself  to 
take  up  the  quarrel  and  fight  until  the  last  man  was  killed, 
unless  proper  amends  should  sooner  be  obtained.  To  this  the 
officers  generally  assented,  but  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith, 
who  was  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  young 
soldier  of  unquestionable  bravery,  arose  and  stated  that  he 
was  conscientiously  opposed  to  duelling,  and  that  he  would 
not  resort  to  that  method  of  settling  any  question.  Colonel 
Smith's  Christian  character  and  his  personal  courage  were 
so  well  known,  that  his  scruples  on  the  subject  were  respected, 
and  Major  Belo  proposed  to  take  his  place ;  and  so  it  was 
aiTanged  that  Colonel  Connally  should  challenge  Captain 
Terrell,  and  Major  Belo  should  challenge  Captain  Cousins, 
Captain  Satterfield,  of  Person  county,  of  Company  H,  was 
Colonel  Connally's  second,  and  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Townes,  of 
Granville,  of  Company  D,  was  Major  Belo's.  The  challenges 
were  accepted  and  Captain  Terrell  selected  as  weapons  double 
barreled  shotguns,  loaded  with  buckshot,  and  Captain  Cousins 
selected  the  Mississippi  rifle  at  forty  paces.  According  to 
appointment,  the  parties  next  day  met  in  a  large  field  in  the 
neighborhood,  in  one  part  of  which  were  Colonel  Connally 
and  Captain  Terrell  and  their  friends.  In  another  part  were 
Major  Belo  and  Captain  Cousins  and  their  friends.  As  soon 
as  Major  Belo  and  Captain  Cousins  came  to  their  place  of 
meeting,  they  took  the  positions  assigned  to  them  by  the  sec- 
onds, and  at  the  command,  fired  their  first  shot.  Major 
Belo's  shot  passed  through  Captain  Cousins'  hat,  and  Cap- 
tain (\>usins'  first  shot  entirely  missed  Major  Belo.  Cap- 
tain Cousins'  second  shot  passed  through  the  coat  of  Major 
Belo  just  above  the  shoulder  and  Major  Belo's  second  fire 
missed  Captain  Cousins.  In  the  meantime,  in  the  other  part 
of  tlio  field,  tlie  friends  of  Colonel  Connally  and  Captain 
Terrell  were  engaged  in  an  effort  to  make  an  honorable  settle- 
ment of  the  affair,  and  Captain  Terrell,  who  was  a  gallant 
officer  and  triie  gentleman,  became  satisfied  that  he  had  been 
mistaken  in  the  report  which  he  had  made  and  which  had 
been  the  cause  of  offence,  and  he  withdrew  the  same,  which 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  293 

action  prevented  any  further  hostilities  between  him  and  Col- 
onel Connally,  and  came  just  in  time  to  prevent  the  exchange 
of  a  third  shot  between  Major  Belo  and  Captain  Cousins. 

SUFFOLK^  VA. 

On  the  night  of  30  April  Davis'  Brigade  w^as  in  the  front  of 
the  town  of  Suffolk,  which  was  occupied  by  the  Federals,  and 
around  which  the  Union  forces  were  stationed  behind  fomiid- 
able  intrenchments.  About  9  o'clock  that  night  Major  Belo 
was  sent  with  four  companies  of  the  regiment  to  relieve  the 
pickets  in  the  rifle  pits  to  our  front,  with  instructions  to  hold 
the  position  in  case  there  should  be  an  attack.  The  next  day 
the  Federal  forces  made  several  demonstrations  in  front  of 
the  rifle  pits,  and  in  the  afternoon  opened  upon  them  with 
several  pieces  of  artillery.  Captain  Mull,  by  command  of 
Colonel  Connally,  took  Company  F  to  the  support  of  the  men 
in  the  rifle  pits,  and  very  gallantly  did  Captain  Mull  and  his 
company  do  this,  for  they  went  through  a  severe  artillery  fire 
for  nearly  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  and  although  they  lost 
some  of  their  best  men,  they  never  faltered.  About  the  same 
time  two  Federal  infantry  regiments  came  outside  their 
breastworks,  and  formed  into  line.  Colonel  Connally  then 
ordered  Major  Belo  to  reinforce  the  men  in  the  rifle  pits  with 
four  other  companies  of  the  regiment.  This  was  promptly 
accomplished  under  a  very  fierce  fire  and  not  without  loss. 
The  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  was  the  only  regiment  on  the  line 
that  was  armed  with  the  old  smooth-bore  muskets.  The  oth- 
ers were  armed  with  rifles.  This  must  have  been  discoverd 
by  the  enemy  during  the  day,  and  was  the  cause  of  their 
selection  of  the  part  of  the  line  occupied  by  that  regiment  for 
their  attack.  The  two  Federal  regiments  moved  for^^vard  in 
splendid  order  for  the  attack.  The  Federal  artillery  ceased 
firing  upon  that  part  of  the  field.  The  soldiers  of  both  armies 
on  the  right  and  left  were  watching  with  deep  interest  the 
movement.  The  attacking  column  had  moved  so  near  to  our 
position,  that  the  other  troops  were  beginning  to  whisperingly 
inquire  of  each  other  what  was  the  matter.  But  Major  Belo 
knew  that  the  effectiveness  of  the  ai-ms,  which  his  men  held, 
depended  upon  short  range,  and  cool  and  clear-headed,  as  he 


294  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

always  was,  lie  had  ordered  that  not  a  shot  be  fired  until  he 
gave  the  command.  The  advancing  column  was  now  so  near, 
that  the  features  of  the  men's  faces  could  be  distinguished. 
Every  one  of  the  men  in  the  rifle  pits  had  his  musket  in  posi- 
tion and  his  finger  on  the  trigger,  and  at  the  word  ''fire"  the 
sound  of  Major  Belo's  command,  seemed  to  expand  into  one 
grand  roll  of  musketry;  for  there  had  been  the  fire  of  five 
hundred  muskets  as  if  by  one  man.  Not  one  had  snapped 
fire  and  there  was  not  a  single  belated  shot.  The  shower  of 
leaden  hail  was  too  much  for  human  courage.  The  assault- 
ing regiments  fell  back  in  confusion,  with  some  loss.  But 
they  were  quickly  rallied  by  their  ofiicers,  and  returned  to 
the  attack.  This  time  the  fire  by  Major  Belo's  command 
was  reserved  until  they  had  advanced  several  yards  further 
than  before,  when  again  a  deadly  fire  swept  them  back  with 
greater  loss. 

Again  and  yet  again  they  attempted  to  storm  thq  picket 
force,  but  were  repulsed  each  time,  until  finally  abandoning 
their  purpose,  they  retired  from  the  field.  The  old  smooth 
bore  muskets  in  the  hands  of  500  brave  North  Carolina  pa- 
triots had  done  their  work.  About  this  time  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Smith  came  down  to  ]\Iajor  Belo  with  Colonel  Con- 
nally's  compliments  to  inquire  if  he  needed  other  reinforce- 
ments. Major  Belo  returning  his  compliments  to  Colonel 
Connally,  replied  that  he  thought  the  battle  was  over.  The 
Fifty-fifth  Eegiment  had  been  but  a  short  while  in  Davis' 
Brigade,  and  it  was  their  first  engagement  since  then,  and 
the  cordial  words  of  commendation  of  the  gallant  behavior  of 
the  regiment  expressed  by  the  Mississippians  was  very  grati- 
fying to  us.  Thenceforward  they  were  as  jealous  of  and  aa 
quick  to  defend  the  honor  of  our  regiment  as  we  were  our- 
selves. Some  years  after  the  war,  Major  Belo  met  an  officer 
of  one  of  the  regiments  engaged  in  this  attack,  and  he  in- 
forme<l  IMajor  Belo  that  the  tenn  of  enlistment  of  the  men 
of  those  two  regiments  was  to  expire  the  next  day  and  they 
were  to  be  mustered  out  of  seiwice,  and  that  it  was  at  their 
own  request  they  were  ordered  to  make  the  attack,  but  that 
it  proved  a  very  sad  experience  to  them. 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  295 

Shortly  after  this,  Longstreet  returned  with  his  command 
to  the  Army  of  JSTorthem  Virginia,  our  brigade  accommpany- 
ing  him.  When  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  left  the  cars  at 
Hamilton's  crossing,  near  Fredericksburg,  to  take  its  place  in 
its  brigade  in  Heth's  Division,  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps,  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  it  was  both  in  respect  to  its  disci- 
pline and  its  appearance  one  of  the  finest  regiments  in  the 
army.  Colonel  Connally  was  a  fine  tactician,  and  was  with- 
out a  superior  as  a  disciplinarian.  He  was  admirable  on 
the  field  in  his  handling  of  his  regiment.  The  time  which 
had  been  spent  in  Eastern  ISTorth  Carolina  had  allowed  the 
opportunity  for  the  drilling  of  the  regiment,  and  it  had  been 
faithfully  attended  to.  The  regimental  band,  composed  of 
seventeen  pieces,  led  by  Professor  Charles  E.  Jackey,  edu- 
cated at  Heidelberg,  was  a  very  fine  one.  The  men  of  the 
regiment  were  well  clad,  and  the  ranks  of  each  company  were 
full.  It  was  well  officered,  and  all  had  full  confidence  in  its 
field  officers,  and  no  volunteer  regiment,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  writer,  ever  had  three  better  field  officers.  They  were  all 
young  men — erect  and  soldierly  in  their  bearing,  proud  of 
their  regiment  and  enthusiastic  in  their  patriotism.  Colonel 
Connally  was  about  26  years  of  age.  Daring  in  spirit — with 
confidence  in  himself  and  his  regiment  and  the  pride  of  his 
troops.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith,  the  eldest,  not  yet  30 
years  of  age,  w^as  from  Granville  county.  He  was  an  ac- 
complished gentleman  and  had  been  a  member  of  the  "Gran- 
ville Grays,"  Company  I),  Twelfth  ISTorth  Carolina  Regi- 
ment. He  was  of  commanding  presence,  and  a  prudent 
and  efficient  officer.  Major  A.  H.  Belo'  w^as  a  fine  specimen 
of  young  Southern  manhood,  had  seen  service  before  as  Cap- 
tain of  Company  D,  Twenty-first  ISTorth  Carolina  Regiment, 
and  was  about  the  same  age  as  Colonel  Connally.  Intrepid, 
but  always  cool  and  ever  alert. 

Changes  had  taken  place  in  the  company  officers  since  the 
organization,  and  the  following  were  the  officers  of  the  com- 
panies at  that  time : 

CoMPA^^Y  A — Captain,  Albert  E.  Upchurch ;  Lieutenants, 
B.  F.  Briggs,  T.  J.  Hadley,  T.  R.  Bass. 


296  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Company  B — Captain,  George  Gilreath;  Lieutenants, 
John  T.  Peden,  Hiram  L.  Grier. 

Company  C — Captain,  Edward  D.  Dixon;  Lieutenants, 
George  J.  Bethel,  Philip  K.  Elam,  Thomas  D.  Falls. 

Company  D — Captain,  Silas  D.  Randall;  Lieutenants, 
Wm.  H.  Townes,  Jas.  H.  Randall,  Joseph  B.  Cabiness. 

Company  E — Captain,  Howell  G.  Whitehead ;  Lieuten- 
ants, James  A.  Hanrahan,  Godfrey  E.  Taft,  William  S.  Wil- 
son. 

Company  F — Captain,  Peter  M.  Mull;  Lieutenants,  Joel 
J.  Hojle,  A.  H.  A.  Williams,  Peter  P.  Mull. 

Company  G— Captain,  Walter  A.  Whitted;  Lieutenants, 
Marcus  C.  Stevens,  Charles  R.  Jones,  Mordecai  Lee. 

Company  H — Captain,  E.  F.  Satterfield ;  Lieutenants,  N. 
W.  Lillington,  Benjamin  H.  Blount,  W.  N.  Holt. 

Company  I- — Captain,  W.  H.  Williams;  Lieutenants,  B. 
H.  Winston,  Charles  M.  Cooke. 

Company  K — Captain,  R.  W.  Thomas ;  Lieutenants,  Wil- 
kins  Stovall,  W.  H.  H.  Cobb,  R.  McD.  Royster. 

The  regiment,  as  it  marched  from  the  railroad  depot  to 
take  its  place  in  the  line,  with  its  bright  arms  gleaming  in  the 
sun  of  that  beautiful  day,  with  quick  martial  step,  its  compa- 
ny officers  splendidly  dressed,  as  if  for  a  grand  parade,  its 
field  officers  mounted  on  fiery  chargers,  and  its  magnificent 
band  playing  first  "Dixie,"  and  then  "Maryland,  My  Mary- 
land"—presented  one  circumstance  of  war,  that  is,  its  pomp, 
and  if  not  its  most  impressive,  certainly  its  least  horrible. 
Little  did  it  occur  to  any  of  us  that  tlie  aspect  of  tliis  organiza- 
tion would  be  so  completely  and  so  unhappily  changed  within 
a  few  weeks. 

GETTYSBURG. 

The  regiment  crossed  the  Potomac  with  tlie  Army  of 
Nortliern  Virginia  in  fine  spirits,  and  when  it  reached  Cash- 
town  on  the  night  of  29  June,  it  was  in  splendid  condition. 
Tlio  regiment  marched  out  of  Caslitown  early  on  the  morning 
of  1  July,  going  down  the  Chambersburg  Turnpike  toward 
Gettysburg.  We  came  in  sight  of  the  town  about  0  o'clock  a. 
m.      The  T^iiion  forces  were  on  the  ridge  just  outsi<le  of  the 


Fifty- Fifth  Regiment.  297 

town  and  formed  across  the  Turnpike  to  dispute  our  advance. 
Marye's  battery  was  placed  by  General  Hetli  on  the  south  side 
of  the  turnpike  and  opened  fire  on  the  enemy.  Davis'  Brig- 
ade was  immediately  thrown  into  line  of  battle  on  the  north 
of  the  road  and  ordered  to  advance.  Archer's  Brigade  was 
formed  on  the  south  of  the  road  and  was  ordered  forward 
about  the  same  time.  There  was  a  railroad  which  had  been 
graded  but  not  ironed,  which  ran  nearly  parallel  with  the 
turnpike  and  about  one  hundred  yards  from  it.  The  Fifty- 
fifth  Regiment  was  on  the  left  of  the  brigade,  and  owing  to 
the  character  of  the  ground  was  the  first  one  to  come  into  view 
of  the  enemy,  and  received  the  first  fire  in  the  battle.  It  was 
a  volley  fired  by  the  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Hoffman,  of  Cutler's  Brigade.  Two  men 
in  the  color  giiard  of  the  -regiment  were  wounded  by  this  vol- 
ley. The  regiment  immediately  returned  the  fire  and  in- 
flicted considerable  loss  upon  the  Fifty-sixth  Pennsylvania 
Regiment.  The  Eleventh  Mississippi  Regiment  Avas  on  de- 
tail duty  that  morning,  sO'  only  three  regiments  of  our  bri- 
gade, the  Second  and  Forty-second  Mississippi  Regiments, 
and  the  Fifty-fifth  North  Carolina,  were  present.  The  regi- 
ments in  our  front  were  the  Seventy-sixth  JSTew"  York,  the  Fif- 
ty-sixth Pennsylvania  and  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sev- 
enth New  York  of  Cutler's  Brigade.  After  the  enemy's  posi- 
tion became  known  by  their  first  fire,  our  brigade  charged 
them  in  magnificent  style.  The  left  of  our  regiment  extended 
considerably  beyond  the  right  of  the  enemy's  line — and  at  the 
proper  time  our  left  was  wheeled  to  the  right.  The  enemy 
fled  from  the  field  with  great  loss.  From  the  beginning  of 
this  engagement  it  was  hot  work.  While  the  regiment  was 
advancing.  Colonel  Connally  seized  the  battle  flag  and  waving 
it  aloft  rushed  out  several  paces  in  front  of  the  regi- 
ment. This  drew  upon  him  and  the  color  guard  the  fire  of 
the  enemy  and  he  fell  badly  wounded  in  the  arm  and  hip. 
His  arm  was  afterwards  amputated.  Major  Belo,  who  was 
near  him  at  the  time,  rushed  up  and  asked  him  if  he  was 
badly  wovmded.  Colonel  Connally  replied :  "Yes,  but  do 
not  pay  any  attention  to  me ;  take  the  colors  and  keep  ahead 
of  the  Mississippians."    After  the  defeat  of  the  forces  in  front 


298  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

of  us,  the  brigade  swung  around  bj  the  right  wheel  and 
formed  on  the  railroad  cut.  About  one^half  of  the  Fifty- 
fifth  lleginient  being  on  the  left  extended  beyond  the  cut  on 
the  embankment.  In  front  of  us  there  were  then  the  Ninety- 
fifth  and  Eighty-fourth  ISTew  York  (known  as  the  Fourteenth 
Brooklyn)  Regiments,  who  had  been  supporting  Hall's  bat- 
tery, and  were  the  other  two  regiments  of  Cutler's  Brigade,  and 
the  Sixth  Wisconsin,  of  the  Iron  Brigade,  wliich  had  been  held 
in  reserve,  when  the  other  regiments  of  that  brigade  were  put 
in  to  meet  Archer's  advance.  Just  then  the  order  was  re- 
ceived to  retire  through  the  road-cut,  and  that  the  Fifty-fifth 
North  Carolina  cover  the  retreat  of  the  brigade.  The  Fed- 
eral Regiments  in  front  of  us  threw  themselves  into  line  of 
battle  by  a  well  executed  movement  nothwithstanding  the 
heavy  fire  we  were  pouring  into  them,  and  as  soon  as  their 
line  of  battle  was  formed-,  seeing  a  disposition  on  our  part  to 
retire,  charged.  They  were  held  in  check,  as  well  as  could 
be  done,  by  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  covering  the  retreat  of 
the  brigade ;  a  part  of  the  regiment  was  in  the  road-cut  and 
at  a  great  disadvantage.  One  of  the  Federal  officers  on  the 
embankment,  seeing  Major  Belo  in  the  cut,  threw  his  sword 
at  him,  saying:  "Kill  that  officer,  and  that  will  end  it."  The 
sword  missed  Major  Belo,  but  struck  a  man  behind  him. 
Major  Belo  directed  one  of  the  men  to  shoot  tlie  officer  and 
this  was  done.  This  somewhat  checked  their  charge,  and  we 
fell  back  to  another  position.  The  loss  of  the  regiment  was 
very  great  in  killed  and  wounded,  and  a  large  number  were 
captured  in  the  road-cut.  From  that  time  until  3  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  we  were  not  engaged.  A])out  that  time  Early 
came  in  with  fresh  troops  from  the  left.  We  formed  in  line 
with  them  on  their  right  and  were  hotly  engaged  in  the  bat- 
tles of  that  afternoon,  driving  the  enemy  before  us  and  cap- 
turing a  number  of  prisoners.  At  sundown  we  were  in  the 
edge  of  Gettysburg,  and  the  regiment  was  placed  behind  the 
railroad  embankment  just  in  front  of  the  Seminary.  In  the 
afternoon  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith,  while  the  regiment  was 
waiting  in  reserve,  walked  towards  the  right  to  reconnoitre 
and  was  mortally  wounded  and  died  that  niglit.  Major  Belo 
was  also  severely  wounded  in  the  leg  just  as  the  battle  closed 


^  ISiSW  YOR^I 

ASTOB,  t-ENOX  AND 


The  three  men  wlio  went  farthest  in  the  Pettigrew-Pickett  charge  at  Gettys- 
burg, July  3,  1863. 

1.  E.  Fletcher  Satterfield,  Captain.  Co.  H.    Killed  at  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863. 

2.  T.  D.  Falls.    Promoted  to  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  C,  Gettysburg,  Julv  3,  1863. 

3.  J.  A.  Whitley.    Promoted  to  Sergeant,  Co.  E,  Gettysburg,  July  3,  1863. 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  299 

that  evening.  Davis'  Brigade,  during  the  night,  was  moved 
from  its  position  on  the  railroad  cut  near  the  Seminary  to  a 
piece  of  woods  across  Willoughby  Run,  west  of  the  mineral 
springs,  and  there  rested  during  the  2d.  On  the  night  of  the 
2d  it  was  moved  to  its  position  on  the  Confederate  line  known 
as  Seminary  Ridge,  on  the  right  center,  and  stationed  in  Mc- 
Millan's woods.  Our  division  (Heth's)  on  the  left  of  Long- 
street,  and  Davis'  Brigade  the  left  centre  of  the  division. 
General  Heth  had  been  wounded  on  the  1st  and  General  Pet- 
tigrew  was  in  command  of  the  division.  General  Pickett's 
Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps  was  on  the  right  of  Heth's 
Division,  and  occupied  a  position  just  in  the  edge  of  Spang- 
ler's  woods. 

FARTHEST  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

It  was  from  these  positions  that  we  moved  out  to  that 
last  fatal  charge,  on  the  afternoon  of  3  July.  Heth's  Divis- 
ion was  not  supporting  Longstreet,  as  has  been  repeatedly 
published,  but  was  on  line  with  his  troops.  Our  regiment 
had  suffered  so  greatly  on  the  1st  that  in  this  charge  it  was 
commanded  by  Captain  Gilreath,  and  some  of  the  companies 
were  commanded  by  non-commissioned  officers.  But  the  men 
came  up  bravely  to  the  measure  of  their  duty,  and  the  regi- 
ment went  as  far  as  any  other  on  that  fatal  charge,  and  we 
have  good  proof  of  the  claim  that  a  portion  of  the  regiment 
led  by  Captain  Satterfield,  who  was  killed  at  this  time, 
reached  a  point  near  the  Benner  barn,  which  was  more  ad- 
vanced than  that  attained  hy  any  othe?'  of  the  assaulting  col- 
umns. Lieutenant  T.  D.  Falls,  of  Company  C,  residing  at 
Fallstown,  Cleveland  county,  and  Sergeant  Augustus  Whit- 
ley, of  Company  E,  residing  at  Everitt's,  in  Martin  county, 
who  were  with  Captain  Satterfield,  have  recently  visited  the 
battlefield,  and  have  made  affidavit  as  to  the  point  reached  by 
them.  This  evidence  has  been  corroborated  from  other 
sources  and  the  place  has  been  marked  by  the  LTnited  States 
commission,  and  the  map  herewith  copied  from  the  United 
States  official  survey  of  this  historic  field  will  show  the  posi- 
tion attained  by  these  men  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  in 
relation  to  other  known  objects  on  the  battlefield  such  as  the 


300  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

Beiiner  bani  and  the  Bronze  Book  which  marks  the  high- 
water  mark  of  the  struggle  for  Southern  independence.  The 
measurements  for  the  map  were  made  by  the  late  Colonel 
Batchelder,  of  the  United  States  Commission,  and  by  Colonel 
E.  W.  Cope,  United  States  engineer,  for  this  field.  This 
map  shows  that  those  killed  farthest  to  the  front  belonged  to 
the  Fifty-fifth  North  Carolina  Regiment. 

The  forces  engaged  in  this  last  charge  which  settled,  not 
only  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  but  the  fate  of  the 
Confederacy,  were  as  follows : 

Longstreet's  Corps,  composed  of: 

1.  Picheit's  Division — Kemper's  Brif/ade,  First,  Third, 
Seventh,  Eleventh  and  Twenty-fourth  Virginia  Regiments; 
Garnett's  Brigade,  Eighth,  Eighteenth,  Nineteenth,  Twenty- 
eighth  and  Fifty-sixth  Virginia  Regiments,  supporte<l  by 
Armistead's  Brigade,  Ninth,  Fourteenth,  Thirty-eighth, 
Fifty-third  and  Fifty-seventh  Virginia  Regiments  in  the  sec- 
ond line. 

2.  Iletli's  Division,  connnanded  by  Brigadier-General  Pct- 
tigrew ;  Archer  s  Bngade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Fry,  Thir- 
teenth Alabama  Regiment,  Fifth  Alabama  Battalion,  and 
the  First,  Seventh  and  Fourteenth  Tennessee  Regiments; 
Pettigi^ew's  Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Marshall,  Elev- 
enth, Twenty-sixth,  Forty-seventli  and  Fifty-second  North 
Carolina  Regiments;  Davis'  Brigade,  Second  ^'eventh  and 
Forty-second  Mississippi  Regiments  and  the  Fifty-fifth 
North  Carolina  Regiment ;  Brochenhorough' s  Brigade,  For- 
tieth, Forty-seventh  and  Fifty-fifth  Virginia  Regiments,  and 
Twenty-second  Virginia  Battalion. 

3.  One-half  of  General  Pender's  Division,  t.o-wit. :  Scales' 
Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Lowrance,  Thirteenth,  Six- 
teenth, Twenty-second,  Thirty-fourtli  and  Thirty-eighth 
North  Carolina  Regiments,  and  Lane's  Bngade,  Seventh, 
Eighteenth,  Twenty-eiglith,  Tliirty-third  and  Thirty-seventh 
North  Carolina  Regiments. 

So  there  were  eighteen  regiments  and  one  battalion  from 
Virginia,  fifteen  regiments  from  North  C.  rolina,  three  reg- 
iments from  Mississippi,  three  regiments    from    Tennessee, 


[the  new  YORl^l 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,  LENOX  AND 
TtLOEN  FOUNDATlOWa. 


showing  +he  scene  of 

LONGSTREET'S    FINAL  ASSAULT 

ON    THE     UNION     LINES   AT 

GETTYSBURG,  JULY  3,  1863 

anci  fhe  !bsifion5offher^5pecfiKbodies(fTroops1hensinofhaihamiies 
PREPARED  BY  THE 

GETTYSBURG  NATIONAL  PARK  COMMISSION 

one  bosecf  \jpor  fhe  evicence  carefully  gathered  frorr 
all  sources  ana  cclia^aa   by  said  Commission. 

lt.ColE.B. cope.  Engineer. 


a 


\ 


.<^' 


Scale. 

200  300        400 


\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 


SH. Hammond  Ass't Ens 


\pUBUC  UBRJ^R^' 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  301 

and  one  regiment  and  one  battalion  from  Alabama,  in  the 
assaulting  columns. 

The  contention  between  Pickett's  division  and  Heth's 
Division,  the  latter  commanded  then  by  PettigTew,  has  doubt- 
less arisen  from  the  following:  The  portion  of  the  enemy's 
forces  just  in  front  of  Pickett's  Division  was  behind  a  low 
rock  wall  which  terminated  at  a  point  opposite  Pick- 
ett's left.  About  eighty  yards  to  the  rear  of  this  point  there 
was  another  stone  wall  which  commenced  there  and 
ran  along  by  Benner  bam  towards  the  cemetery,  and  the 
enemy,  instead  of  continuing  his  line  to  his  right  from  the 
termination  of  the  first  wall,  and  through  the  field, 
dropped  eighty  yards  to  the  second  wall,  and  continued  his 
line  behind  that.  So  to  have  reached  the  enemy  in  Pettigrew's 
front,  his  troops  must  have,.marched  eighty  yards  beyond  a 
continuation  of  their  line  from  the  point  where  Pickett  reach- 
ed the  enemy  in  his  front.  Some  of  Pickett's  men  passed  over 
the  first  line  of  the  enemy  and  a  few  of  them  reached  a  point 
some  forty  yards  in  the  rear  of  the  line  and  near  the  Federal 
battery. 

Some  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Korth  Carolina  Regiment  reached 
a  point  within  nine  yards  of  the  rock,  wall  in  front  of  them. 
That  was  seventy-three  yards  beyond  a  continuation  of  the 
line  of  the  first  wall,  and  allowing  two  yards  for  the  thickness 
of  the  first  wall,  and  adding  to  that  the  forty  yards  beyond  the 
rock  wall  to  the  point  reached  by  some  of  Pickett's  men,  and 
running  a  line  parallel  with  the  first  wall  so  as  to  strike  the 
most  advanced  point  reached  by  Pickett's  men,  and  continu- 
ing beyond  to  the  most  advanced  point  reached  by  the  men 
of  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  it  will  be  found  that  the  latter 
point  is  thirty-one  yards  in  advance  of  that  line. 

The  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  was  a  part  of  the  rear  guard  on 
the  retreat,  and  in  the  attack  made  upon  them  at  Falling 
Waters,  they  lost  several  killed  and  wounded.  The  loss  of 
the  regiment  at  Gettysburg  amounted  to  64  killed  and  172 
wounded,  including  the  few  casualties  at  Falling  Waters  and 
the  number  of  captured,  about  200,  added  to  these  made  an 
aggregate  of  more  than  one-half  the  number  of  men  in  the 
regiment.     All  of  the  field  officers  and  all  of  the  Captains 


302  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'(35. 

were  either  killed,  wounded  or  captured.  Lieutenant  M. 
C.  Stevens,  of  Company  G,  was  the  ranking  officer,  and  com- 
manded the  regiment  on  the  retreat  until  it  reached  Falling 
Waters,  when  Captain  Whitted  had  sufficiently  recovered 
from  his  wound  to  take  command.  Captain  R.  W.  Thomas, 
of  Company  K,  however,  returned  to  the  regiment  soon  after 
we  went  into  camp  on  the  Rapidan,  and  commanded  the  regi- 
ment with  great  acceptability  until  Lieutenant-Colonel  Belo's 
return  the  following  winter.  In  the  official  report  of  his 
division  at  Gettysburg,  made  by  General  Ileth,  and  found  in 
the  records  published  by  the  United  States  Government,  Col- 
onel Connally,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith  and  Major  Belo  are 
particularly  mentioned  for  gaUant  and  meritorious  conduct, 
but  Col.  Connally  was  so  severely  wounded  that  he  was  never 
able  again  to  command  the  regiment.  This  was  a  great  loss, 
for  he  was  not  only  brave  and  loyal  in  his  support  of  the 
Southern  cause,  but  his  sentiments  and  conduct  were  so  chiv- 
alric,  that  he  impressed  all  the  men  and  officers  of  the  regi- 
ment with  his  own  lofty  ideals,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Smith 
was  dead.  The  very  soul  of  honor,  he  was  older  and  less 
impetuous  than  Colonel  Connally,  but  gentle  and  refined  as  a 
woman ;  he  was  conscientious  and  painstaking  in  the  dis- 
charge of  every  duty  and  enforced  among  the  men  the  same 
rigid  rule  of  attention  to  duty  he  prescribed  for  himself.  No 
hasty  utterance  and  no  unclean  word  ever  escaped  his  lips, 
and  by  his  daily  life,  he  taught  us  what  a  beautiful  thing  it 
is  to  be  a  Christian  gentleman. 

Colonel  Connally  was  left  in  a  house  near  the  battlefield 
and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  His  left  arm  was  am- 
putated and  from  that  and  the  wound  in  his  hip  it  was 
thouglit  for  a  long  while  he  would  die.  His  brave  spirit 
pulled  him  through.  As  a  lawyer  and  in  politics  he  attained 
high  position  in  Galveston,  Texas,  and  Richmond,  Va.,  but 
after  several  years  he  became  an  eloquent  preacher  of  the 
Gospel  and  now  resides  at  Asheville,  N^.  C. 

The  regiment,  after  its  return  to  the  line  of  the  Rapidan, 
was  engaged  in  drilling  and  picketing  at  the  fords  until  Oc- 
tober, when  it  went  with  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  to 
Manassas  and  became  engaged  in  the  battle  of  Bristoe  Sta- 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  303 

tion.  The  position  of  the  regiment  in  that  battle  was  on  the 
left  of  the  brigade,  which  was  just  to  the  right  of  Cooke's  Bri- 
gade. A  piece  of  forest  w^as  in  front  and  consequently  our 
loss  was  slight  as  compared  to  the  loss  of  some  of  the  regi- 
ments of  Cooke's  Brigade.  The  regiment  was  also  with  the 
army  at  Mine  Run,  and  was  a  part  of  a  line  that  was  formed 
for  the  charge  upon  the  enemy's  left  flank  in  the  early  morn- 
ing, when  it  was  discovered  after  throwing  out  a  skirmish 
line  that  General  Meade,  during  the  night,  had  withdrawn 
his  forces. 

Colonel  Belo  returned  to  the  command  of  the  regiment  late 
in  January,  1864,  but  he  had  not  entirely  recovered  from  his 
wound  received  at  Gettysburg.  It  was  made  on  the  leg  by 
the  fragment  of  a  shell,  and  in  his  determination  not  to  be 
captured,  he  fell  back  with  the  army  from  Gettysburg.  A 
portion  of  the  time  he  was  in  such  danger  of  capture  that  he 
exposed  himself  greatly,  and  by  the  lime  he  reached  Win- 
chester the  condition  of  the  wound  was  so  serious  that  for  sev- 
eral days  it  was  feared  that  amputation  would  be  necessary. 

Soon  after  his  return  to  the  regiment,  our  brigade,  one 
severely  cold  night,  was  ordered  out  of  camp  and  marched  to 
Gordonsville.  As  soon  as  it  reached  that  point,  the  Fifty- 
fifth  Regiment  was  sent  out  to  picket  the  roads  on  the  south. 
The  rain  was  falling  and  sleeting  and  the  clothing  on  the 
men  was  frozen.  The  next  day  the  regiment  with  the  brigade 
was  marched  some  distance  to  the  southwest  and  bivouacked 
for  the  night  with  orders  to  have  very  few  fires,  the  purpose 
being  to  intercept  a  raiding  detachment  of  the  Federal  army, 
but  the  detachment  went  around  us,  and  after  enduring  the 
intensest  suffering  that  night,  the  regiment  returned  to  camp. 

the  wilderness. 

On  4  May,  1864,  the  regiment.  Colonel  Belo,  now  recov- 
ered of  his  wounds,  commanding,  left  its  camp  near  Orange 
Court  House,  and  commenced  its  march  to  the  Wilderness. 
It  was  going  down  the  Plank  road  towards  Fredericksburg 
about  2  :30  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  the  5th,  when  it  was 
discovered  that  the  enemy  were  advancing  up  the  road, 
Heth's  Division  was  formed  into  line  of  battle,  not  for  the 


304  North  Carolina  Troops,   1 801 -'05. 

pin*pose  of  ach^ancing  or  bringing  on  an  engagement,  hut  as 
General  Lee  said  to  A.  P.  Hill,  to  hold  tlie  enemy  in  check 
imtil  Longstreet's  Corps  and  Anderson's  Division  of  A.  P. 
Hill's  Corps  should  come  up.  Da\'is'  Brigade  was  formed  on 
the  left  of  the  road;  our  regiment  was  the  right  centre  of  the 
brigade  and  on  the  crest  of  a  small  hill  or  ridge.  It  was  in  a 
dense  forest  of  small  trees ;  the  hill  in  our  front  sloped  gradu- 
ally to  a  depression  or  valley  which  was  a  few  yards  wide,  and 
then  there  was  a  gradual  incline  on  the  opposite  side  until  it 
reached  a  point  of  about  the  same  altitude  as  that  occupied  by 
us,  about  100  yards  from  our  line.  We  had  340  men,  includ- 
ing non-commissioned  officers,  in  our  regiment.  About  3  :30 
o'clock,  our  skirmish  line  was  driven  in  and  the  first  line  of 
the  Federal  forces  charged,  but  they  got  no  further  than 
the  crest  of  the  hill  in  front  of  us,  and  were  repulsed  with 
great  loss ;  from  then  until  sunset,  they  charged  us  with  seven 
successive  lines  of  battle,  but  we  repulsed  every  one  of  them. 
Our  line  never  wavered.  The  officers  and  men  of  the  regi- 
ment realized  that  the  safety  of  the  army  depended  upon  our 
holding  the  enemy  in  check  until  the  forces  left  behind  could 
come  up,  and  there  was  a  fixed  determination  to  do  it,  or  to 
die.  About  6  o'clock  the  enemy  w^ere  pressing  us  so  heav- 
ily wath  their  successive  lines  of  fresh  troops  it  was  thought 
that  they  would  annihilate  us  before  nightfall,  and  a 
conference  of  the  general  officers  on  the  field  determined  that 
it  would  probably  become  necessary  as  a  last  resort,  to  make 
a  vigorous  and  impetuous  charge  upon  them  with  the  hope 
that  we  might  be  able  to  drive  them  back.  Colonel  Belo, 
who  was  sitting  just  in  the  rear  of  the  regiment  by  the  side  of 
a  little  poplar  tree,  sent  his  orderly  to  the  line  to  the  writer 
of  this  sketch  (C  M.  Cooke),  instructing  him  to  report  to  him 
immediately.  I  went  at  once.  He  then  stated  to  me  that 
the  necessity  of  a  charge  seemed  apparent  and  that  the  order 
for  making  it  would  probably  soon  be  given,  and  he  desired 
that  I  return  to  the  line  and  notify  the  men  that  they  might 
be  prepared  for  it,  and  take  the  command  of  my  own  com- 
pany and  also  C,  which  was  the  flag  company,  the  command- 
ing officer  of  which  had  a  few  moments  before  been  severely 
wounded,  and  to  see  that  the  flag  was  kept  well  to  the  front, 


1.    John  P.  Caiinady,  Serfreant,  Co.  K. 
a.     Win.  KIlis  Royster,  t'orporal,  Co.  K. 
3.     Hetn-y  C.  Ailcock.  Musician,  Co.  K. 
■1.     John  II.  Willianis,  I'nvate.  Co.  K. 

(Killed  n.-ar  I'.t.TsburK,  Oct.,  1864.) 
5.     Rhodes  Frazier,  I'livate,  Co.  K. 


FIFTY-FIFTH  RFGIMENT 
6 


Albert  Eaks.  Private,  Co.  K. 

John  H.  Dean.  Private,  Co.  K.     (Killed 

at  the  Wilderness.) 
James  C.    Kiiutt.   Co.    K.      (Killed   at 

(iettysburj;,  July  1-  18<;3.) 
James  W.  Adcock,  Private,  Co.  K. 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  305 

and  to  make  the  charge  with  all  the  dash  that  was  possible.  I 
went  back  to  the  line  and  gave  the  men  the  information.  They 
expressed  hope  that  it  might  not  be  necessary  to  make  the 
charge,  bnt  there  was  no  disposition  to  shirk  the  duty  if  it 
had  been  imposed.  Bnt  the  order  for  the  charge  was  not 
given,  and  about  sunset  the  firing  had  nearly  ceased  in  our 
front,  and  Thomas'  Georgia  Brigade  of  Wilcox's  Division 
came  in  and  relieved  us,  and  we  were  sent  to  the  right  of  the 
road  where  we  rested  for  the  night.  We  had  held  the  enemy 
in  check.  Not  one  yard  of  our  line  had  given  away  one  foot 
during  the  three  hours  the  fearful  onslaughts  had  been  made 
upon  us,  but  of  the  340  of  the  regiment,  34  lay  dead  on  the 
line  where  we  fought  and  167  were  wounded.  The  Sergeant 
of  the  ambulance  corps  counted  the  next  day  157  dead  Fed- 
eral soldiers  in  front  of  our  regiment. 

On  6  May^,  early  in  the  morning  before  sunrise,  the  Fed- 
eral forces  opened  the  battle  on  our  left  before  Davis'  Brigade 
was  in  line,  and  while  our  arms  were  yet  stacked,  and  forced 
the  troops  to  the  left  of  us,  and  our  brigade  along  with  them, 
back  upon  and  along  the  road.  These  were  fresh  troops  which 
Gen.  Grant  had  moved  into  position  during  the  night,  and 
they  were  attacking  the  troops  of  A.  P.  Hill's  Corps,  which 
had  been  fearfully  depleted  by  the  engagements  of  the  day  be- 
fore. But  just  at  this  time  Longstreet's  Corps  came  up  and 
Kershaw's  Division  relieved  our  division.  Our  regiment  was 
not  engaged  further  during  the  Wilderness  fight.  Our  bri- 
gade composed  part  of  the  rear  guard  of  the  army  on  its 
march  from  the  Wilderness  to  Spottsylvania,  and  consequent- 
ly, the  regiment  did  not  reach  Spottsylvania  until  9  May.  We 
had  some  skirmishes  along  the  march — nothing  serious.  On 
the  afternoon  of  10  May  our  regiment  was  part  of  the  force 
which  made  an  attack  upon  the  enemy's  right  near  Talley's 
mill.  We  charged  and  captured  a  piece  of  artillery  and  drove 
the  enemy  across  the  Mattapony.  The  regiment  upon  this  oc- 
casion behaved  with  great  gallantry,  charging  for  half  a  mile 
up  the  hillside  through  an  old  field.  Though  subjected  dur- 
ing this  charge  to  a  fire  from  both  artillery  and  small  arms, 
the  loss  was  not  very  great ;  we  were  charging  up  hill  and  the 

20 


306  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

&te  of  the  eiienij  went  over  our  heads.  On  tliis  charge  three 
color  bearers  were  shot  down  in  succession  before  we  captured 
the  artillery.  The  regiment  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
the  12th  at  Spottsjlvania,  but  as  we  were  behind  temporary 
breastworks,  and  some  distance  to  the  right  from  the  point 
where  Grant  broke  the  Confederate  lines,  its  losses  on  that 
day  w'ere  comparatively  small. 

SECOND    COLD    IIA1U30R. 

At  the  second  battle  of  Cold  Harbor  the  regiment  reached 
the  field  late  in  the  afternoon  of  2  June.  The  Federal  troops 
were  attempting  to  occupy  an  advanced  position  on  our  left 
for  the  battle  of  the  next  day.  Davis'  Brigade  was  put  in  to 
prevent  this,  and  charged  them  just  about  sunset.  We 
checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  but  it  was  a  fearful  charge. 
The  ground  was  unfavorable  on  account  of  a  thick  under- 
growth and  tlie  loss  "svas  considerable.  Colonel  Belo  was  seri- 
ously wounded  in  this  charge  and  w^as  never  able  aftenvards 
to  take  command  of  the  regiment.  We  were  engaged  in  the 
battle  all  the  next  day,  but  we  were  protected  by  temporary 
breastworks,  and  we  did  not  suffer  as  heavily  as  some  of  the 
regiments,  but  the  punishment  we  inflicted  upon  the  enemy 
was  fearful. 

Colonel  Belo's  wound  was  in  the  arm,  half  way  between  the 
elbow  and  shoulder  joint;  the  bone  was  shattered  and  the  op- 
eration of  re-section  was  performed.  The  loss  to  the  regi- 
ment was  irreparable.  He  had  been  with  the  regiment  in 
all  its  hard-fought  battles,  and  had  the  absolute  confidence  of 
every  man  in  the  regiment.  He  was  cool  and  intrepid.  He 
never  lost  his  head  in  the  midst  of  the  fiercest  conflict,  nor 
failed  to  discover  and  seize  the  advantage  of  a  position.  He 
had  a  genius  for  organization,  and  appreciated  every  detail 
that  contributed  to  the  effectiveness  or  character  of  a  military 
organization.  He  was  in  North  Carolina  at  the  time  of 
General  Lee's  surrender.  He  went  to  General  Beauregard 
and  was  assiV^ed  by  him  to  the  command  of  a  force.  He  was 
detached  f  ro^i  the  main  body  of  General  Johnston's  army,  and 
W'hen  the  latter  surrendered,  instead  of  surrendering  with  it, 
he  and  Captain  Lillington,  of  Company  H,  who  was  with  him 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  307 

at  the  time,  rode  off  to  join  the  army  of  General  Kirby  Smith, 
across  the  Mississippi.  But  before  he  reached  that  army  it 
had  surrendered  and  he  went  to  Galveston  and  made  that 
place  his  home.  He  became  the  editor  of  the  Galveston  News 
and  acquired  both  fame  and  wealth.  He  died  at  Asheville, 
N.  C,  a  few  months  ago  and  was  buried  at  Salem,  IST.  C,  his 
old  home. 

The  regiment  after  this  time  was  commanded  at  various 
times  by  Captain  P.  M.  Mull,  of  Company  F ;  Captain  R. 
W.  Thomas,  of  Company  K;  Captain  W.  A.  Whitted,  of 
Company  G ;  Captain  B.  F.  Briggs,  of  Company  A ;  Captain 
N.  W.  Lillington,  of  Company  H ;  and  Captain  John  T. 
Peden,  of  Company  B ;  but  Captain  Whitted  was  in  com- 
mand the  greater  part  of  the  time. 

The  regiment,  after  Cold  Harbor,  spent  about  a  month  on 
the  north  side  of  the  James  river,  near  Malvern  Hill,  and 
during  that  time  had  an  engagement  with  the  enemy  near 
White  Oak  Swamp,  in  which  the  Federals  were  repulsed,  and 
the  regiment  lost  several  men.  We  were  afterwards  trans- 
ferred to  the  lines  southeast  of  Petersburg,  and  the  point  oc- 
cupied by  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  was  to  the  right  of  the 
point  where  the  mine  was  sprung  on  30  July.  The  part  of 
the  line  occupied  by  our  regiment  was  so  near  to  that  of  the 
enemy  that  sharpshooting  was  kept  up  constantly  between  the 
lines  with  casualties  of  almost  daily  occurrence.  The  en- 
emy had  a  number  of  mortar  guns  planted  just  in  rear  of 
their  lines,  from  which  shells  were  discharged  almost  con- 
stantly night  and  day.  As  some  measure  of  protection,  the 
men  and  officers  of  the  regiment  dug  holes  in  the  side  of  the 
hill,  upon  which  the  line  of  our  regiment  was  formed.  The 
headquarters  of  the  regiment  was  a  hole  six  by  nine  feet 
square,  thus  made  in  the  side  of  the  hill  with  an  open- 
ing to  the  rear,  and  it  was  in  this  place  that  the  writer.  Ad- 
jutant of  the  regiment,  received  all  orders  from  superior  of- 
ficers, received  and  made  all  reports  and  all  regimental  or- 
ders, and  there  the  commanding  officer  and  himself  slept  at 
night. 

THE    CEATEK. 

On  the  morning  of  29  July,  the  Federal  commander  made 


308  North  Carolina  Troops,    1861-'05. 

a  feint  by  advancing  a  part  of  his  forces  on  the  north  side  of 
James  river,  near  Malvern  Hill,  towards  Richmond.  This 
was  done  in  order  to  cover  his  real  purpose  of  springing  the 
mine  near  Petersburg,  and  to  weaken  opposition  at  that 
point  by  inducing  us  to  withdraw  our  troops  towards  Rich- 
mond. The  Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  with  its  brigade,  was  a 
part  of  the  forces  which  were  moved  rapidly  across  the  coun- 
try, crossing  the  James  river  near  Drewry's  Bluff,  to  check 
the  enemy's  advance.  We  reached  a  point  in  front  of  the 
enemy  not  far  from  Malveni  Hill,  on  the  niglit  of  the  29th, 
and  were  placed  in  line  to  reinforce  troops  already  there,  but 
the  enemy  made  no  attempt  to  advance  further.  At  a  very 
early  hour  the  next  morning,  we  were  awakened  by  the  rever- 
beration of  a  great  sound  which  seemed  to  have  been  produced 
a  long  way  off,  and  at  the  same  time  there  was  a  trembling  of 
the  earth,  such  as  that  caused  by  an  earthquake.  A  few  houra 
afterwards  a  courier  came  with  orders  directing  us  to  return 
at  once  to  the  lines  near  Petersburg.  We  commenced  tc 
march  immediately  and  beneath  a  scorching  sun ;  we  went  at 
almost  a  dciible-quick,  and  in  crossing  the  large,  shadeles& 
fields  in  the  low-lands  of  the  James  river,  a  number  of  men 
were  overcome  by  the  heat,  but  we  reached  Petersburg  on  the 
night  of  the  30th,  and  found  that  the  enemy  had  been  driven 
back  from  the  advanced  position  which  they  had  gained,  and 
for  a  while  occupied  after  the  springing  of  the  mine.  Early 
next  morning,  there  was  a  truce  for  several  hours  to  bury  the 
dead  between  the  lines,  and  our  line  was  formed  then  just  as 
it  was  before,  except  there  w^as  a  bend  around  the  excavation 
made  by  the  explosion  of  the  mine.  The  position  of  our  reg- 
iment was  some  yards  to  the  south  of  the  excavation.  The 
Fifteenth  regiment  of  Cooke's  Brigade  was  just  in  the  rear  of 
it.  The  springing  of  the  mine  was  a  complete  surprise  to 
us,  and  both  officers  and  men  were  for  several  weeks  thereaf- 
ter anxiously  expecting  a  repetition  of  the  act,  and  were  ner- 
vous over  it.  At  one  time  or  another,  every  member  of  the 
regiment  was  sure  that  he  heard  the  sound  of  the  sappers  and 
the  miners  digging  away  down  in  the  ground  beneath  him. 
There  was  scarcely  a  night  that  some  one  of  the  regiment 
would  not  come  out  of  his  hole  and  crawl  to  the  regimental 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


XSTOR,  LENOX  AND 
TILDEN  F<H3NaATlQN6. 


1.  Geo.  W.  Ciirrin.  Private,  Co.  K. 

(Killed  at  (iettysl)iirfr.  July  1,  18t)3.) 

2.  James  K.  Wilkerson,  Private,  Co.  K. 

3.  Charles  Stovall,  Pi'ivate,  Co.  K. 

rKilleil  at  (iettyshiir^.) 

4.  Marion  11.  Hester,  Private,  Co.  K. 

5.  Thomas  H.  Danie',  Private,  Co.  K. 


FIFTY-FIFTH  KECilMENT 
6, 


Alexander  Adcock,  Private,  Co.  K. 

Robert   H.    Klli.xnn.    Private,   Co.   K. 
(Wounded   seven   times    at    Gettys- 
burg. July  1,  1S03.    Taken  prisoner 
and  died  at  Point  Lookout.) 

John  P.  F.llixon,  Private,  Co.  K. 

Benjamin  P.  Thorp,  Private,  Co.  K. 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  309 

headquarters  and  whisper  the  announcement  that  he  could 
plainly  hear  the  sound  of  the  digging  in  the  ground  way  be- 
low him.  The  suggestion  of  the  adjutant  or  commanding 
ofhcer  that  it  was  mere  imagination  would  never  avail,  and  so 
it  would  often  happen  that  a  good  part  of  the  night  was  spent 
by  those  officers  in  going  around  and  testing  the  accuracy  of 
these  reports ;  and  in  assuring  the  men  that  there  was  no  real 
sound,  but  only  that  of  imagination.  It  was  customary  to 
relieve  the  regiment  about  one  day  in  every  ten  from  the  ter- 
rible strain  of  this  service  in  the  trenches,  and  to  take  them  to 
some  point  in  the  rear  where  there  was  shade,  and  allow  them 
to  bathe  themselves  and  to  wash  their  clothing. 

DAVIs"    FAEM. 

The  18  August  was  one  of  those  days  off  with  Davis' 
Brigade.  About  one-third  of  the  men  had  been  detailed  that 
morning  and  sent  to  work  on  the  breastworks.  The  balance 
of  the  brigade  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  were  rest- 
ing about  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  the  line,  when  we  were  or- 
dered to  move  rapidly  to  the  right  some  twO'  or  three  miles, 
to  meet  the  enemy,  who,  passing  around  the  extreme  right  of 
our  infantry  line,  had  crossed  the  Petersburg  &  Weldon  Rail- 
road at  Davis'  farm.  As  soon  as  we  came  in  sight  of  the  en- 
emy, we  were  formed  in  line  of  battle  and  ordered  to  charge. 
The  charge  was  made  with  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  in  the 
center  of  the  brigade.  The  charge  was  made  with  dash  and 
spirit,  at  double-quick,  for  half  a  mile,  and  through  a  corn 
field  a  greater  part  of  the  way,  under  a  fierce  fire  of  both  ar- 
tillery and  infantry.  After  passing  through  the  com  field, 
we  came  to  a  pine  forest  of  scattering  growth.  We  drove  the 
first  line  of  the  enemy  through  this,  and  then  came  to  a  for- 
est from  which  the  large  trees  had  been  mainly  cut,  and  whicn 
was  very  thick  with  small  growth  and  under-brush.  It  was 
so  dense  that  the  enemy,  who  were  only  about  75  or  100 
yards  from  us,  behind  some  temporary  breastworks,  could 
not  be  seen.  We  stopped  a  moment  and  reformed  our  line 
and  then  continued  the  charge,  but  in  the  difficulty  to  our  ad- 
vance presented  by  the  thick  undergrowth  and  the  brush  from 
the  large  trees  which  had  been  felled,  we  had  not  gone  more 


310  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

than  forty  yards  before  we  were  repulsed  with  great  loss.  It 
was  then  about  twilight,  and  the  volley  the  enemy  poured  into 
our  ranks  appeared  to  be  a  veritable  sheet  of  flame.  The 
losses  of  our  regiment  there  were  relatively  greater  than  in 
any  other  battle  in  which  it  participated.  There  was  scarcely 
an  officer  or  man  who  did  not  bear  either  in  his  body  or  cloth- 
ing the  marks  of  the  terrible  conflict.  Of  the  130  men  who 
went  into  the  charge,  at  least  one-half  were  either  killed  or 
wounded.  Lieutenant  J.  J.  Hoyle,  of  Company  F,  was 
killed  while  gallantly  loading  his  company ;  he  was  ever  a 
faithful  and  conscientious  officer ;  Lieutenant  W.  H.  Townes, 
of  Granville  county,  as  brave  an  officer  as  ever  drew  a 
sword,  commanding  Company  D,  was  mortally  wounded. 
Of  the  thirteen  men  of  Company  I  present,  three  were 
killed  and  all  the  others  were  wounded.  After  the  re- 
pulse, we  fell  back  some  fifty  yards  waiting  and  expecting 
that  the  enemy  would  advance,  but  this  he  failed  to  do,  and 
during  the  night  we  were  moved  further  to  the  rear.  Cap- 
tain Whitted  commanded  the  regiment  in  this  engagement. 
The  next  afternoon  the  men  detailed  the  day  before  having 
come  in,  our  regiment  had  nearly  as  many  men  in  ranks  as  it 
had  the  day  before,  and  Captain  B.  F.  Briggs,  of  Company 
A,  was  in  command.  Our  line  was  lengthened  by  fresh 
troops,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  another  attempt  was  made 
to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  his  position,  our  regiment  charg- 
ing over  the  same  ground  as  on  the  day  before,  and  it  was  re- 
pulsed at  just  about  the  same  point,  and  with  very  nearly  as 
great  losses.  We  returned  to  the  trenches  near  Petersburg 
and  there  remained  until  the  engagement  on  1  October  on  the 
right  of  our  line,  in  which  General  ITeth's  Division  was  en- 
gaged with  an  infantry  division  of  the  Federal  forces  and 
some  of  their  cavalry,  and  in  which  General  Archer  was  mor- 
tally wounded.  The  losses  of  the  Fifty-fifth  Kegiment  in 
this  engagement  were  slight.  In  the  battle  of  Hatcher's  Run 
or  Burgess'  Mill,  on  27  October,  the  right  of  our  brigade 
rested  on  Hatcher's  Run.  One  of  the  Mississippi  Regiments 
was  on  the  right,  and  our  regiment  was  in  the  centre.  About 
4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  enemy  had  broken  tlirough  our 
lines  on  the  south  side  of  Hatcher's  Run  and  the  first  we 


Fifty-Fifth  Regiment.  311 

knew  of  it  they  had  crossed  the  run  and  were  firing  into  our 
rear.  General  Heth  and  General  Davis,  who  were  just  in  the 
rear  of  our  regiment  at  the  time,  directed  Colonel  Stone,  of 
the  Second  Mississippi,  since  Governor  of  the  State  of  Missis- 
sippi, to  wheel  the  three  right  regiments  of  the  brigade  per- 
pendicular to  our  line,  and  to  drive  the  enemy  back  across  the 
run.  The  order  was  promptly  executed,  and  the  Fifty-fifth 
Regiment,  being  the  third  regiment  from  the  right,  was  next 
to  the  angle,  and  was  subjected,  therefore,  to  enfilading  fire 
from  the  main  army  of  the  enemy,  and  to  a  front  fire  from 
the  flanking  force.  The  charge  was  made  with  great  despera- 
tion and  the  enemy  were  driven  in  great  disorder  and  confu- 
sion across  the  run,  and  our  lines  on  the  south  side  were  re- 
established. The  losses  of  the  regiment  were  serious.  Lieu- 
tenant M.  C.  Stevens,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  escaped  un- 
hurt, rashly  exposed  himself  in  this  exigency  and  was  killed. 

BELFIELD. 

About  1  December,  1864,  when  the  enemy  with  considera- 
ble force  of  both  cavalry  and  infantry,  cut  the  Petersburg  & 
Weldon  Railroad,  near  Jaratt's  Station,  and  threatened  the 
base  of  our  supplies  at  Belfield,  our  regiment  was  a  part  of  the 
force  that  was  sent  to  attack  and  drive  him  back.  We  came 
upon  the  enemy  near  Jarratt's  station,  and  drove  in  his  skir- 
mish line.  We  formed  in  line  of  battle  and  charged  through 
a  piece  of  pine  forest  that  was  covered  with  sleet;  the  long 
icicles  hung  from  every  limb,  and  the  trees  were  so  weighted 
that  many  of  the  limbs  touched  the  gi'ound.  It  was  fearfully 
cold  and  the  men  suffered  terribly,  for  we  were  neither  well 
shod,  nor  warmly  clad.  A  few  shots  were  fired  into  our 
column  as  we  were  marching  through  the  forest,  but  when  we 
emerged  from  it  into  an  open  field  near  the  railroad,  the  ene- 
my had  fled.  This  movement  was  noted  for  the  great  suffer- 
ing of  the  men  on  account  of  the  severe  weather.  The  snow 
and  sleet  fell  upon  us  the  second  night  after  we  left  camp. 

On  6  February,  1865,  the  regiment  in  the  meantime  having 
been  transferred  to  Cooke's  Brigade,  participated  in  the  fight 
of  Cooke's,  Johnson's  and  Pegram's  Brigades  with  some 
of   the   Federal   forces,    in   the  battle   fought  between    the 


312  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

lines  north  of  Hatcher's  Run.  The  casualties  of  the  regi- 
iiunit  wvvQ  small.  On  24  March  the  regiment,  with  its  brig- 
ade was  moved  to  the  left  and  put  into  position  to  support 
General  Gordon's  attack  the  next  morning,  on  the  forts  and 
line  of  the  enemy  cast  of  Petersburg.  When  the  attacking 
forces  moved  over  the  intrenchments  for  the  charge,  we  moved 
into  their  places,  but  as  the  attack  was  a  failure  we  were  not 
put  in  action;  when  we  returned  to  our  former  position 
we  found  that  the  enemy  had  just  attacked  and  captured  the 
men  we  had  left  in  the  rifle  pits  in  the  morning.  They  made 
a  movement  as  if  they  were  going  to  charge  our  main  line, 
but  after  a  few  shots  from  us  they  changed  their  purpose. 

LINES  BROKEN.  .'  ; 

Wliou  the  general  attack  washiade  iipon  the  right  of  our 
line  on  31  March,  we  occupied  a  position  a  few  hundred  yards 
north  of  Hatcher's  Run.  In  the  battle-  that  day,  the  writer 
of  this  sketch  was  seriously  wounded.  '  Thb  regiment  was  en- 
gaged with  its  brigade  in  the  stubborn  resistance  that  was 
made  and  continued  until  the  morning  of  2  April  to  prevent 
the  enemy  from  turning  our  flank.  The  lines  around  Peters- 
burg being  broken  that  day,  the  glorious  remnant  of  the  un- 
con(]nered  Fifty-fifth  North  Carolina  Regiment  shared  in  the 
vicissitudes  of  the  heroic  and  historic  retreat  which  ended  in 
the  surrender  at  Appomattox.  The  handful  of  the  regiment 
on  9  April,  1865,  was  commanded  by  Captain  W.  A.  Whit- 
ted. 

C.  M.  Cooke. 

LOUISBURG,  N.    C, 

9  April,  1901. 


'HE  NEW  YORK 

[public  library. 


ASTOR,  A.£t*W(  ANO 
TILOEN  fOU*lOATIONa. 


FIFTY-SIXTH  KEOIMENT. 

1.  Paul  F.  Faison.  Colonel.  4.    John  W.  (Iraham,  Major. 

2.  ♦G.  G.  Luke,  Lieut.-Colonel.  5.    E.  J.  Hale,  Adjutant. 

3.  H.  F.  Schenck,  Major.  I).    Moses  John  de  Rosset,  Surgeon. 

r.    James  M.  Clark,  Ensign. 


FIFTY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 


By  ROBERT  D.  GRAHAM,  Captain  Company  D. 


This  regiment  was  composed  of  ten  companies  which  assem- 
bled at  the  camp  of  instruction,  known  as  Oamp  Mangum, 
located  on  the  North  Carolina  railroad,  four  miles  west  of 
Raleigh,  in  the  Spring  and  Summer  of  1862. 

Company  A — Camden  Comity,  mainly — As  twelve 
months'  volunteers,  they  had  formed  a  part  of  the  detach- 
ment captured  at  Hatter  as  29  August,  1861,  and  had  recently 
been  exchanged.  Its  officers  were  successively  as  follows : 
G.  Gratiott  Luke,  Captain,  April,  1861,  elected  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  31  July,  1862 ;  Noah  H.  Hughes,  Captain,  1  August, 
1862,  from  First  Lieutenant  17  April,  1862,  died  1  Jime, 
1864;  Thomas  P.  Savilles,  Captain,  1  June,  1864,  from  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant,  17  April,  1862  ;  Henry  W.  Lane,  First  Lieu- 
tenant, 1  August,  1862,  transferred  from  Company  G,  killed 
12  June,  1864;  Edward  P.  Hanks,  First  Lieutenant,  12 
June,  1864,  from  Second  Lieutenant  17  April,  1862 ;  Caleb 
L.  Grandy,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  June,  1864;  Wm.  H.  Sey- 
mour, Second  Lieutenant,  12  June,  1864;  Caleb  P.  Walston, 
First  Sergeant,  became  Captain  in  the  Sixty-eighth  Regi- 
ment. 

Company  B — Cumberland  County — This  company  came 
in  under  Frank  N.  Roberts.  A  good  portion  of  this  com- 
mand was  from  the  old  ante  helium  organization  known  as 
the  Lafayette  Light  Infantry,  and  with  their  present  Cap- 
tain had  formed  a  part  of  the  First  North  Carolina  Volun- 
teers known  as  tlie  "Bethel"  Regiment,  who  were  six  months' 
volunteers,  and  who  had  been  in  the  battle  of  Bethel  10  June, 
186L  Its  officers  in  succession  were:  Francis  iSI.  Roberts, 
Captain,  30  September,  1861  (who  had  been  a  Lieutenant  in 
the  Bethel  Regiment),  killed  18  June,  1864;  Alexander  R. 
Carver,  Captain,  18  June,  1864,  for  gallant  service  from  Sec- 


314  North  Carolina  Troops,   ] 861-65. 

ond  Lieutenant,  1  May,  1864,  served  in  Betliel  Regiment, 
was  retired  22  February,  1865,  being  disabled  by  wounds; 
William  T.  Taylor,  Captain,  22  February,  1865,  from  Ser- 
geant-Major, served  in  Bethel  Regiment ;  R.  W.  Thornton, 
First  Lieutenant,  April  1862,  captured  22  May,  1863;  Dan- 
iel M.  McDonald,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  April,  1862,  cap- 
tured at  Hatteras  29  August,  1861 ; Captain  White  being  then 
tenant,  1  April,  1862,  killed  20  April,  1864,  at  Plymouth; 
James  A.  King,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  July,  1864,  killed  21 
August,  1864,  at  the  Davis  House,  near  Petersburg. 

Company  C — Pasquotank  County — Alexander  P.  White, 
Captain,  April,  1862 ;  Matthew  W.  Fatherly,  First  Lieuten- 
ant, 26  March,  1862 ;  John  B.  Lyon,  Second  Lieutenant,  23 
April,  1862,  resigned,  and  appointed  Captain  in  the  Sixty- 
eighth  Regiment;  William  P,  Bray,  Second  Lieutenant,  23 
April,  1862 ;  Edward  S.  Badger,  Second  Lieutenant,  1 
March,  1864.  The  bulk  of  (!'ompany  C,  under  original  en- 
listments, had  been  among  the  earliest  volunteers  and  cap- 
tured at  Hatters  29  August,  1861 ;  Captain  White  being  then 
Lieutenant  in  the  Independent  Grays,  commanded  by  Cap- 
tain Thomas  Calioon. 

Company  D — Orange  County — This  company  w^as 
brought  in  by  John  W.  Graham,  who  had  entered  the  service 
as  Second  Lieutenant  20  April,  1861,  in  the  Orange  Guards, 
which  with  the  Guilford  Grays,  (both  of  them  ante  helium 
volunteer  companies,)  had  been  ordered  to  coast  defence  duty 
at  Fort  Macon.  In  June,  1861,  he  was  appointed  Aide-de- 
Camp  to  General  R.  C.  Gatlin,  commanding  the  Department 
of  Eastern  North  Carolina,  and  received  a  commission  as  First 
Lieutenant  in  the  Eighth  Regiment  North  Cai'olina  State 
Troops.  The  company  was  officered  as  follows:  John  W. 
Graham,  Captain,  April,  1862,  from  Aide-de-Camp,  pro- 
moted to  Major  1  September,  1863 ;  Robert  D.  Graham,  Cap- 
tain, 1  September,  1863,  from  First  Lieutenant  22  May, 
1863,  from  Second  Lieutenant  17  May,  1862,  from  private. 
David  S.  Ray,  First  Lieutenant,  17  May,  1862,  from  private, 
killed  22  May,  1863;  Joseph  B.  Coggin,  First  Lieutenant,  1 
September,  1863,  from  Sergeant,  wounded  17  June,  1864, 
and  died  therefrom  in  Petersburg  hospital   16   September, 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  315 

1864 ;  Robert  T.  Faucett,  First  Lieutenant,  by  promotion  and 
transfer  from  Second  Lieutenant  in  Company  H  18  Sep- 
tember, 1864,  from  First  Sergeant  of  Company  D ;  Charles 
R.  Wilson,  Second  Lieutenant,  17  May,  1862,  from  private; 
William  Turner,  Second  Lieutenant,  25  July,  1863,  from 
Sergeant. 

Company  E — Northampton  County,  mainly — Jos.  G. 
Lockhart,  Captain,  \pril  1862,  resigned  11  October,  1864; 
King  J.  Rhodes,  Captain,  11  October,  1864,  from  First  Lieu- 
tenant 4  May,  1863,  and  Second  Lieutenant  February,  1863 
(served  in  Bethel  Regiment)  ;  Jarvis  B.  Lutterloh,  First 
Lieutenant,  1  April,  1862,  killed  28  April,  1863  (had  served 
in  the  Bethel  Regiment)  ;  John  Jacobs,  First  Lieutenant,  11 
October,  1863,  from  Second  Lieutenant  4  May,  1863  ;  George 
B.  Barnes,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  April,  1862,  promoted  to 
Assistant  Quartermaster  1  August,  1862,  with  rank  of  Cap- 
tain; Wm.  S.  Moody,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  April,  1862,  re- 
signed 1  February,  1863 ;  Robert  B.  Peebles,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, 5  August,  1862,  from  First  Sergeant,  promoted  and 
transferred  to  Adjutant  Thirty-fifth  North  Carolina  Regi- 
ment, later  A.  A.  G.  Ransom's  Brigade ;  Alex.  B.  McDougald, 
Second  Lieutenant,  9  June,  1863 ;  Cornelius  Spivey,  Second 
Lieutenant,  18  September,  1863,  killed  17  June,  18v64; 
Wm.  J.  Thomas,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  I^ovember,  1864. 

Company  F^ — Cleveland  County,  mainly — Henry  F. 
Schenk,  Captain,  April,  1862,  Major  31  July,  1862,  retired 
1  September,  1863 ;  Benjamin  F.  Grigg,  Captain,  5  August, 
1862  (Lincoln  county,)  from  Lieutenant  10  May,  1862,  (had 
been  First  Sergeant  in  the  Bethel  Regiment)  ;  V.  J.  Pal- 
mer, First  Lieutenant  10  May,  1862  (Rutherford  county)  ; 
John  R.  Williams,  Second  Lieutenant,  10  May,  1862,  killed 
at  Ware  Bottom  Church,  near  Drewry's  Bluff,  20  May, 
1864;  Alfred  R.  Grigg,  Second  Lieutenant,  10  August, 
1862 ;  A.  B.  Percy,  Second  Lieutenant,  20  May,  1864. 

Company  G — Henderso'iv  County — ^Henry  E.  Lane,  Cap- 
tain, April,  1862,  resigned  31  May,  1864;  Otis  P.  Mills,  Cap- 
tain 31  May,  1864,  from  First  Lieutenant  12  April,  1862; 
Benjamin  D.  Lane,  First  Lieutenant,  1  June,  1864,  from 
Second  Lieutenant  12  April,  1862 ;  James  M.  Davis,  Second 


316  North  Carolina  Trooi-s,   186 1 -'65. 

Lieutenant,  12  April,  1862  ;  Julius  A.  Corpcning,  Second 
Lieutenant,  1  October,  1864,  from  private;  Wm.  F.  Kinsey, 
Second  Lieutenant,  1  October,  1864. 

Company  H — Alexander,  Caswell,  Orange,  and  other 
Counties — T.  C.  Halljburton,  Captain,  April,  1862,  appoint- 
ed Assistant  Commissary  of  Subsistence  1  August,  1862 ; 
Wm.  G.  Graves,  Captain,  1  August,  1862,  from  Second  Lieu- 
tenant 22  April,  1862,  (had  served  in  the  Thirteenth  Regi- 
ment) ;  J.  D.  Patterson,  First  Lieutenant,  22  April,  1862, 
resigned  13  Febmary,  1863;  Samuel  R.  Holton,  First  Lieu- 
tenant, 13  February,  1863,  from  Second  Lieutenant  22  April 
1862,  (often  detailed  on  brigade  staff)  ;  Robert  T.  Faucett, 
Second  Lieutenant,  28  February,  1863,  from  Sergeant,  and 
transferred  with  fifteen  men  from  Company  D,  promoted  to 
First  Lieutenant  and  transferred  back  to  Company  D  18 
September,  1864;  Robert  W.  Belo,  Second  Lieutenant,  1 
March,  1863,  from  First  Sergeant  (lost  a  foot  at  Ware  Bot- 
tom Church  20  May,  1864)  ;  Solon  G.  Birkhead,  Second 
Lieutenant,  18  September,  1864,  from  First  Sergeant  in 
Company   D,   enlisted   from   Randolph   county. 

Company  I — -Rutherford  County — This  company  was 
composed  of  recruits  mainly  from  Rutherford  county  and  en- 
listed March,  1862,  by  First  Lieutenant  J.  W.  Kilpatrick 
and  Private  L.  Harrill,  both  then  of  Company  D,  Sixteenth 
North  Carolina  Troops,  sent  home  for  recruits.  They  se- 
cured 76  men  and  organized  7  April,  1862,  at  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  by  electing  J.  W.  Kilpatrick  Captain,  L.  Harrill 
First  Lieutenant,  J.  H.  Sweezy  Second  Lieutenant,  and  H. 
A..  L.  Sweezy  Third  Lieutenant.  Later  the  following  officers 
were  elected  to  fill  vacancies  and  promoted  as  follows :  At 
tlic  battle  of  Seven  Pines  Captain  J.  W.  Kilpatrick  was  killed 
and  L.  Harrill  promoted  to  Captain  31  March,  1862,  J.  H. 
Sweezy  to  First  Lieutenant,  H.  A.  L.  Sweezy  to  Second  Lieu- 
tenant, and  Joseph  jVi.  Walker  elected  Junior  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. During  the  Summer  of  1862  J.  H.  Sweezy,  First 
Lieutenant,  resigned  on  account  of  ill  health  and  soon  after 
wards  died.  This  caused  the  following  promotions:  H.  A. 
L.  Sweezy  t^)  First  Lieutenant  2  August,  1862,  J.  M.  Walker 
to  Second  Lieutenant,  and  Philip  H.  Gross  was  elected  Third 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  317 

Lieutenant  from  the  ranks.  At  the  battle  at  the  Davis  House 
on  the  Weldon  Railroad  21  August,  1864,  First  Lieutenant 
H.  A.  L.  Sweezj  was  killed,  and  the  following  promotions  fol- 
lowed :  J.  M.  Walker  to  First  Lieutenant,  P.  H.  Gross  to 
Second  Lieutenant,  and  Orderly  Sergeant  L.  M.  Lynch  to 
Third  Lieutenant.  During  the  month  of  February,  1865, 
in  the  siege  at  Petersburg,  Lieutenant  L.  M.  Lynch  was 
killed,  and  C.  P.  Tanner  was  elected  Third  Lieutenant.  This 
company  was  attached  to  the  Sixteenth  N^orth  Carolina  State 
Troops  and  made  the  thirteenth  company  in  that  Regiment. 
On  8  April,  commenced  the  long  march  to  Yorktown,  a  dis- 
tance of  130  miles,  and  arrived  on  the  19th.  On  2  May, 
1862,  Yorktown  was  evacuated,  and  at  Williamsburg  the  Six- 
teenth Regiment  was  held  as  a  reserve  to  support  the  line  of 
battle.  This  was  on  the  famous  retreat  of  General  Joseph  E. 
Johnston  up  the  Peninsula  between  the  James  and  York  riv- 
ers. At  Seven  Pines  31  May,1862,this  attached  company,  only 
in  service  about  two  months,  went  into  that  fearful  battle  and 
fought  like  veterans.  Captain  J.  W.  Kilpatrick,  Drummer 
J.  G.  Price,  W.  M.  Brooks,  A.  K.  Lynch  and  H.  R.  Sorrels 
were  killed,  and  seven  wounded.  Soon  after  this  battle  the 
company  was  ordered  to  Camp  Mangum,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  and 
was  made  Company  I,  Fifty-sixth  ITorth  Carolina  Troops. 

Total  commissioned  and  non-commissioned  officers  and 
men  of  Company  I  were  (first  and  last),  146;  killed  in  bat- 
tle and  died  from  wounds,  23 ;  wounded  and  sent  to  hospital, 
24;  died  from  diseases,  29;  discharged  for  disability,  5;  be- 
sides a  large  number  of  slight  wounds  not  reported. 

Company  K — MecMenburg,  Iredell,  etc. — Frank  R.  Al- 
exander, Captain,  April  1862,  mortally  wounded  in  night 
charge  of  17  June,  1864,  at  Petersburg,  and  died  20  June, 
1864  (Mecklenburg)  ;  John  F.  Mc^N'eely,  Captain,  20  June, 
1864,  from  First  Lieutenant  11  December,  1863,  and  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  1  April,  1862  (Iredell)  ;  James  A.  Wilson, 
First  Lieutenant,  1  April,  1862,  resigned  11  December, 
1863  (Mecklenburg)  ;  James  W.  Shepherd,  First  Lieutenant, 
20  January,  1864,  from  Second  Lieutenant  1  April,  1862 
(Iredell)  ;  Charles  M.  Payne,  Second  Lieutenant,  20  De- 
cember, 1862,  from  Sergeant  (Davidson  county),  often  de- 


318  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

tailed  on  Regimental  Staff  as  Acting  Adjutant;  John  A.  Low- 
rance,  Second  Lieutenant,  1  July,  1864  (Mecklenburg). 

May  21,  1862,  Colonel  H.  B.  Watson  assumed  command  of 
the  Camp  of  Instruction,  with  Captain  Alfred  H.  Belo  as  Ad- 
jutant of  the  Post  and  Battalion  Drillmaster.  The  letter 
designation  above  given  for  each  company  showed  the  rela- 
tive rank  of  its  Captain ;  but  the  dates  of  their  commissions 
as  they  now  appear  in  Moore's  Roster,  are  not  thus  accurately 
corroborated. 

July  31. — Organized  to-day  by  the  election  of  Field  Of- 
ficers, The  following  shows  the  result,  with  Staff  and  succes- 
sion as  far  as  preserved : 

Paul  F.  Faison,  Colonel.  Had  been  Major  Fourteentli 
North  Carolina  Regiment.  (Northampton.)  Class  of  1861 
at  West  Point. 

G.  Gratiot  Luke,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  from  Captain  of 
Company  A.      (Camden.) 

Henry  F.  Schenk,  Major,  from  Captain  Company  F, 
Retired  14  August,  1863.      (Cleveland.) 

John  W.  Graham,  Major,  1  September,  1863,  from  Cap- 
tain   Company   D.      (Orange.) 

Edward  J.  Hale,  Jr.,  Adjutant,  1  August,  1862 ;  promo- 
ted to  Assistant  Adjutant  General  of  Lane's  (N.  C.)  Brigade 
24  October,  1863.      (Cumberland.) 

John  W.  Faison,  x\djutant,  1  December,  1863.  (North- 
ampton. ) 

George  B.  Barnes,  Assistant  Quartermaster,  1  August, 
1862,  from  Lieutenant  Company  E.      (Northampton.) 

T.  C.  Hallyburton,  Assistant  Commissary,  1  August, 
1862,  from  Captain  Company  H. 

James  M.  Clark,  Color  Sergeant  1  August,  1862,  and  En- 
sign 12  September,  1864,  from  Sergeant  Company  D. 
(Orange.) 

C.  A.  Thomas,  Surgeon.      (Warrenton.) 

Charles  H.  Ladd,  Surgeon.      (South  Carolina.) 

Moses  John  DeRosset,  Surgeon.      (Wilmington.) 

Cader  G.  Cox,  Assistant  Surgeon.      (Onslow.) 

Wm.  T.  Taylor,  Sergeant-Major,  from  private  Company 


FiF^TY-SixTH  Regiment.  319 

B,  promoted  to  Captain  Company  B,  22  February,  1865. 
(Cumberland.) 

John  Mable^  Sergeant-Major,  21  April,  1863,  from  pri- 
vate Company  K.      (Mecklenburg.) 

Wm.  W.  Graves^  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  from  Com- 
pany A.      (Pasquotank.) 

Stephen  C.  Mullen^  Commissary  Sergeant,  from  Com- 
pany A.      (Onslow.) 

John  J.  Eleno^  Ordnance  Sergeant.      (Onslow.) 

Bailey  Brice^  Hospital  Steward,  from  Company  A. 
(Moore.) 

Wm.  Fenoni,  Dnim  Major,  (Italy),  1  August,  1862. 

Wm.  W.  Wallace,  Drum  Major.      (ISTorthampton.) 

1  August,  1862,  Colonel  Faison  assumed  command,  and  on 
the  8th  the  regiment  moved  to  Goldsboro. 

For  the  next  three  months  we  were  frequently  on  the 
inarch  and  counter-march  in  reconnoissances  between  Golds- 
boro, Warsaw,  Magnolia,  Beaver  Dam  Church,  Wilmington, 
the  seacoast  and  Tarboro.  Off  the  coast  we  saw  the  blockad- 
ing squadrons,  which  oiir  Advance  and  other  vessels  eluded 
on  frequent  trips. 

3  November,  marched  through  Tarboro  to  meet  our  forces 
retreating  from  Williamston,  and  all  went  into  camp  near 
Cross  Roads  Church.  The  Twenty-sixth  Regiment  was  sent 
out  on  reconnoissance. 

4  N^ovember,  Governor  Z.  B.  Vance,  who  had  been  elected 
Governor  from  the  position  of  Colonel  of  the  Twenty-sixth 
Regiment,  arrived  with  General  J.  G.  Martin,  Adjutant  Gen- 
eral of  North  Carolina.  Vance's  reception  by  his  old  com- 
mand was  something  unique.  As  the  enemy  were  not  in 
speaking  distance,  so  fine  a  disciplinarian  as  their  model  com- 
mander, Harry  Burgwyn,  had  to  waive  ceremony  for  the 
time  being.  The  sincerity  of  their  congratulations  was  at- 
tested by  utterly  ignoring  the  dignity  hedging  about  his  new 
position,  and  recalling  the  camp-fire  scenes  where  the  jovial 
spirit  by  his  wit  and  humor  had  always  found  a  silver  lining 
to  the  darkest  cloud,  and  led  them  to  look  upon  any  sacrifice 


320  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

that  might  be  offered  in  the  name  of  "the  good  Old  North 
State,"  as  a  privilege. 

CHECKING  fostp:r's  raid. 

5  November,  Martin's  command,  consisting  of  the  Seven- 
teenth, Twenty-sixth,  Forty-second,  Fifty-sixth  and  Sixty- 
first  North  Carolina  Regiments,  Walker's  squadron  of  cavalry 
and  two  or  three  batteries  of  artillery,  set  out  for  Hamilton. 
Within  six  miles  of  that  place  the  enemy  was  reported  be- 
tween us  and  Tarboro.  Countermarched  to  within  three 
miles  of  Cross  Roads  Church.  Just  at  niglitfall  Crawford's 
company  of  the  Forty-second  Regiment  encountered  the  en- 
emy's cavalry,  losing  none,  and  the  enemy,  according  to  pris- 
oners captured  on  the  6th,  suffering  a  loss  of  sixteen  killed 
and  wounded.  Six  of  their  dead  were  left  on  the  field.  Slept 
in  line  of  battle  expecting  a  general  attack  at  daybreak. 

6  November,  the  enemy  retreated,  and  we  pursued  through 
a  drenching  rain ;  bivouacked  in  six  miles  of  the  terminus  of 
the  railroad  from  Tarboro. 

7  November,  it  snowed  through  the  day  and  into  the  night ; 
Marched  to  the  railroad  terminus.  At  this  point  General 
Martin  organized  three  brigades  of  the  six  regiments,  the 
Forty-fourth  North  Carolina  Troops  luiving  joined  us  on 
the  5th ;  Colonel  Faison  commanding  a  brigade  composed  of 
the  Seventeenth,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lamb,  and  the 
Fifty-sixth  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Luke.  The  Forty- 
seventh  North  Carolina  Regiment,  Colonel  Sion  IL  Rogers, 
came  in  on  the  9th. 

11  November,  Faison's  Brigade  reached  Hamilton.  It  is 
evident  now  that  the  campaign  is  ended,  and  the  enemy 
frightened  from  his  attempt  on  Tarboro,  has  returned  to 
Washington,  N.  C.  Their  raid  was  under  command  of  Gen- 
eral Foster,  late  a  superintendent  of  the  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy  at  West  Point  while  Colonel  Faison  was  a 
Cadet  there.  The  utterly  wanton  destruction  of  household 
and  other  private  property  left  in  their  trail  has  not  inspired 
their  pursuers  with  any  respect  for  their  soldierly  qualities. 
It  is  estimated  that  they  have  carried  off  3,000  laborers 
(slaves)  from  Martin  and  adjoining  counties — a  more  legiti- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  321 

mate  prize,  as  without  such  wasting  of  the  sinews  of  war, 
the  struggle  may  be  prolonged  indefinitely. 

SERVICE  ON   THE  BLACKWATEE. 

15  IN'oveniber,  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment  takes  up  line  of 
march  for  Franklin,  Va.,  and  crosses  the  Roanoke  at  Hill's 
Ferry,  a  mile  from  Palmyra.  16  j^ovember,  through  Bertie 
county  by  Woodville,  bivouacked  in  a  mile  of  Rockville,  mak- 
ing nineteen  miles.  17  November,  reached  Murfreesboro, 
about  twenty-two  miles.  18  ^NTovember,  marched  through  the 
town ;  reception  and  escort^  by  Colonel  Wheeler's  Cavalry. 
Reached  Monroe,  Va.,  a  ferry  on  the  N^ottoway  river,  eigh- 
teen miles.  19  November,  crossed  the  Xottoway,  passed 
through  Franklin,  six  miles  beyond,  and  went  into  camp. 
Line  of  defense  includes  this  point  with  old  South  Quay  and 
Cherry  Grove.  Heavy  intrenchments  thrown  up  along  this 
line, — a  week's  work.  General  Roger  A.  Pryor,  with  a  por- 
tion of  Pettigrew's  Brigade,  is  in  command  at  Franklin,  Gen- 
eral Pettigrew's  headquarters  being  at  Petersburg. 

8  December,  a  detachment  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  with  another 
from  the  Forty-second  jSTorth  Carolina  State  Troops,  have 
rebuilt  the  bridge  over  the  Blackwater  at  Joyner's  Store.  A 
gunboat  on  the  river  was  fired  into  bj'  a  portion  of  Company 
I,  under  Lieutenant  Sweezy.  9  December,  detachments  re- 
turned from  Joyner's  Store,  bivouacked  near  the  Fifty-sec- 
ond North  Carolina  Troops,  who  had  been  with  us  at  Wil- 
mington last  Summer.  10  December,  rejoined  the  regiment 
in  camp,  expecting  an  advance  of  the  enemy  by  morning. 
Lieutenant  Fatherly,  of  Company  C,  had  fired  into  a  patrol 
gunboat  at  the  junction  of  ISJ^ottoway  and  Blackwater  rivers. 
11  December,  Colonel  Faison,  with  six  companies,  reported  to 
General  Pryor  at  Franklin,  leaving  four  with  Colonel  Luke 
at  IsTew  South  Quay.  General  Pryor  made  a  foraging  expedi- 
tion across  the  river  through  Carrsville  and  Windsor,  return- 
ing on  the  28th  without  loss,  and  having  taken  one  prisoner. 

While  on  the  Blackwater  we  were  thrown  with  the  Elev- 
enth ]Srorth  Carolina  Troops,  now  under  Colonel  Collett  Lev- 
enthorpe,  who  had  been  a  Captain  in  the  British  army.  To 
this  regiment  the  Fifty-sixth  would  concede  the  palm  for 
21 


322  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

superiority  in  the  manual  of  arms,  wliile  for  excellence  in 
tactics,  military  bearing  and  discipline,  it  yielded  to  none. 
Colonel  Faison  was  fresh  from  West  Point,  and  the  officers 
had  chosen  him  with  a  full  appreciation  of  the  importance  of 
these  essentials.  Of  our  service  along  the  Blackwater  the 
writer  heard  General  Pryor  say :  "Colonel  Faison  was  always 
on  time  with  his  regiment." 

The  regiment  was  also  fortunate  in  the  assignment  of  its 
Quartermaster,  Connuissary  and  Surgeons,  Captains  Bower 
and  TIallyhurton  being  efficient  men  of  affairs,  while  Drs. 
Thomas,  Ladd,  DePosset  and  Cox  stood  high  in  their  profes- 
sion. Dr.  DeRosset  had  taken  a  foreign  course,  and  was  an 
accomplished  French  and  German  scholar. 

EASTERN    north    CAROLINA. 

4  January,  1863,  oft"  with  Pettigrew's  Brigade  for  Rocky 
Mount,  N".  C,  reaching  that  point  about  dark.  17  January, 
on  to  Goldsboro,  and  camped  within  a  short  distance  of 
Cooke's  Brigade,  Daniel's  being  on  the  other  side  of  the  town. 

An  advance  of  the  enemy  is  anticipated  from  the  coast. 
20  January,  went  into  bivouac  near  Pettigi-ew's  Brigade, 
two  miles  east  of  Magnolia  Station.  21  January,  bivouacked 
near  the  academy  east  of  Kenansville,  and  reported  to  Gen- 
eral Robert  Ransom,  and  thus  became  a  part  of  that  brigade. 

22  February,  off  for  Wilmington,  and  at  Camp  Lamb  until 
24  February,  when  we  marched  out  to  Old  Topsail  Sound. 
9  M;irch,  General  Ransom  followed  with  the  Twenty-fifth, 
Thirty-fifth  and  Forty-ninth  Regiments. 

28  March,  Captain  John  W.  Graham,  Company  D,  de- 
tailed to  relieve  Adjutant  Hale  as  Judge  Advocate, 
since  early  in  January,  of  court-martial,  sitting  in  Wilming- 
ton. T^ieut.  R.  D.  Graham  has  been  acting  Adjutant  in  the 
absence  of  Ijieiitenant  Hale.  Brigade  remaining  here 
about  ten  days,  and  passing  through  Goldsboro,  where  a 
short  halt  was  made,  reached  Kinston  1  April. 

17  April,  marched  out  of  camp,  east  of  the  premises  of 
George  Washington,  and  proceeding  across  the  river,  ex- 
pected to  go  down  the  Dover  road  some  eighteen  miles  to  re- 
inforce the  Firty-ninth  North  Carolina,  which  had  engaged 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  323 

the  enemy  at  Sandy  Ridge.  Learning  of  their  withdrawal, 
bivouacked  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  19  April,  march 
to  Wise's  Fork,  and  offer  battle ;  but  the  enemy  withdrew,  and 
we  returned  to  camp  at  Kinston. 

24  April,  the  Fifty-sixth  is  on  picket  duty  east  of  Wise's 
Fork,  below  Kinston.  Companies  H  and  K,  under  Captain 
F.  R.  Alexander,  hold  the  Neuse  river  road ;  E,  G  and  I,  un- 
der Captain  L.  Harrill,  the  Dover  road  at  Gum  Swamp,  while 
A,  B,  D  and  F,  under  Major  H.  F.  Schenk,  were  posted  on 
the  Upper  Trent  road  at  ISToble's  Farm.  Company  A  was 
held  in  reserve. 

first  gum  swamp. 

28  April,  the  enemy  driving  in  the  picket  line,  attack  Com- 
panies E,  G  and  I  about  3  p.  m.  Their  line  shows  four  flags, 
indicating  as  many  regiments,  say  1,600  men,  in  the  front 
line,  while  our  total  is  180  men,  with  earthworks  proving 
rather  a  death-trap  than  a  defence.  The  slight  elevation  of 
the  railroad  embankment,  four  or  five  feet,  as  it  emerges  east- 
ward from  the  swamp,  had  been  utilized  to  face  the  enemy  ad- 
vancing on  our  left  flank.  This  faced  north,  while  a  breast- 
work of  equal  length,  say  150  yards,  facing  east,  starting  at 
a  right  angle  from  this  improvised  line,  extended  around 
southward  and  then  westward  into  the  same  sw^amp. 

Thus  the  enemy,  advancing  to  the  crest  of  the  elevated 
ground  on  the  south,  overlooking  the  railroad  embankment, 
could  count  our  men  aligned  along  it.  In  this  unequal  con- 
test the  detachment  of  three  companies  under  Captain  Har- 
rill held  their  position  for  two  hours,  when  they  were  joined 
by  the  Colonel,  who,  after  continuing  the  fight  stubbornly  on 
this  and  the  second  line  occupied  on  the  west  side  of  the. 
swamp,  over  three  hours,  at  the  approach  of  night,  finding  the 
enemy  in  sufficient  numbers  to  surround  his  men,  withdrew 
them.  Citizens  in  their  rear  report  the  enemy's  loss  at  10 
killed  and  18  wounded.  Our  loss  was  one  officer  and  three 
men  killed.  This  officer  is  Lieutenant  Jarvis  B.  Lutterloh,  of 
Fayetteville,  commanding  Company  E.  His  genial  spirit 
and  gallant  behavior  had  made  him  a  favorite  throughout  the 
regiment.     The  men  killed  were  N.  T.  McNeill,  of  Harnett ; 


324  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

W.  M.  Vickers,  of  Orange,  and  Miles  Nelson,  of  Henderson 
county. 

A  courier  from  General  D.  11.  Hill  about  sundown  reached 
the  four  companies  at  the  upper  Trent  river  crossing  to  warn 
them  that  they  were  now  cut  off,  when  Major  Schenk  drew  in 
his  pickets,  and  avoiding  tlie  column  by  a  circuitous  march, 
had  all  at  Wise's  Forks  within  the  lines  about  sunrise.  This 
was  the  Major's  last  field  service.  He  had  long  fought 
against  failing  health,  but  was  now  completely  broken  down 
and  was  at  once  sent  to  the  hospital,  from  which  he  was  even- 
tually retired  by  the  board  of  examining  surgeons,  Avith  the 
respect  and  sympathy  of  his  many  friends. 

16  May,  Cooke's  North  Carolina  Brigade  has  come  to  Kin- 
ston  from  the  vicinity  of  Charleston.  17  May,  the  Fifty- 
sixth  relieves  a  regiment  of  Daniel's  North  Carolina  Brigade 
on  outpost  duty  at  Gum  Swamp,  which  is  eight  miles  below 
Kinston,  on  the  Dover  road.  The  line  of  defense  has  been 
improved  by  Colonel  Rutledge  with  his  Twenty-fifth  Regi- 
ment of  Ransom's  Brigade.  The  breastw^ork,  already  noted, 
extending  out  of  the  east  side  of  the  swamp  at  a  point  on  the 
south  (right),  and  continuing  around  to  the  north  to  the  fatal 
railroad  embankment,  (here  running  back  through  the  swamp 
at  a  right  angle,)  is  now  carried  across  it,  extending  the  arc 
of  the  circle  northwest  until  it  enters  the  sw^amp  again.  The 
railroad  embankment  thus  becomes  a  traverse,  while  others 
are  added  against  the  enfilade  from  the  east  and  soutli.  The 
country  road  from  New  Bern  to  Kinston  here  winding  like 
the  letter  S  crosses  the  railroad  three  times,  and  thus  with  it 
completes  a  dollar  mark  ($)  within  two  miles  behind  us.  A 
redoubt  with  one  gun  commands  the  first  crossing  immedi- 
ately in  our  rear. 

21  May.  Scouts  late  this  afternoon  report  an  advance  of 
the  enemy  from  New  Bern,  four  companies  of  cavalry  having 
crossed  Core  Creek. 

SECOND  GUM  SWAMP. 

22  May.  While  the  regiment  is  in  line  of  battle,  seven 
companies  occupying  the  circular  earthworks,  with  the  other 
three  posted  at  gaps  in  the  swamp  occurring  on  the  right 


Ipobuc  umm^^^ 


FIFTY-SIXTH  KECilMENT. 


1.     A..  P.  AVhite.  Captain,  Co.  C. 

a.     Matthew  W.  Fatherly,  Isl  Lt.,  Co.  C. 

3.  John  15.  Lyon,  !.M  Lieut.,  Co..  C.,  and 

Captain  in  f)8th  Kegiineiit, 

4.  Robert  D.  (irahaiii.  Captain,  Cd.  I). 


David  S.  Ray,  l.st  Lieut.,  Co  D. 
Robert  T.  Faueette,  1st  Lieut..  Co.  D. 
B.  F.  (iritjfj.  Captain.  Co.  F. 
Valentuie  J.  Fahner,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  F. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  325 

flank,  Company  I  occupying  the  extreme  point  a  mile  to  the 
south,  our  pickets  are  driven  in  at  daylight.  Lieutenant  Gra- 
ham soon  thereafter  calls  the  attention  of  the  Colonel  to  an 
order  plainly  heard  on  the  left,  "Throw  out  your  skirmish- 
ers," and  is  sent  out  with  six  men  to  reconnoiter.  Finds  the 
enemy  advancing  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers,  with  a  line  of 
battle  behind  them,  opens  the  battle  by  getting  the  first  fire, 
and  returns  to  report  their  position.  The  left  wing,  ready 
and  waiting  for  them  as  they  rush  forward  to  the  assault,  re- 
ceives tliem  with  a  steady  fire,  and  they  take  shelter  in  a 
screen  of  dense  woods  separated  from  us  by  an  open  space  of 
100  yards  in  width. 

The  fire  here  is  maintained  briskly  for  some  time,  and 
then  their  next  regiment  advances  against  the  right  wing  of 
our  seven  companies,  where  the  reception  is  equally  effective, 
again  silencing  their  fire.  These  demonstrations  after  a 
considerable  interval  are  renewed  with  the  same  result,  and 
the  third  time  all  is  silent. 

At  this  point  Colonel  Faison  expressed  to  the  writer  a  de- 
termination to  charge  them,  and  sent  him  around  their  right 
flank  with  twenty  men  to  locate  them.  It  was  soon  evident 
why  they  had  not  up  to  this  time,  about  10  :30  a.  m.,  used 
against  our  front  their  third  regiment  of  infantry  supporting 
the  first  two,  nor  the  three  pieces  of  artillery  held  under 
cover  near  the  Dover  road  and  supported  by  the  four  com- 
panies of  cavalry,  of  which  we  heard  the  evening  before,  con- 
stituting the  brigade  here  assembled.  Another  force,  whose 
strength  we  must  learn  by  feeling  it,  is  now  rapidly  closing 
in  on  the  Dover  road  directly  in  rear  of  our  right  flank. 
They  have  not  pierced  any  point  in  the  line  committed  to  the 
Fifty-sixth ;  but  however  there,  they  have  gained  the  rear  of 
the  redoubt,  and  can  soon  rake  the  road  through  the  swamp 
with  our  own  gun.  The  Colonel  is  amazed  that  there  is  no 
attack  upon  them  by  the  always  reliable  regiment  that  had 
been  posted  at  the  next  crossing  as  our  reserve.  They  soon 
develop  a  considerable  force,  taking  the  redoubt  in  the  rear, 
and  a  hasty  retreat  along  the  railroad  before  they  can  gain 
it,  now  offers  the  only  escape  from  capture  by  the  two  brig- 
ades between  which  the  battalion  is  being  wedged  in.    Colonel 


326  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

Faison  accordingly  withdrew  it,  and  keeping  up  a  running 
fire,  saved  the  greater  portion  of  his  command  before  the  en- 
emy got  possession  of  the  railroad. 

The  enemy  had  rushed  in  between  Graham's  reconnoiter- 
ing  party  and  the  retiring  battalion,  but  by  a  circuitous  route 
through  the  swamp,  he  joined  the  rear  companies  as  they 
were  successfully  replying  to  an  attack  from  the  swamp  upon 
the  left  flank  of  the  column.  The  defence  was  here  vigor- 
ously maintained  for  some  time,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Luke 
shouting:  "Give  it  to  them  boys;  it  will  be  all  right  to-mor- 
row." But  the  left  flank  and  rear  of  our  new  line  of  battle 
are  now  open  to  the  advancing  brigade  that  we  have  fought 
throughout  the  morning  on  the  east  side  of  the  swamp,  while 
our  right  flank  and  its  rear  are  commanded  by  the  other  brig- 
ade, which  after  gaining  the  crossing  that  was  occupied  by  our 
reserve  regiment  when  the  battle  opened,  is  rushing  in  from 
that  point  on  the  west  to  join  the  line  coming  over  the  rail- 
road embankment  from  the  south,  and  thus  completing  the 
circle  around  us. 

The  battle  is  evidently  over,  and  we  must  save  as  numy 
men  as  we  can  through  the  swamp  in  our  rear  north  of  the 
railroad.  Plunging  into  the  dense  tall  growth  of  reeds,  we 
were  met  by  demands  to  surrender.  The  alternative  seemed 
to  be  capture  or  to  receive  a  volley  of  musketry  at  close  quar- 
ters. But  the  cover  of  the  reeds  was  complete  at  a  short  dis- 
tance. Taking  advantage  of  this  and  playing  men  as  pawns, 
the  writer  sent  the  smaller  number  between  himself  and  the 
enemy  directly  into  their  hands.  Without  waiting  to  see 
this  manoeuvre  completed,  he  faced  about  and  set  the  column 
in  motion  in  another  direction.  The  enemy  realized  only 
about  20  per  cent  of  the  prize  that  was  within  tlieir  grasp  at 
this  point;  for  150  men  were  thus  rescued  with  the  assistance 
of  Lieutenant  Charles  M.  Payne,  of  Company  K,  since  an 
able  Presbyterian  Doctor  of  Divinity,  recently  deceased. 

Adjutant  Hale,  who  liad  acted  witli  coolness  and  gallantry 
throughout  the  whole  engagement,  was  near  this  point  of  the 
rear  guard  and  brought  out  a  good  number. 

If  there  was  any  officer  of  the  regiment  who  failed  to  meas- 
ure up  to  liis  duty  in  either  of  the  two  battles  at  this  outpost, 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  327 

we  never  discovered  it.  A  court  of  inquiry  acquitted  the 
Colonel  commanding.  Of  this  result  none  of  his  comrades 
had  entertained  the  least  doubt. 

Major  E.  J.  Hale  has  recently  written  me:  "I  notice  that 
Professor  D.  H.  Hill,  in  'Confederate  Military  History,' 
Vol.  IV,  page  155,  says  that  the  Fifty-sixth  and  Twenty-fifth 
Regiments  were  surprised  at  Gum  Swamp  22  May,  1863. 
This  is  not  true  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  whatever  may  be  true  of 
any  others.  We  had  been  engaged  for  some  hours  at  inter- 
vals with  the  enemy  in  our  front,  which  we  had  completely 
protected  and  defended  by  repulsing  his  three  several  attacks. 
JSTo  part  of  the  line  defended  by  or  belonging  to  the  Fifty- 
sixth  was  punctured. 

"After  the  third  repulse  of  the  enemy  an  order  was  given 
to  withdraw  the  regiment  to  the  Kinston  side  of  Gum  Swamp, 
as  the  enemy  had  crossed  it  some  miles  south  of  us.  I  was 
shot  while  directing  this  movement,  but  paid  no  attention  to 
the  matter  until  next  day.  Shortly  after  we  had  gotten  most 
of  the  men  across  the  country  road,  I  remember  that  you  and 
I  were  chatting  beside  the  railroad  about  the  want  of  orders. 
We  saw  the  Twenty-fifth  in  line  a  few  hundred  yards  to  the 
rear  (west).  Word  was  started  to  them  that  with  a  change  of 
front  to  the  south,  we  would  join  them  in  attacking  this  new 
force  of  the  enemy  which  was  then  coming  up  from  that  direc- 
tion. But  suddenly  the  Twenty-fifth  was  marched  away  to- 
wards Kinston.  Our  support  being  thus  withdrawn,  we  then 
had  nothing  to  do  but  to  save  as  many  as  possible  from  cap- 
ture." 

Captain  W.  G.  Graves  now  writes :  "I  have  never  felt  any 
scruples  about  this  fight,  as  no  blame  could  be  placed  upon  the 
men  or  regimental  officers." 

General  R.  Ransom,  just  returned  from  sick  leave,  barely 
escaped  capture  as  he  was  coming  to  the  outpost  and  had  only 
passed  to  the  front  of  the  reserve,  when  he  was  met  by  a  vol- 
ley from  the  enemy  at  that  instant  emerging  from  the  swamp 
to  attack  the  rear  of  the  redoubt  and  of  our  right  flank.  Two 
regiments  of  the  enemy  had  gained  this  position,  led  by  a 
native  guide  in  a  circuitous,  all  night  march  of  fourteen 
miles  in  single  file  through  a  marsh  that  they  found  well  nigh 


328  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

impassable.  Thev  thus  avoided  bv  several  miles  the  line 
committed  to  the  Fifty-sixth,  and  came  upon  the  field  from 
the  southwest. 

Colonel  Faison  was  just  then  quiet  for  the  want  of  some- 
thing to  shoot  at ;  and  was  ready  to  make  a  counter-charge  at 
the  most  favorable  point;  but  it  seems  that  his  silence  was 
mistaken  in  the  rear  for  a  surrender.  This  misunderstand- 
ing and  the  consequent  withdrawal  of  the  Twenty-fifth  at  the 
very  instant  when  it  should  have  charged  and  united  with  us 
to  crush  their  rear  attack,  was  the  mistake  of  the  day.  But 
from  such  mistakes  even  IS^apoleon  was  not  free. 

Major-General  D.  H.  Hill,  reaching  the  outpost  with  Ran- 
som's and  Cooke's  Brigades  about  5  p.  m.,  pushed  the  enemy 
back  within  his  fortifications  at  New  Bern,  a  shell  there  kill- 
ing Colonel  J.  R.  Jones,  of  the  Fifty-eighth  Pennsylvania, 
who  had  commanded  the  two  brigades  in  the  attack  on  the 
Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina.  The  brigade  in  our  front  was 
immediately  under  Colonel  Pierson,  of  one  of  the  four  Mas- 
sachusetts regiments,  while  Colonel  Jones  accompanied  the 
column  that  penetrated  the  swamp.  He  was  a  brave,  ener- 
getic officer,  and  doubtless  would  have  been  appointed  a  gen- 
eral for  this  affair  wliich  he  reported  that  afternoon  as  "par- 
tially successful."  He  therein  says  that  "the  enemy  was 
able  to  defend  himself  sometime  under  cover  of  a  swamp,  and 
when  finally  l>roken,  his  men  mostly  escaped,"  and  that  he 
"almost  took  General  Ransom  himself,  who  was  accidentally 
at  the  post." 

Our  loss  was  three  Lieutenants  and  146  men  captured, 
Lieutenant  D.  S.  Ray,  of  Company  D,  dying  of  his  wounds 
next  day  in  New  Bern.  He  was  a  gallant  and  meritorious 
officer,  who  had  the  confidence  and  affection  of  the  company, 
of  which  he  was  in  command.  Captain  John  W.  Graham 
being  on  detail  as  Judge  Advocate  of  the  court-martial  at 
Wilmington.  Lieutenant  Graham  was  promoted  to  First 
Lieutenant,  and  Sergeant  Wm.  Turner  to  Second  Lieutenant. 

Query:  How  did  it  liappen,  when  it  was  known  at  the 
outpost  on  the  afternoon  of  21  May,  and  presumably  at  head- 
quarters early  in  the  evening,  that  a  column  was  advancing 
from  New  Bern  on  the  same  road  by  which  the  four  regi- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  329 

ments  had  attacked  this  outpost  within  the  last  four  weeks, 
and  this  cohimn  was  morally  certain  to  reach  it  next  morning, 
that  an  effective  force  of  three  brigades  at  Kinston,  only  eight 
miles  distant  and  ample  to  give  the  enemy  a  complete  sur- 
prise by  striking  the  first  blow,  or  at  least  simultaneously  with 
their  assault  upon  our  single  regiment  and  possibly  cutting 
off  their  line  of  retreat,  if  strategically  disposed  during  the 
night,  did  not  start  towards  the  scene  of  action  until  the  next 
afternoon,  after  the  incident  was  closed  ?  No  explanation 
is  found  in  the  official  records  or  other  source  of  information. 

28  May.  The  brigade  is  off  for  Virginia  via  Goldsboro 
and  Weldon,  reaching  Petersburg  by  train  in  the  night.  29 
May,  on  to  Richmond,  and  bivouacked  at  Camp  Lee,  (State 
Fair  Grounds.) 

2  June.  Right-about  to  Petersburg  again,  and  next  day 
proceeded  to  Ivor,  on  the  Norfolk  &  Petersburg  Railroad. 

13  June.  Brigadier-General  R.  Ransom  has  been  promo- 
ted to  Major-General ;  Colonel  M.  W.  Ransom  to  Brigadier- 
General  to-day.  Back  in  Petersburg  and  march  over  to 
Drewry's  Bluff  on  the  James  river,  half  way  between  Peters- 
burg and  Richmond.  The  appearance  of  troops  in  perma- 
nent quarters,  on  garrison  duty,  is  here  a  novel  sight  to  our 
command,  so  constantly  in  motion. 

17  June.  Back  to  Petersburg,  and  21  June  to  Half-way 
Station,  towards  Richmond.  Occupied  former  cabins  of 
Daniel's  ISTorth  Carolina  Brigade. 

During  this  month  all  the  enlisted  men  captured  at  Gum 
Swamp,  have  been  exchanged  and  returned  to  duty. 

26  June.     Night  march  to  Seven  Pines. 

29  June.  Ransom's  Brigade  is  engaged  in  dismantling 
breastworks  constructed  here  by  the  enemy  under  McClellan 
a  year  ago.  Major-Generals  Arnold  Elzy,  Robert  Ransom, 
and  Daniel  H.  Hill  have  recently  been  successively  in  com- 
mand at  Richuiond.  Both  Ransom's  and  Cooke's  Brigades 
had  been  ordered  up  to  participate  in  the  counter-invasion 
to  the  north,  but  at  the  solicitation  of  these  post  commanders 
were  retained  for  protection  of  the  capital.  General  Lee's 
letter  on  the  subject  says :   "I  have  always  considered  Cooke's 


330  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

and  Ransom's  Brigades  as  part  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia." 

BATTLE    AT    CRUMP's    FARM. 

Ours  was  now  a  duty  of  obsei'vation  and  reconnoissance  to 
meet  any  demonstration  of  the  enemy  from  the  seacoast.  Thus 
an  opportunity  was  given  to  participate  in  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  campaigns  of  the  war — sharp,  quick  and  decisive. 
The  enemy  watching  our  capital  could  learn  approximately 
the  strength  of  the  small  force,  protecting  it.  Accordingly 
General  Dix  and  General  Keyes,  advancing  cautiously  by 
the  way  of  the  White  House,  apparently  had  a  Avalk-over. 

2  July.  General  D.  H.  Hill,  without  waiting  for  them  to 
approach  nearer  to  his  fortified  line  of  defence,  which  he  had 
not  enough  troops  to  adequately  man,  moved  out  rapidly  upon 
them  with  Ransom's  North  Carolina,  Cooke's  North  Caro- 
lina, and  Jenkins'  South  Carolina  Brigades,  Branch's  Vir- 
ginia Battery  of  Artillery  and  three  others,^ — -a  total  of  six- 
teen guns — and  a  squadron  of  cavalry.  He  met  them  at 
Crump's  farm,  near  Deep  Bottom  bridge,  between  sunset  and 
dark,  and  immediately  opened  such  a  vigorous  assault  that 
the  enemy  were  compelled  to  assume  the  defensive,  and  night 
found  them  in  full  retri^at,  doubtless  believing  that  those 
three  brigades  must  have  been  immensely  reinforced  since 
their  last  reports  had  come  in.  Ransom's  Brigade  sustained 
the  only  loss  on  our  side,  one  man  killed  and  two  wounded. 
Six  or  seven  prisoners  taken  admitted  a  loss  of  thirty  on 
their  side. 

11  July.  To  Petersburg  again,  and  camped  on  Dunn's 
farm. 

RAID    AGAINST    WELDON    BRIDGE    CHECKED. 

28  July.  A  part  of  the  Forty-ninth  and  three  companies 
of  the  Twenty-fourth  North  Carolina  Regiment  and  a  bat- 
tery of  Georgia  Ai*tillery,  met  Spear's  Regiment  of  New 
York  Cavalry  and  Dodge's  Mounted  Riflemen  and  several 
pieces  of  artillery  at  Boone's  Mill,  ten  miles  south  of  Weldon 
and  two  miles  from  Jackson,  N.  C.  The  Fifty-sixtli  Regi- 
ment arrived  that  evening,  but  the  enemy  had  withdrawn. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  331 

Disposition  was  made  for  attack  that  night ;  but  they  did  not 
return.  The  Forty-ninth  lost  one  man  killed,  and  in  the 
Twenty-fourth  three  were  wounded.  The  enemy  buried  11 
of  their  dead  on  the  field. 

1  August.  Back  to  Garysburg,  and  camped  near  Mr. 
Moody's. 

12  August.  To  Halifax  Court  House,  and  13th  took  boat 
for  Hamilton.  Down  the  Roanoke  seventy-three  miles,  ar- 
riving in  the  afternoon. 

14  August,  Company  D,  under  Lieutenant  Graham,  de- 
tached to  Poplar  Point,  and  threw  up  breastworks  covering 
the  river  landing. 

16  August.  Returned  through  Palmyra  and  Halifax  to 
Garysburg. 

1  September.  Captain  John  W.  Graham,  on  retirement 
of  Major  Schenk,  is  promoted  to  Major,  Lieutenant  Robert 
D.  Graham  to  Captain,  and  Sergeant  Joseph  B.  Coggin  to 
First  Lieutenant.  For  the  succeeding  four  months,  eight 
companies  of  this  regiment  and  the  Twenty-first  North  Car- 
olina Regiment  were  posted  in  the  West  tO'  meet  any  in- 
cursions from  East  Tennessee,  and  to  break  up  the  refuge 
found  there  by  deserters  and  lawless  characters  from  the 
several  States,  and  to  see  that  the  conscript  act  was  fairly  en- 
forced. The  effort  was  to  gain  friends,  and  make  no  new 
enemies  for  the  State  in  her  desperate  struggle,  and  thus  keep 
the  people  united  in  domestic  tranquility.  The  moral  effect 
of  this  movement  was  salutary,  Avhether  now  viewed  from  a 
Confederate  or  Federal  standpoint,  and  it  is  beyond  doubt 
that  it  was  so  regarded  by  General  Grant  when  the  war  was 
over,  and  the  proscription  naturally  following  it  was  at  fever 
heat. 

Two  companies,  H  and  E,  under  Captain  W.  G.  Graves, 
were  protecting  the  building  of  the  Confederate  ram  Albe- 
marle on  the  Roanoke  near  Halifax,  at  Edwards'  Ferry. 

24  Octx)ber.  Adjutant  E.  J.  Hale,  Jr.,  is  promoted  to 
Assistant  Adjutant-General  and  assigned  to  Lane's  Brigade. 
As  his  modesty  naturally  forbade  the  incorporation  of  his 
military  record  in  his  history  of  the  Bethel  Regiment,  and  as 
he  contributed  so  largely  to  the  efiiciency  of  the  Fifty-sixth, 


332  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

it  will  be  a  pleasure  to  every  survivor  of  the  latter  to  have  an 
outline  of  so  brilliant  a  career  here  preserved  for  the  honor 
of  the  State  that  we  all  love  so  well. 

Private  in  Bethel  Eegiment  17  April  to  13  November, 
1861 ;  Second  Lieutenant  2  December,  1861,  and  Adjutant 
Fifty-sixth  Eegiment  1  Augiist,  1862,  to  24  October,  1863 ; 
Judge  Advocate  Court-martial  at  Wilmington  January  to 
March,  1863. 

Designated  by  General  Lee  to  convey  to  General  Grant  as- 
sent and  pei-mit  to  remove  his  dead  and  wounded  lost  at  Cold 
Harbor  2  June,  1864,  Grant  reluctantly  thus  acknowledging 
a  defeat. 

Assigned  as  Assistant  Adjutant-General  to  Taliaferro's 
Division,  Army  Northern  Virginia,  but  reassigned  to  Lane's 
Brigade  on  petition  of  its  officers,  in  consequence  of  General 
Lane  being  absent,  wounded. 

For  ''conspicuous  gallantry  and  merit"  recommended  by 
Generals  Lane,  Wilcox  and  A.  P.  Hill  for  Colonel  of  the 
Twenty-eighth  Regiment  on  request  of  all  its  officers  then 
present,  26  September,  1864;  but  the  act  of  Congress  was 
found  to  provide  only  for  the  regular  line  officers. 

In  March,  1865,  he  was  commissioned  Major  and  Assist- 
ant Adjutant-General ;  wounded  at  Second  Gum  Swamp  and 
at  the  Wilderness,  and  was  in  the  surrender  at  Appomattox. 
At  the  crisis  in  the  battle  of  Fuzzell's  Mills,  16  August,  1864, 
(commanding  the  Darbytown  road  in  front  of  Richmond), 
Lane's  Brigade  was  put  in  under  the  eye  of  General  Lee  to 
recapture  the  lost  line.  Colonel  Barber  commanding,  was 
wounded  and  the  charge  arrested,  but  the  Adjutant-General 
assumed  command  and  pushed  forward  to  a  speedy  victory. 
In  the  presence  of  the  troops  he  was  thanked  by  the  chief 
engineer,  General  Stevens.  For  the  latter's  consideration  he 
then  recommended  that  the  line  of  defense  be  here  so  changed 
as  to  give  full  effect  to  the  modem  long-range  small  arms, 
commanding  approaches  over  wide  plains,  therefore  to  be  pre- 
ferred instead  of  precipices.  This  was  then  a  new  departure 
in  fortifications,  but  was  promptly  adopted  and  superintend- 
ence of  the  work  given  to  Captain  Hale,  so  that  when  the  next 
morning  dawned  the  enemy  found  four  miles  of  such  de- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  333 

fences  awaiting  their  assault,  and  withdrew.  It  was  effect- 
nallj  adopted  by  the  Turks  at  Ple^^la,  while  much  later  the 
British  lost  Majuba  Hill  by  adhering  to  the  antiquated  sys- 
tem. ' 

In  the  N'orth  Carolina  victory  at  Eeams  Station,  25  Au- 
gust, 1864,  he  had  a  similar  experience.  General  Conner 
was  disabled  and  Colonel  Speer  killed  just  as  Lane's  Brig- 
ade started  forward.  He  assumed  command,  and  they  were 
among  the  first  over  the  line. 

Losing  only  by  a  legal  technicality  the  promotion  to  Colo- 
nel in  the  line,  as  above  mentioned,  the  extraordinary  com- 
mission of  Major  and  Assistant  Adjutant-General  of  Brigade 
was  given  him  as  some  measure  of  compensation.  He  was 
succeeded  as  Adjutant  by  John  W.  Faison. 

FIRST  EXPEDITIOX  AGAIXST  XEW  BERX^. 

In  January,  1864,  an  expedition  was  organized  for  the  re- 
capture of  ISTew  Bern,  under  Major-General  George  E. 
Pickett. 

28  January.  Reached  Goldsboro,  and  on  the  night  of  the 
80th  proceeded  to  Kinston,  where  the  Fifty-sixth  reported  to 
General  Corse,  commanding  a  Virginia  Brigade.  At  night 
General  Barton,  commanding  his  own  brigade  and  the  other 
four  Regiments  under  General  Ransom,  marched  out  on  the 
I^Teuse  River  road  for  'New  Bern. 

31  January.  Column  consisting  of  Hoke's  Xorth  Caro- 
lina, Clingman's  J^orth  Carolina,  and  Corse's  Virginia  Brig- 
ade (temporarily  including  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Caro- 
lina), took  the  Dover  road,  passed  through  Gum  Swamp, 
whence  we  marched  down  the  railroad  track  some  six  miles, 
turning  into  the  country  road  again  at  Sandy  Ridge,  the 
scene  of  a  fight  between  the  Forty-ninth  North  Carolina  and 
the  enemy  last  year,  and  went  into  bivouac  about  eight  miles 
beyond,  making  twenty-three  miles  that  day.  Skirmishers 
out  that  night  from  Corse's  Brigade  under  Major  Graham, 
of   the   Fifty-sixth    North    Carolina. 

1  February.  Set  out  at  2  a.  m.  and  captured  the  outpost 
at  Bachelor's  Creek.  Here  Colonel  Shaw,  Eighth  North 
Carolina  State  Troops,  was  killed  at  the  opening  of  the  en- 


334  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

gagenient.  A  portion  of  Hoke's  men,  with  Companies  B  and 
I,  of  the  Fiftj-sixth,  were  actively  engaged.  Our  total  loss 
was  eight  killed  and  fifty  wounded.  We  captured  250  pris- 
oners with  the  block  house.  The  railroad  crosses  the  creek 
at  this  point,  and  the  Fifty-sixth  made  a  race  to  strike  the 
track  in  the  rear  of  the  train  carrying  the  residue  of  the  en- 
emy to  New  Bern.  They  escaped.  The  fort  was  destroyed 
and  a  large  quantity  of  Quartermaster  and  Commissary 
stores  secured. 

Our  part  being  thus  accomplished,  we  listened  in  vain  for 
Barton's  guns  as  a  signal  for  our  further  advance.  At  night 
Captain  R.  D.  Graham,  with  100  men  from  Companies  D 
and  K,  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  was 
posted  by  General  Corse  on  the  Washington  road  as  a  force  of 
observation  against  a  garrison  cut  off  in  the  fort  at  the  cross- 
ing of  Bachelor's  Creek.  At  daylight  Colonel  Chew  came 
out  with  the  Twenty-ninth  and  Thirtieth  Virginia  Regi- 
ments and  with  Graham's  detachment  moved  upon  tl"i(!  gar- 
rison. The  Thirtieth  and  the  artillery  was  moved  around  to 
the  right  of  the  road,  while  the  rest  of  the  force  took  position 
on  the  left.  A  demand  was  then  made  for  surrender;  and 
the  enemy  finding  himself  within  point-blank  range  of  the 
artillery  in  his  rear,  to  which  he  could  not  reply,  without 
bringing  his  own  outside  the  fort,  capitulated.  Our  spoils 
were  a  section  of  artillery  with  caisson,  and  100  stand  of 
small  arms,  with  a  supply  of  ammunition.  The  prisoners, 
120  men  and  four  officers.  Captain  Cowdy  commanding. 
Meanwhile  the  enemy  had  advanced  from  New  Bern  upon 
Hoke,  and  been  repulsed. 

General  Martin,  on  the  Wilmington  road,  had  carried 
everything  before  him  up  to  the  reserve  works.  Every  as- 
sault had  been  successful,  and  General  Barton  could  read- 
ily have  found  men  to  take  the  task  assigned  him.  But  as  he 
reported  it  impracticable,  the  whole  expedition  was  finally 
abandoned,  when  it  seemed  the  general  opinion  that  a  deter- 
mined assault  would  have  been  crowned  with  success. 

I  leave  the  above  recital,  as  most  of  this  sketch,  just  as 
written  during  the  war.  On  consulting  U.  S.  Official  Rec- 
ords, I  now  find  that  I  have  expressed  the  opinion  of  both 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  335 

General  Hoke  and  General  Pickett.  But  it  therein  also 
appears  that  General  Barton  in  his  official  report,  says  that 
before  abandoning  his  attempt  to  cross  Brice's  Creek,  he 
made,  together  Avith  the  two  brigade  commanders  mider  him, 
a  personal  reconnoissance.  He  requested  a  court  of  inquiry, 
and  this  request  was  recommended  accordingly  to  Adjutant- 
General  Cooper  by  General  Lee. 

5  February.  Rejoined  our  own  brigade  under  General  M. 
W.  Ransom  at  Kinston,  and  7  February  reached  Weldon  on 
train  via  Goldsboro. 

8  February.  Ordered  to  Richmond,  but  countermanded 
just  as  the  train  is  about  to  pull  out.  In  camp  again  near 
the  Moody  house.  Daily  exercises  in  company  and  battal- 
ion drill,  each  Captain  successively  acting  as  regimental  com- 
mander. 

EXPEDITION    TO    SOUTH    MILLS. 

26  February.  Off  for  Franklin,  Va.,  on  the  Blackwater, 
crossed  at  Old  South  Quay,  and  marched  to  South  Mills,  Cam- 
den county,  IST.  C.  From  this  point  commissary  stores  are 
gathered  ;  and  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  appearing,  is  chased 
down  the  Dismal  Swamp  canal  by  Colonel  Dearing  with  his 
battalion  of  cavalry  to  within  twelve  miles  of  N'orfolk.  Cap- 
tured a  First  Lieutenant,  Surgeon  and  half  a  dozen  privates. 
The  object  accomplished,  the  wagon  trains  under  our  pro- 
tection having  been  loaded  and  started  back,  the  return  com- 
mences on  the  night  of  4  March,  and  at  the  tw^o  creeks  first  to 
be  crossed,  Graham's  company  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  as  rear 
guard,  had  prepared  bright  fires  that  there  should  be  no  delay 
in  crossing.  The  enemy  were  reported  to  have  ascended  the 
Chowan  river,  and  were  expected  to  pay  us  some  attention 
before  we  were  back  across  the  Blackwater  with  our  long  train 
of  wagons  loaded  with  provisions.  Halted  at  Sandy  Cross, 
twenty  miles  from  South  Mills,  for  two  days.  !N^o  appear- 
ance of  the  enemy. 

EECAPTURE   SUFFOLK. 

7  March.  Proceeded  to  within  eight  miles  of  Old  South 
Quay  and  learned  that  the  enemy  had  again  occupied  Suffolk. 

9  March.     Passed  through  Somerton  at  10  a.  m.,  and  at  a 


336  North  CakolixNa  Troops,   1861-65. 

church  within  three  miles  of  Suffolk,  routed  a  cavalry  out- 
post and  pressed  on  to  the  railroad.  Here  the  enemy's  cav- 
alry formed  to  charge  the  Twenty-fourth  Regiment;  but  a 
few  well-directed  shots  put  them  to  fliglit.  Captain  Cicero 
Durham,  promoted  to  Assistant  Quartermaster  for  gallantry 
in  the  line  and  known  as  the  Fighting  Quartermaster  of  the 
Forty-ninth,  gathered  a  squad  of  a  dozen  mounted  men  among 
the  teamsters,  and  charged  them  in  turn.  Seeing  the  paucity 
of  his  numbers,  they  made  a  stand,  but  were  attacked  with 
such  vigor  that  they  resumed  their  flight  before  the  infantry 
could  get  within  range.  The  Fifty-sixth  was  second  in  the 
column,  led  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Luke,  and  complimented 
on  the  good  order  sustained  on  a  double-quick  pursuit  of 
three  miles.  The  only  escape  for  the  cavalry  was  by  com- 
pleting a  semi-circle  outside  the  earthworks,  defending  the 
town,  before  we  could  run  through  on  the  street  and  road 
forming  the  chord  to  the  arc.  With  their  spurs  and  the  aid 
of  the  shells  from  our  artillery,  they  beat  the  race. 

We  had  no  cavalry  and  did  not  lose  a  man,  but  General 
Butler,  like  Job's  war  horse,  "smelleth  the  battle  afar  off," 
and  pens  to  the  Secretary  of  War  the  following  bulletin  as  it 
appears  in  Official  War  Records: 

Fort  Monroe,  12  March,  1864. 
No.  1. 

Cole's  Cavalry,  Second  United  States,  had  a  skirmish  the 
day  before  yesterday  with  the  enemy  near  Suffolk,  Va. 
While  making  a  rcconnoissance,  they  came  upon  Ransom's 
Brigade,  consisting  of  four  regiments  of  infantry,  four  pieces 
of  artillery  and  300  cavalry.  The  enemy  made  a  charge 
upon  two  squadrons  of  Cole's,  and  were  handsomely  repulsed 
with  a  loss  of  about  sixty. 

The  charge  brought  the  colored  soldiers  into  a  hand-to- 
hand  fight  with  the  rebels,  and  the  enthusiastic  testimony  of 
their  officers  is  that  that  they  behaved  with  the  utmost  cour- 
age, coolness  and  daring.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with  my 
negro  cavalry. 

Bexj.   F.  Butler, 

Major-General. 

Hon.  E.  M.  Stanton. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  337 

We  pursued  them  to  Bernard's  Mills,  capturing  the  camp 
of  the  white  troops  and  returned  with  one  piece  of  artillery 
and  considerable  stores. 

Three  negro  soldiers  took  refuge  in  a  house  in  town  and 
refusing  to  surrender,  j)erished  in  its  flames.  Another,  rush- 
ing out  with  his  gun  and  fighting  to  the  last,  was  shot. 

11  March,  rieturned  to  Franklin  via^  Carrsville.  12 
Marcli,  off  by  rail  to  Weldon,  and  in  camp  near  Mr.  Moody's 
at  Grarysburg,  and  17  March,  muster  and  inspection  for  Jan- 
uary and  February,  1864,  by  Colonel  Paul  F.  Faison. 

THE    PLYMOUTH    CAMPAIGN. 

14  April.  The  Twenty-fourth,  Twenty-fifth  and  Fifty- 
sixth  ]^orth  Carolina  State  Troops,  under  General  M.  W. 
Ransom,  set  out  by  rail  and  reported  to  Brigadier-General 
R.  F.  Hoke  at  Tarboro.  The  Forty-ninth  was  on  outpost 
duty  near  Edenton,  and  its  place  was  now  supplied  by  the 
Eighth,  from  Clingman's  Brigade. 

15  April.  The  column,  consisting  of  Hoke's  JSTorth  Caro- 
lina Brigade  under  Colonel  Mercer,  of  the  Twenty-first  Geor- 
gia Regiment,  which  was  then  with  it ;  Kemper's  Virginia, 
under  Colonel  Terry,  and  Ransom's  ISJ'orth  Carolina  Brigade 
with  Pegram's  Battery,  under  General  Ransom,  and  Strib- 
blings',  Graham's  Virginia,  Miller's,  Moseley's  and  Reade's 
batteries  of  artillery  belonging  to  Colonel  Dearing's  command, 
and  Dearing's  Battalion  of  cavalry,  took  up  the  line  of  march 
against  Plymouth.  At  Hamilton  we  were  joined  by  the 
Thirty-fifth  i^orth  Carolina.  Passing  through  Williamston 
and  Jamesville,  we  reached  the  vicinity  Sunday,  the  l7th,  a 
little  before  nightfall. 

Immediately  a  strong  line  of  skirmishers,  including  Com- 
pany I,  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  was  thrown  out  from  Ransom's 
Brigade,  under  Major  Graham,  and  pushed  forward  nearly 
to  the  entrenchments.  A  picket  post  of  eleven  men  was  sur- 
prised, nine  captured,  one  killed  and  one  escaped.  A  recon- 
noissance  in  force  was  made  in  front  of  Fort  Gray,  on  War- 
ren's I^eck,  between  the  mouths  of  two  creeks  emptying  into 
the  Roanoke,  two  miles  west  of  Plymouth,  and  Dearing's  ar- 
22 


338  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

tillery  crippled  one  of  the  boats  so  that  it  sank  on  reaching 
the  wharf.  A  redoubt  Avas  innnediately  ])egun  on  the  James- 
ville  road  leading  south  for  our  3'2 -pound  Parrott  gun.  The 
iron-clad  Albemarle,  Captain  J.  W.  Cooke,  was  expected 
during  the  night.  Fort  Gray's  armament  was  one  100- 
pounder  and  two  32-pounders 

18  April.  The  Albemarle,  for  some  reason,  was  making 
slow  progress  down  the  Koanoke,  and  the  day  passed  without 
a  sign  of  it.  Shelling  at  inter\'als  was  kept  up,  the  Fifty- 
sixth  suffering  but  one  casualty,  the  wounding  of  a  man  in 
Company  H.  During  the  night  Colonel  Faison,  with  250 
men,  had  completed  the  earthwork  near  the  Washington  and 
Jamesville  road  from  which  to  bombard  the  fort  at  Sander- 
son's. 

At  sundoAvn  a  demonstration  on  both  sides  of  Lee's  Mill, 
Bath  road,  was  made  against  the  enemy's  south  front  by  the 
artillery  and  Ransom's  Brigade.  Our  assaulting  column 
w'as  formed  with  the  left  resting  on  Frank  Fagan's  house  on 
the  Jamesville  road,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  south  of  town,  and 
two  regiments,  the  Twenty-fourth  and  Eighth,  beyond  the 
Lee  Mill  road  at  Redd  Gap.  The  Fifty-sixth  was  next  on 
the  left,  and  then  the  Thirty-fifth,  while  the  Twenty-fifth 
connected  us  with  Hoke's  right.  The  batteries  following  on 
the  heels  of  a  battalion  of  sharpshooters  composed  of  Com- 
panies B,  I,  E  and  A,  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  under  their  worthy 
Captains,  Roberts,  Harrill,  Locldiart  and  Hughes,  led  by 
Captain  Jno.  C.  Pegram,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  driv- 
ing the  enemy  over  their  breastworks,  advanced  steadily  from 
position  to  position,  firing  with  the  utmost  rapidity,  while  the 
rest  of  the  brigade  in  the  line  of  battle  kept  pace  with  tliem. 
Ransom  was  conspicuous  on  the  field,  keeping  his  mount 
throughout  the  engagement.  This  was  kept  up  till  10  p.  m., 
the  enemy  replying  with  great  spirit  from  his  forts  and  gun- 
boats, carrying  twenty  pieces.  The  object  was  as  far  as  pos- 
sible to  draw  the  enemy's  fire  in  this  direction,  while  Hoke's 
Brigade  assaulted  in  earnest  the  "85th  Redoubt"  at  the  San- 
derson house,  some  distance  to  our  left.  The  fort  was  carried 
after  a  very  stubborn  resistance  and  the  death  of  its  com- 
mander, Captain  Chapin.     Among  our  killed  we  mourn  the 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  339 

loss  of  the  brigade  commander,  the  gallant  Colonel  Mercer, 
of  the  Twenty-first  Georgia.  Lieutenant  Charles  R.  Wilson, 
of  Company  D,  and  14  men  of  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina 
were  wounded  at  our  end.  Colonel  Mercer  was  a  West  Point 
classmate  of  Generals  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  Hood,  Custis  Lee,  and 
W.  D.  Pender.  He  is  buried  at  TarboTo  beside  his  last 
named  comrade. 

19  April.  Towards  day  Colonel  Wm.  J,  Clarke,  with  his 
own,  the  Twenty-fourth,  and  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  was 
posted  below  the  town  on  the  Columbia  road,  to  prevent  escape 
in  that  direction.  But  the  enemy  was  still  confident  in  the 
strength  of  his  fortifications,  even  after  the  loss  of  the  "85th 
Redoubt"  and  the  arrival  of  our  ram,  Albemarle,  the  same 
night  passing  the  big  gims  at  Warren's  Neck  unharmed.  It 
sank  one  of  their  gunboats,  the  Southfield,  and  chased  off  the 
other  two,  the  naval  commander,  Flusser,  being  killed  on  the 
deck  of  the  Miami.  The  enemy  still  held  a  continuous,  thor- 
oughly fortified  line,  well  constructed,  from  a  point  on  the 
river,  near  Warren's  Neck,  along  their  west  and  south  fronts, 
and  terminating  on  the  east  in  a  swamp,  bordering  which  a 
deep  creek,  known  as  Conaby,  a  mile  or  two  further  east, 
runs  into  the  Roanoke  river,  on  the  south  bank  of  which  Ply- 
mouth is  situated.  It  has  four  streets  parallel  with  the  river 
and  five  at  right  angles  to  it.  Fort  Williams,  projecting  be- 
yond the  south  face  of  the  parallelogram,  is  ready  for  action 
on  all  four  sides  and  enfilades,  right  and  left,  the  whole  south 
front  of  the  fortifications,  while  Battery  Worth  was  built  to 
command  the  west,  water  and  land,  approach.  Between  the 
latter  and  Warren's  Neck  was  85th  Redoubt  at  Sanderson's 
house.  At  Boyle's  steam  mill  near  the  road  entering  Second 
street  from  the  west  was  another  redoubt  outside  the  en- 
trenchments, and  within  the  southwest  angle  still  another  at 
Harriet  Toodles'.  On  the  east  centre  was  Fort  Comfort, 
with  a  redoubt  on  either  side  of  the  Columbia  road  at  James 
Bateman's  and  Charles  Latham's.  General  Hoke  ordered 
an  assault  from  this  (east)  side  by  Ransom's  Brigade.  Ac- 
cordingly that  night  our  sharpshooters  effected  a  crossing 
of  Conaby  creek  on  felled  trees  with  some  opposition.  A 
pontoon  bridge  was  laid,  and  before  the  night  was  far  ad- 


340  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

vanccd,  the  l)rig-ad(>  was  over.  Witli  a  line  of  skirinisliers  out 
in  front,  tlic  brigade  slept  in  line  of  battle,  and  perhaps  never 
more  soundly,  for  tired  nature's  sweet  restorer  was  welcome, 
even  on  the  eve  of  certain  battle. 

•20  A]n-il.  At  the  first  break  of  day  Ransom  was  again  in 
the  saddle,  and  his  ringing  voice  came  down  the  line:  ''At- 
tention, brigade!"  Every  man  was  upon  his  feet  instantly, 
and  the  adjusting  of  twisted  blankets  across  the  left  slioulder 
and  under  the  belt  at  the  right  hip  was  only  the  work  of  an- 
other moment ;  the  line  of  battle  was  formed,  "Fix  bayonets," 
"Trail  arms !"  "Forward  march !"  and  the  charge  began. 
The  aligiiment  was  as  follows :  The  Fifty-sixth  on  the  right, 
flanked  by  Company  I,  as  sharpshooters,  (resting  on  the 
Roanoke  and  near  the  "Albemarle,"  then  engaged,  as  it  had 
been  at  intervals  through  the  night,  with  Battery  Worth  on 
the  river  face  of  the  town),  and  Twenty-fifth,  Thirty-fifth, 
Eighth  and  Twenty-fourth  successively  on  to  the  left.  On 
our  part  of  the  line  a  large  drove  of  cattle  was  encountered 
and  driven  on  as  a  living  w^all  between  us  and  the  enemy  until 
they  reached  the  canal,  down  which  they  refused  to  plunge,  or 
escort  us  further.  Maddened  by  this  strange  spectacle  of 
"man's  inhumanity  to  man,"  they  turned  about,  and  "with 
no  reputation  to  lose,"  dashing  through  our  line,  sought  safety 
in  flight.  The  canal  was  found  with  steep  banks,  but  fortu- 
nately with  fordable  water.  Ranks  were  necessarily  broken 
in  getting  across,  but  were  soon  in  perfect  order  on  the  farther 
side,  and  the  forward  movement  resumed.  The  next  obsta- 
cle was  a  swamp,  in  places  waist  deep,  through  w'hich  the 
regiment  floundered  as  best  it  could,  impeded  by  the  mire  and 
cypress  knees  with  which  it  abounded.  The  Fifty-sixth  was 
the  first  through,  and  immediately  reforming  under  an 
oblique  fire  from  the  left,  charged  up  a  slight  hill,  and  routed 
the  opposing  regiment  sheltered  behind  a  fence  of  palings, 
here  the  outer  line  of  the  town.  This  and  the  adjacent  houses 
blocked  further  advance  in  regimental  line  of  battle. 

But  the  halt  here  was  only  for  a  moment.  Company  I 
pressed  straight  forward,  sweeping  everything  before  them 
between  Water  street  and  the  river  bank,  while  the  Twenty- 
fifth  on  getting  through  the  swamp  and  finding  the  Fifty-sixth 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  341 

in  its  front,  debouched  to  the  right  and  thus  went  up  Water 
street  between  the  Fifty-sixth  and  its  detached  company.  At 
the  same  instant  General  Ransom,  reaching  this  point,  the 
Fifty-sixth  moved  off  by  the  left  flank  and  entered  the  town 
on  the  next  street  east,  by  filing  to  the  right,  left  in  front. 
Major  Graham  was  at  the  extreme  left,  now  head  of  column, 
and  on  gaining  the  open  space  about  the  county  jail,  deployed 
the  regiment  foi-ward  into  line  of  battle,  just  in  time  to  check- 
mate a  battery  of  artillery  taking  position  to  rake  the  street 
with  its  guns.  These  movements  and  the  obstacles  encoun- 
tered, again  divided  the  regiment,  carrying  the  Colonel  and 
Lieutenant-Colonel  back  to  Water  street  to  direct  the  extreme 
right,  while  the  Major,  with  eight  companies,  pressed 
forward  to  silence  the  artillery.  The  fire,  delivered  before 
we  could  reach  them,  was  fortunately  a  little  too  high,  the 
shells  in  a  direct  line  being  plainly  visible  as  they  passed 
over,  and  the  guns  were  at  once  in  our  possession — not,  how- 
ever, until  one  brave  fellow  had  blown  up  his  limber  in  our 
faces,  killing  his  nearest  horses  and  wounding  several  of  our 
men.  It  would  be  a  pleasure  here  to  record  his  name.  The 
man  retreating  with  the  caisson  was  killed  in  the  street,  wdth 
four  of  his  six  horses,  by  a  shell  from  Fort  Williams. 

This  wing  of  the  regiment,  then,  without  Avaiting  for  any 
support,  as  all  seemed  to  have  enough  to  do,  swept  on  fighting 
between  these  two  streets  the  entire  length  of  the  town,  and 
without  a  halt  charged  the  redoubt  in  their  front,  oonstitut- 
ing  a  west  section  of  the  enemy's  heavy  line  of  fortifications, 
facing  front  and  rear.  Here  they  captured  a  Pennsylvania 
regiment,  and  Major  Graham,  mounting  the  works  with  the 
regimental  flag,  waved  it  to  Hoke's  Brigade,  now  under  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Lewis  (afterwards  Brigadier-General),  and 
thus  announced  that  the  way  was  open  on  that  side.  In  this 
last  charge  the  Twenty-fourth  went  in  abreast  with  us,  having 
entered  the  town  by  the  Columbia  road,  which  leads  into  Sec- 
ond street,  after  crossing  Conaby  creek  with  a  northwest 
trend  and  then  midway  changing  to  due  west.  While  the 
Eighth  and  Thirty-fifth  swung  around  to  invest  Fort  Com- 
fort, the  Twenty-fourth  overcoming  all  opposition  before 
them  at  the  Bateman  and  Latham  redoubts,  pushed  forward 


342  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

and  connected  with  our  left  flank  as  we  struck  tlie  fortifica* 
tions, — redoubt  and  entrenched  camp. 

Major  Graham's  prisoners,  some  300  of  infantry  and  artil- 
lery, were  turned  over  to  Captain  Joseph  G.  Lockhart,  when, 
under  shelter  of  a  ravine,  uniting  his  battalion  with  Hoke's 
Brigade,  he  swept  down  first  the  west  and  then  the  south  in- 
trenchments  to  Fort  Williams,  into  which  General  Wessels 
had  withdrawn  with  the  remnant  of  his  army.  The  Twenty- 
fourth  came  up  on  the  other  side.  After  consultation  with 
Colonel  Lewis,  it  was  deemed  unnecessary  to  assault  it,  as  its 
surrender  would  be  compelled  by  our  artillery  with  the  aid  of 
shai-pshooters  being  rapidly  posted  to  overlook  its  interior 
from  the  windows  and  tops  of  the  nearest  houses.  The  two 
opposing  generals  then  met  in  a  personal  interview,  and  the 
demand  to  capitulate  was  refused.  But  the  inevitable  was 
soon  acknowledged  by  raising  a  white  flag,  as  w^e  had  silenced 
every  gun  in  the  fort. 

Meantime,  the  part  assigned  to  Harrill's  men,  under  their 
fearless  leader,  had  been  as  effectually  accomplished.  Through 
water  hip  deep,  they  had  crossed  the  canal  and  swamp,  and 
keeping  near  the  river,  passing  around  houses  and  bursting 
through  garden  and  yard  fences,  they  reached  the  rear  of 
Battery  Worth,  containing  the  200-pounder,  specially  pro- 
vided to  anticipate  the  coming  of  our  iron-clad  Albemarle. 
One  volley  was  sufficient.  The  white  flag  was  run  up  and  the 
battery,  with  some  twenty  artillerymen,  surrendered  to  him. 

Taking  the  prisoners  with  them  from  this  battery  on  the 
river,  they  immediately  charged  to  their  left  and  thus  struck 
in  the  flank  and  rear  the  right  section  of  the  enemy's  line  of 
battle  occupying  the  breastworks,  here  on  Water  street,  fac- 
ing up  the  river.  His  demand  to  surrender  was  promptly 
complied  with,  and  while  Harrill  here  gathered  in  his  prison- 
ers, largely  outnumbering  his  own  rank  and  file,  Lewis'  men 
who  had  held  the  attention  of  the  enemy  in  their  front,  came 
in  at  a  double-quick  over  the  causeway  leading  through  the 
swamp  on  the  west  of  Plymouth^  passed  Hai-rill's  position 
and  joined  Graham's  detachmout  at  the  upper  ravine  further 
to  the  south,  as  above  noted. 

How  (Iocs  it  happen,  then,   that  tlic  eapt\ire    of    Battery 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  343 

Worth,  or  Fort  Hal,  noted  above  as  by  Company  I,  has  been 
claimed  for  Company  B,  with  whom  were  Colonel  Faison 
and  Colonel  Bearing,  a  portion  of  the  Twenty-fifth  support- 
ing the  artillery  ?     Both  claims  are  literally  tnie. 

A  correspondent  to  the  Fayetteville  Observer,  22  April, 
1864,  says:  "On  the  river  face  of  the  town  was  a  camp  en- 
trenched to  resist  any  attack  from  the  water,  and  a  little  lower 
down  an  earthwork  for  the  same  purpose."  The  latter,  admit- 
ted to  be  Battery  Worth,  we  must  observe  the  distinction  be- 
tween the  two,  though  close  together. 

As  to  the  time  of  the  first  movement,  Captain  Harrill's  re- 
port is  embodied  in  the  foregoing  narration.  General  Wes- 
sells  report:  "x\t  daylight  the  following  day,  20  April,  while 
my  right  and  front  were  seriously  threatened,  the  enemy  ad- 
vanced rapidly  against  my  left,  assaulting  and  carrying  the 
line  in  that  quarter,  penetrating  the  town  along  the  river  and 
capturing  Battery  Worth."  This  left  the  entrenched  camp 
not  yet  captured,  and  as  no  other  Confederate  troops  were  in 
that  quarter  at  that  early  hour,  the  claim  of  Company  I  to 
Battery  Worth  is  thus  afiirmed. 

From  this  point  of  time  General  Wessells  thus  continues: 
"A  line  of  skirmishers  was  formed  from  the  breast^vorks  per- 
pendicularly towards  the  river  in  hopes  of  staying  the  ad- 
vance. This  effort  succeeded  for  a  time;  but  the  troops 
seemed  discouraged  and  fell  back  to  the  entrenchments." 

The  conduct  of  the  Fifty-sixth  was  well  calculated  to  create 
such  discouragement,  as  it  broke  through  all  obstacles,  driving 
the  enemy  from  the  streets,  yards,  houses,  cellars,  and  bomb- 
proofs  from  which  Major  Graham  says  they  came  out  like  a 
colony  of  prairie  puppies,  or  g-round  hogs  on  the  2d  of  Feb- 
ruary. As  those  not  captured  in  this  charge  were  thus  gradu- 
ally pressed  back  to  their  double-faced  entrenchments,  the  in- 
fantry garrison  in  the  entrenched  camp  at  Battery  Worth, 
guarding  the  water  approach  and,  owing  to  the  contour  of  the 
ground,  not  in  sight  from  his  side  of  the  fortifications  when 
Capt.  Harrill  some  two  hours  before  had  taken  the  artillery- 
men out  of  the  battery,  appear  now  to  have  had  their  attention 
diverted  from  the  commotion  of  the  Albemarle  down  stream 
to  their  right  and  Hoke  up  the  river  to  their  left.     They  now 


344  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

for  the  first  time  saw  their  enemy  in  the  town,  and  were  ready 
with  the  portion  of  the  retreating  line  that  had  joined  them, 
to  enfilade  Company  B  as  it  came  up.  Here  Colonel  Faison, 
with  this  gallant  company  under  Captain  F.  N.  Roberts,  had 
his  hands  full  for  some  time  and  accomplished  important  re- 
sults, as  described  by  the  subsequent  Captain,  then  First  Ser- 
geant A.  R.  Carver: 

"In  this  charge  our  Lieutenant,  B.  W.  Thornton,  fell  on 
Water  street  witli  a  bullet  through  the  side  of  his  forehead 
near  the  eye.  I  stopped  long  enough  to  see  the  wound,  and 
thought  liini  dead;  but  he  survived  for  a  day  or  two.  Our 
company  had  become  detached  by  the  evolutions  and  obstacles 
in  getting  through  the  town.  Just  before  General  Wessells 
capitulated,  say  by  9  or  10  oS3lock,  we  had  reached  the  vicin- 
ity of  Fort  Hal,  with  the  200-pound  gun  bearing  on  the  river. 
It  was  full  of  the  enemy,  on  whom  we  were  firing  with  our 
rifles  and  they  were  briskly  returning  our  fire.  Colonel 
Faison  came  up  to  me  during  this  firing,  when  I  pointed  to  a 
hill  on  the  right  overlooking  the  fort,  and  said  if  the  artillery 
were  posted  there,  we  would  have  the  fort  in  five  minutes. 
Soon  after  he  left  me,  I  saw  our  battery  open  from  tlie  hill, 
and  immediately  a  white  handkerchief  was  hoisted  on  a  bay- 
onet alxtve  the  fort.  T  Avas  very  near  and  ran  fnr  the  fort. 
Geiun'al  Dearing  got  across  the  moat  and  into  the  fort  ahead 
of  me,  and  jumped  on  tbe  big  gun  as  if  he  were  going  to  spike 
it,  wlicii  T  met  an  officer  at  the  gate  and  dcMiianded  his  surren- 
der. He  asked  to  be  allowed  to  surrender  to  some  higher 
ofiieer.  I  called  General  Dearing  and  he  told  him  to  surren- 
der to  me.  He  thereupon  handed  over  his  swor<l  and  ])isr()l, 
wliieh  1  kept  during  the  war.  I  think  he  belonged  to  ihc  in- 
fantry.    He  had  on  his  overcoat." 

So  tliere  were  two  captures  of  tlic  sauic  fort,  separated  by 
an  interval  of  two  or  tliree  liours. 

General  Dearing  (Colonel  at  Plymouth),  snl)se(iuenlly  fell 
6  A]n-il,  18ri5,  at  High  Bridge,  on  the  retreat  towards  Ap- 
pomattox Court  House,  in  a  hand-to-hand  contest  with  ]\Iajor 
Read,  of  G(meral  Ord's  stafi",  both  antagonists  going  down 
together.  The  big  gun  was  natiirally  llic  cliiof  attraction  to 
him,  and  of  course  he  Indievcd  to  the  dav  of  his  deatli  that  his 


ItHS  new  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


AdTOR,  LENOX   AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS, 


r 


MAP  OF 

April  17-  ?0, 1864. 
By  Capt  R.  D.  Graham,  56tf  f?eg.  N.C.  S.T. 

Afhr  Onginal  by  Solon  E.AIlis,  ZlttReg.  Mass.]/.  Militia , 

October,  1865. 

Ancf  Comments  of  W.  M.  Bafeman,  Superior  Court  Cl&rk. , 

1901. 


■^-\ 


SCALE  OF  FEET. 
500       1000      1500 

'■  I   I  I  ' 


2000 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBUC  LIBRARY 


A8T0R,  LENOX    AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  345 

portion  of  the  line  had  captured  it,  whereas  it  clearly  appears 
that  it  had  been  silent  for  at  least  two  hours,  ever  since  Cap- 
tain Harrill  carried  off  the  artillerymen  who  had  served  it. 
It  was  the  infantrv'  of  the  adjoining  entrenched  camp,  to- 
gether with  some  others,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  vacant 
fort,  that  he  and  Colonel  Faison  so  effectually  silenced ;  and 
we  may  say  in  the  spirit  of  the  generous  Schley,  "there  was 
glory  enough  for  all." 

The  possibilities  of  such  independent  actions  by  detach- 
ments may  be  better  understood  when  it  is  remarked  that 
within  tlie  fortifications  on  the  west  side  were  three  ravines, 
and  on  an  elevation  between  the  lower  one  and  the  river  was 
planted  Battery  Worth,  with  the  entrenched  camp  lower 
down.  The  redoubt  at  Boyle's  steam  mill  on  the  road  on 
this  side  of  the  town,  appears  to  have  been  blown  up  by  a 
shell  entering  its  magazine,  and  so  it  offered  no  resistance 
to  our  infantry,  wliile  that  at  Harriet  Toodle's,  about  the 
southwest  angle,  and  the  intervening  entrenched  camps  were 
taken  with  the  connecting  breastworks. 

The  writer  was  near  General  Hoke  when  he  received  Gen- 
eral Wessels,  accompanied  by  his  officers,  as  his  prisoner. 
There  was  everything  in  his  courteous  and  considerate  bearing 
to  lessen  the  sting  of  defeat.  Dismounting  from  his  horse 
and  clasping  the  captive's  hand,  he  assured  him  of  his  respect 
and  sympathy,  and  added :  ''After  such  a  gallant  defense  you 
can  bear  the  fortune  of  war  without  self-reproach." 

General  Wessels'  official  report,  made  after  his  exchange 
four  montlis  later,  says  that  Hoke's  conduct  was  courteous  and 
soldier-like.  His  return  of  casualties,  killed,  wounded  and 
missing  was  127  officers  and  2,707  men,  from  the  Sixteenth 
Connecticut  Infantry,  Second  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, Second  North  Carolina  (Union)  Infantry,  Twelfth 
New  York  Cavalry,  Eigthy-fifth  Ne^v  York  Infantry,  Twen- 
ty-fourth New  York  Battery,  and  One  Hundred,  and  First 
and  One  Hundred  and  Third  Pennsylvania  Infantry.  Be- 
sides  3,000  stand  of  small  arms  and  some  twenty  pieces  of 
artillery,  there  was  a  large  quantity  of  all  other  supplies. 

In  our  advance  there  were  no  shirks.  The  respective  mus- 
ter rolls  might  be  exhibited  as  lists  of  those  deserving  hon- 


346  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

orablo  mention.  The  splendid  conduct  of  Color  Guard  Cor- 
poral Job.  C.  Hughes,  of  Camden  county,  is  here  gratefully 
remembered. 

The  regimental  colors  were  carried  by  a  Sergeant,  later  on 
given  the  rank  of  Ensign  by  the  Confederate  Congress,  and 
he  was  supported  by  eight  volunteer  Corporals.  This  guard 
of  three  ranks  in  line  of  battle  formed  the  extreme  left  of  the 
right  centre  company.  This  position  fell  to  Company  D, 
and  was  retained  by  it  to  the  end  of  the  war.  It  was  thus 
in  the  assault  upon  the  redoubt  beyond  the  head  of  Second 
street  that  the  Captain  of  this  company  found  Hughes  at 
his  side  while  a  blue  coat  in  front  was  drawing  a  bead  on 
him  within  a  space  less  than  the  width  of  the  street — 
"Hughes,  kill  that  Yank,"  followed,  and  the  enemy's  aim 
was  as  deliberately  changed  to  save  his  own  life.  There 
was  one  report  from  two  rifles,  and  both  men  went  down. 
It  was  the  last  shot  ever  fired  by  the  Federal.  His 
sight  was  as  good  as  that  of  his  focman,  his  minie  ball  per- 
forating Hughes'  blanket  thirteen  times,  as  it  was  twisted 
and  worn  as  above  described,  but  ended  with  the  penetration 
of  the  breast-bone^ — probably  owing  to  his  not  having  driven 
the  ball  home  in  too  rapidly  loading  his  piece.  Within  about 
a  month  he  was  at  his  post  again.  He  was  a  brother  of  the 
gallant  Captain  of  Company  A.  In  this  charge  the  brave 
Corporal  Wm.  Daves,  volunteer  to  the  Color  Guard  from 
Company  I,  was  killed,  and  J.  P.  Sossaman,  of  Company  K, 
was  also  severely  wounded  at  the  flag. 

The  "Albemarle"  had  advanced  along  the  river  front  with 
the  charge,  firing  over  the  line.  The  honor  of  capturing  Fort 
Comfort  on  our  left,  fell  to  the  Thirty-fifth  ^STorth  Carolina 
and  it  was  renamed  Fort  Jones  in  honor  of  its  Colonel. 

General  Hoke  was  thereupon  promoted  to  Major-General 
in  recognition  of  this  successful  initiation  of  his  campaign, 
and  of  a  well  earned  record  for  gallantry  and  efliciency  in 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  Colonel  Bearing  was 
made  a  Brigadier-General.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lewis  was 
soon  thereafter  promoted  to  Brigadier-General. 

In  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  wo  have  one  complete  com- 
pany rejiort  of  casualties: 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  347 

Company  D :  Mortally  wounded,  James  W.  Hall,  John 
W.  Holsenback,  and  Simpson  Riley — 3.  Severely  wounded, 
Lieutenant  Charles  R.  Wilson,  Corporals  G.  W.  Montgomery, 
and  Wm.  W.  Redding,  Privates  Wm.  F.  G.  Barbee,  D.  W. 
King,  Cyrus  Laws,  James  R.  Miller,  Burroughs  Pool,  James 
Roberts,  Lewellyn  Taylor,  Thomas  J.  Taylor,  Harris  Wil- 
kerson — 12.  The  commander  of  the  company  and  others 
were  also  struck,  but  not  put  hors  du  combat.  In  Company 
F,  Lieutenant  V.  J.  Palmer,  bravely  leading  Company  F, 
was  severely  wounded  as  we  passed  the  court  house.  Lieuten- 
ant B.  W.  Thornton,  of  Company  B,  was  mortally  wounded, 
the  ball  entering  just  above  the  eye,  and  coming  out  near  the 
ear,  but  was  still  able,  tliough  his  sight  was  gone,  to  recognize 
the  writer  when  he  visited  him  with  other  wounded  that  even- 
ing. He  was  a  faithful  and  efficient  soldier  from  Fayetteville. 
The  other  regiments  of  the  brigade  also  bore  conspicuous 
parts.  One  company,  at  least,  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  and  perhaps 
nearly  the  whole  regiment,  here  secured  a  complete  equip- 
ment of  first  class  rifles. 

Company  I  was  most  fortunate  in  doing  its  gallant  part, 
having  none  permanently  disabled  and  the  ever  faithful 
Daves  at  the  colors  being  its  only  man  killed  to-day. 

Since  writing  the  above  we  have  found  in  the  files  of  the 
Fayetteville  Observer,  9  May,  1864,  the  report  of  Adjutant 
John  W.  Faison,  and  give  the  casualties  accordingly : 

Company  A — Killed :  L.  Sawyer.  Wounded :  Sergeant 
S.  Smith,  Corporal  T.  G.  Ferrell,  Wm.  Garrett,  J.  C.  Hughes 
(in  breast),  J.  H.  Johnson,  Henry  Williams,  Wm.  Gallopp 
and  Wm.  Gilbert. 

Company  B — Wounded :  Lieutenant  B.  W.  Thornton, 
mortally.  Sergeant  L.  H.  Hurst,  W.  Caiwer,  J.  T.  Moore, 
Wm.  Handy  and  R.  H.  Averitt. 

Company  C — Wounded :  J.  S.  Sawyer,  B.  Hackney,  J. 
Howard,  R.  Pendergrast,  L.  Williams  and  J.  Parker. 

Company  D — (Given  above,  3  killed,  12  wounded). 

Company  E — Wounded :  Lieutenant  J.  M.  Jacobs,  Ser- 
geant A.  Harrill,  Coi-poral  Wm.  Turner,  H.  MclSTeill,  H. 
Wheeler,  W.  H.  Holland,  W.  H.  McBryde,  W.  H.  Thomas 
and  Joseph  Banks. 


348  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

CoMPA^'Y  F — Lieutenant  V.  J.  Palmer,  Corporal  A.  No- 
lan, Allen  Cogdale,  Adney  Cogdale,  Wm.  Chitwood,  H.  M. 
Gladden,  J.  G.  We])l),  J.  W.  Lindsay,  T.  P.  Cabiniss  and  N. 
W.  Koss. 

Company  G^ — Killed :  T.  W.  Nobbin  and  Izark  D.  Kinzey ; 
wounded,  IL  Allen,  E,  Carlin,  J.  Hollingsworth,  L.  M.  Greei, 
H.  Perry,  Leroy  Smith,  and  S.  Taylor, 

Company  H — Wounded:  Lieutenant  S.  R.  Holton,  C. 
Donolio  mortally,  T.  J.  Barnwell,  N.  Fox,  T.  Gately,  J. 
Miles,  D.  Miller,  B.  J.  Page,  Wm.  Thompson,  D.  Thompson 
and  J.  Chisenhall. 

Company  I — Killed :  Wm.  Daves,  T.  P.  Canipl>ell,  Sam 
Green,  IL  Harrill,  J.  P.  Philbeck,  H.  W.  Price  and  R.  H. 
Wall. 

Co:srPANY  K — Wounded :  Jolm  Strider,  J.  P.  Sossaman 
and  W.  Auten. 

In  the  same  issue  is  found  the  report  of  Captain  S.  IL 
Gee,  x\ssistant  Adjutant  and  Inspector  General,  giving  Ran- 
som's total  casualties  in  the  three  days'  operations,  as  fol- 
lows : 


Kill* 

^d, 

Wounded. 

Total. 

Officers. 

Men. 

Officers.          Men. 

8th   N.  C.  T. 

2 

18 

5                102 

127 

24  th 

2 

11 

3                  85 

101 

25th 

0 

3 

0                  20 

23 

35  th 

1 

19 

4                  84 

108 

56th 

0 

4 

4                  80 

88 

Maj.  Moseley's 

B. 

Art.    0 

0 

0                   17 

17 

Maj.  Read's 

0 

2 

1                    9 

12 

5  57  17  397  476 

The  surrender,  already  noted,  took  place  at  10 :30  a.  m. 
Several  interesting,  though  partial,  accounts  of  this  affair 
were  published  in  the  Fayetteville  Observer  soon  after  the 
battle. 

21  April.  Major  J.  W.  Graham,  with  Company  I,  Twen- 
ty-fourth, Captain  Boykin ;  Company  K,  Twenty-fifth,  Lieu- 
tenant Bullerson ;  and  Company  D,  Fifty-sixth,  Captain  R. 
D.  Graham,  was  jdaced  in  charge  of  Fort  (Jray  on  Warren's 
Neck. 

22  Ajuil.  Visited  by  the  commanding  Major-General, 
who  found  the  post  in  much  better  order  than  we  had. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  349 

25  April.  Detachment  rejoined  the  brigade.  At  10  a.  m. 
the  column  set  out  for  Washington,  ]^.  C,  leaving  as  a  garri- 
son at  Plymouth  Martin's  ]^orth  Carolina  Brigade,  which 
has  just  joined  us. 

26  April.  Arrived  in  front  of  Washington,  N.  C.  Some 
shells  thrown  at  us  from  the  enemy's  forts.  The  enemy 
withdrew  during  the  night  to  concentrate  at  'New  Bern.  Thus 
the  second  point  in  the  campaign  was  scored  in  Hoke's  favor, 
this  time  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

28  April — 2  May.  At  Greenville  probably  awaiting  the 
arrival  of  the  Confederate  marines  and  pontoons  from  Rich- 
mond. Crossed  the  Tar  river  here  and  Contentnea  creek  at 
Coward's  bridge,  where  we  were  joined  by  Whitford's  Sixty- 
seventh  ]^orth  Carolina  State  Troops. 

5  May.  We  passed  the  l^euse  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  not 
far  from  where  we  left  the  Contentnea.  On  nearing  ISTew 
Bern,  Lewis'  Brigade  made  a  dash  upon  the  redoubts  at  Deep 
Gully;  but  the  enemy  fled  to  avoid  capture.  The  main 
column  then  crossed  the  Trent  River  at  PoUocksville,  cap- 
tured a  block  house  near  a  mill  dam,  and  took  position  near 
the  railroad  bridge.  Dearing's  cavalry  and  artillery  moved 
to  the  south  and  captured  the  block  house  on  Brice's  creek 
that  General  Barton  thought  such  a  Gibraltar  last  February, 
and  took  fifty  prisoners.  A  section  of  Dixon's  ISTorth  Caro- 
lina Battery,  from  Orange  county,  under  Lieutenant  Halcott 
P.  Jones,  supported  by  part  of  Evans'  South  Carolina  Brig- 
ade, now  under  General  "Live  Oak"  Walker,  moved  to  the 
front  and  engaged  the  enemy's  railroad  iron-clad  monitor. 
Ransom's  Brigade  was  not  far  from  the  south  bank  of  the 
Trent. 

Preparations  were  made  for  putting  in  the  river  that  night 
a  pontoon  bridge,  first  parallel  with  the  stream,  securing  it 
to  the  bank  at  the  lower  end  and  swinging  the  other  across 
with  the  current  under  the  protection  of  our  guns,  to  the 
New  Bern  side  within  the  enemy's  line  of  fortifications.  The 
spirit  of  the  troops  assured  success,  and  thus  was  to  culminate 
our  l^orth  Carolina  campaign  of  1864. 

PETERSBURG  AND  KICHMOND. 

6  May.     The  intended  assault  has  been  abandoned,  and 


350  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'G5. 

Geueral  Palmer,  U.  S.  A.,  is  left  in  quiet  possession  of  New 
Bern ;  for  the  morning  finds  us  on  a  forced  march  for  old 
Virginia  again.  General  Benjamin  Franklin  Butler  is  com- 
ing up  the  south  side  of  the  James  river  via  Bermuda  Hun- 
dreds, with  30,000  men  to  attack  Petersburg.  If  possible, 
we  must  get  there  first.  General  II.  F.  Hoke,  in  a  recent  letr 
ter,  says:  "Your  mention  of  what  was  intended  at  New  Bern 
is  correct  and  I  had  no  doubt  of  its  success.  The  recall  was 
one  of  the  greatest  disappointments  I  ever  had." 

8  May.  Reach  Kinston  at  8  a.  m.  and  via  Goldsboro  pro- 
ceed to  Weldon. 

9  May.  Off  for  Petersburg  by  rail  as  far  as  Jarratt's  Sta- 
tion. Here  Kautz's  Federal  cavalry  have  dashed  in  and  cut 
the  line  of  railway.  March  thence  along  the  track  to  Stony 
creek,  about  twenty  miles,  that  night.  The  weird  hooting 
of  the  great  owls  in  the  swamps  was  almost  human  in  its  in- 
tonations and  called  forth  comments,  half  in  earnest  and  half 
in  raillery,  here  and  there  along  the  line,  such  as:  "That  is 
a  bad  sign,  boys ;  hard  times  in  old  Virginia,  and  worse 
a'coming." 

10  May.  At  Stony  creek  we  take  the  trains  that  have 
come  out  to  meet  us,  and  are  soon  in  Petersburg.  Stack  arms 
on  Poplar  Lawn.  The  generous  hospitality  of  Judge  Lyon, 
Wm.  R.  Johnson,  and  other  citizens  is  pleasantly  remem- 
bered. Hear  that  the  place  has  been  held  till  our  an'ival  by 
the  single  brigade  of  Johnson  Hagood's  South  Carolinians. 
Lieutenant-General  D.  H.  Hill,  too  earnest  to  be  long  quiet, 
is  occupying  the  anomalous  position  of  volunteer  Aid-de- 
Camp  to  General  Beauregard,  commanding  at  Petersburg, 
pending  a  dispute  with  the  President  as  to  an  assignment 
proper  to  his  rank.  (This  quarrel  seems  to  have  resulted  in 
a  faiJure  to  present  his  appointment  to  the  Congress  for  con- 
firmation.) He  was  noted  for  a  disposition  "to  feeel  the  en- 
emy;" and  on  such  occasions  his  feelings  were  very  rough. 
Our  coup  de  main  of  2  July,  1863,  at  Crump's  farm  below 
Richmond,  he  had  just  repeated  here  with  more  terrible  odds, 
against  General  Butler's  advancing  column.  With  this 
handful  of  men,  he  had  met  him  near  Chester  and  made  such 
a  desperate  assault  as  to  put  him  on  the  defensive  to  await 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBUC  LIBRARY. 


A8T0R,   LENOX    AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 


FIFTY-SIXTH  RECilMENT. 


1.  Otis  P.  Mills,  Captain,  Co.  G. 

a.  A.  C.  Roliertson,  Ord'ly-Sergt.,  Co.  G. 

3.  W.  (i.  Graves,  Captain,  Co.  H. 

4.  L.  Harrill,  Captain.  Co.  I. 


8. 


Jos.  31.  •Walker,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  I. 
C.  V.  Tanner.  Cd  Lieut.,  Co.  I. 
.1.  F.  Mc.N.'.'lv.  Captain.  Co.  K. 
T.  W.  Sli.-plieid,  1st  Lieut..  Co.  K. 


9.    Chas.  M.  Payne,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  K.    (Picture  in  Suppl.uieutary  Group,  4th  vol.) 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  351 

further  developments.  In  the  time  thus  gained  reinforce- 
ments arrived,  and  we  knew  that  with  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia  we  could  successfully  hold  Richmond  and  Peters- 
burg against  all  opposing  forces  then  in  the  field.  With 
Major-General  Iloke,  there  were  now  Ransom's  North  Caro- 
lina, Lewis'  North  Carolina,  Walker's  (formerly  Evans') 
South  (.^arolina.  Corse's  Virginia,  and  Kemper's  Virginia 
Brigades.  This  division  took  position  a  short  distance  be- 
yond Swift  creek. 

11  May.  Moved  to  Half -Way  House.  The  enemy  now 
appears  in  great  force  between  us  and  Petersburg,  occupying 
both  the  railroad  and  turnpike.  We  offer  battle;  but  noth- 
ing follows  beyond  some  sharp  skirmishing.  Ransom's  Bri- 
gade forms  the  extreme  Confederate  left,  near  the  river. 

BATTLE  OF   12   MAY. 

12  May.  This  brigade  is  moved  across  the  turnpike  and 
posted  near  the  winter  quarters  on  rising  ground  to  the 
right,  facing  Petersburg,  forming  now  the  right  flank.  In 
the  afternoon,  advanced  down  the  railroad  towards  Peters- 
burg, and  occupied  breastworks  at  a  point  near  where  the 
fortified  line  crosses  this  road.  Here  the  line  terminates 
after  changing  its  general  bourse  and  running  off  at  almost  a 

right  angle  (towards  the  river  on  the  left  near • 

house).  Our  artillery  is  engaged  with  that  of  the  enemy 
in  the  woods  to  the  front.  A  line  of  skirmishers  is  scarcely 
formed  and  thrown  out  to  our  right  and  rear  for  a  recon- 
noissance  under  "the  fighting  Quartermaster  of  the  Forty- 
ninth,"  Captain  Cicero  Durham,  when  they  receive  a  volley 
from  a  line  of  battle  in  ambush,  and  this  gallant  leader  and 
many  of  his  brave  comrades  have  fought  their  last  fight.  A 
rush  is  made  by  the  enemy,  and  Generals  Hoke  and  Ran- 
som, just  arrived  at  the  house  for  consultation,  barely  escape 
capture.  On  came  the  line  as  to  an  easy  victory,  but  not  as 
quick  as  was  our  command  in  leaping  to  the  other  side  of  the 
breastworks.  After  a  sharp  fight  they  were  repulsed  by  the 
well-directed  shots  of  a  portion  of  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment 
holding  the  top  of  the  steep  bank  of  earth,  while  their  com- 
rades in  the  deep  ditch  below  handed  up  their  rifles  as  rapidly 


352  North  Carolina  Trooj's,   1  SGI -'65. 

as  they  could  be  reloaded.  There  were  here  many  instances 
of  individual  bravery,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  regi'et  that  the 
State,  at  whose  call  these  men  offered  their  lives,  has  no  fuller 
account  of  them.  In  Company  B,  D.  P.  Blizzard  was  killed, 
and  the  gallant  A.  K.  (^irvci-,  then  a  Lieutenant  and  subse- 
(lucntly  Captain,  lost  an  arm.  I)a\i<l  .McKce,  of  Company  D, 
Orange  county,  is  now  remembered  as  among  the  conspicuous 
ones  in  the  position  which  he  occupied,  and  from  which  he 
fired  sixteen  times  with  steady  aim,  and  it  is  thought,  with 
fatal  effect,  at  such  close  quarters.  When  the  exposed  portion 
of  the  brigade,  after  resisting  the  assault  upon  it,  had  been 
withdrawn  behind  this  effective  fire,  the  Fifty-sixth  as  rear 
guard,  retired  in  perfect  order.  They  had  simply  practiced 
the  tactics  of  Forrest  and  checkmated  a  rear  attack  of  the  en- 
emy. "Face  about  and  get  in  their  rear,"  was  his  only  order 
for  a  similar  occasion.  The  perfect  discipline  of  the  command 
was  evinced  by  there  being  no  sign  of  a  panic.  Thomas 
Owens  and  George  Griffin,  of  Company  I,  were  also  among 
those  who  displayed  coolness  and  courage  in  this  action,  the 
former  being  severely  wounded.  From  exposure  he  had  lost 
his  voice  so  that  he  could  not  speak  above  a  whisper.  The 
wound  directly  above  his  breast  instantaneously  cured  his 
aphonia. 

But  the  enemy  is  evidently  in  such  force  that  we  concen- 
trate upon  our  second  line  of  defences.  Each  side  watches 
for  the  initiative  from  the  other.  x\t  night  there  is  cheering 
along  our  lines,  and  the  cause  is  that  Beauregard  has  just 
come  in  from  Petersburg. 

SECOND  day's  fight. 

13  May.  The  writer  saw  Beauregard  on  the  field.  Of 
medium  size  and  military  bearing,  his  most  striking  feature 
is  his  sharp  bright  eye,  and  a  thoughtful,  intelligent  expres- 
sion befitting  his  reputation  as  one  of  the  best  military  en- 
gineers. Firing  kept  up  through  the  day  by  the  artillery  and 
skirmishers. 

THIRD  day's   fight. 

14  May.     Brigadier-General  Ransom  is  severely  wounded 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  353 

in  the  left  arm  by  a  minie  hall  and  does  not  return  to  the  bri- 
gade till  the  fall.  Colonel  Wm.  J.  Clarke,  of  the  Twenty- 
fourth,  as  senior  Colonel,  succeeds  him.  Battle  at  long  range 
continued  through  the  day. 

FOURTH   DAY^S   FIGHT. 

15  May.  Yesterday's  program  continued,  in  which  we 
again  lose  a  brigade  commander,  Colonel  Clarke  being 
wounded  in  the  shoulder  by  the  fragment  of  a  shell.  Colonel 
Leroy  M.  McAfee,  of  the  Forty-ninth,  then  assumes  com- 
mand. The  Fifty-sixth  occupied  a  position  on  the  line  near 
the  Washington  Artillery,  of  New  Orleans. 

Without  the  means  of  coiToboration,  I  here  note  that  we 
hear  that  the  President,  who  has  come  down  from  Richmond, 
orders  General  Beauregard  to  make  a  general  assault  to-mor- 
roAV,  and  that  Beauregard  files  a  protest,  in  view  of  the  ter- 
rible odds  against  his  available  force — at  least  3  to  2,  proba- 
bly double  that — and  protected  by  breastworks. 

BATTLE   OF   DEEWKY^S   BLUFF. 

16  May.  Soon  after  midnight  the  brigade  is  moved  from 
the  trenches,  occupied  for  the  last  three  days,  and -formed  in 
line  of  battle  across  the  turnpike,  facing  towards  Petersburg, 
with  the  left  of  the  Fifty-sixth  resting  on  the  turnpike.  Up 
to  this  time  it  was  thought  we  were  going  out  to  get  a  rest. 
This  opinion,  however,  was  dispelled  by  the  issuing  of  an 
extra  quantity  of  cartridges.  But  for  the  first  time  in  our 
history,  we  start  in  on  the  reserve  line.  Just  before  dawn 
we  move  forward  supporting  Bushrod  R.  Johnson's  Tennes- 
see Brigade.  They  suffer  severely  near  the  turnpike,  their 
advance  being  impeded  by  obstructions  of  telegraph  wire 
upon  which  many  of  them  are  tripped  within  deadly  range. 
But  they  gallantly  carry  the  line  in  their  front,  while  our 
Twenty-fourth  and  Forty-ninth  take  the  enemy's  line  of 
works  in  a  piece  of  woods  to  their  right.  The  assault  is,  as 
Mr.  Davis  had  predicted,  successful  at  every  point;  while 
Major-General  Robert  Ransom,  having  come  out  from  Rich- 
mond with  three  Brigades,  is  sweeping  down  their  left  flank, 
and  rear,  capturing  some  regiments  entire.     Before  Ransom 

23 


-B64  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'G5. 

•reaches  them,  spasmodic  efforts  here  and  there  are  made  to 
regain  lost  points  along  the  line,  from  which  we  had  dis- 
lodged them ;  hut  they  are  repulsed  in  each  instance.  They 
rush  down  the  turnpike  with  their  artillery  nearly  to  our 
lines,  just  taken  from  them,  and  open  fire;  but  their  guns  are 
soon  in  our  hands,  men  and  horses  going  down  under  the  ter- 
rible fire  with  which  they  are  met.  It  was  not  far  from  this 
point  that  tlie  writer  saw  the  President  during  this  battle. 
He  was  probably  nearer  Butler  than  he  had  been  for  four 
years,  as  his  courier  whom  we  captured  in  the  vicinity,  said 
he  was  then  very  near  the  general.  (At  the  National  Demo- 
cratic Convention  of  1860,  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  Butler  gave 
fifty-seven  successive  votes  for  Davis  as  his  choice  for  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  States. ) 

And  now  we  waited  anxiously  for  the  attacks  to  be  made 
on  the  right  flank  and  rear  of  the  enemy  by  General  Whiting 
with  the  two  or  three  l:)rigades  in  his  hands  on  the  Petersburg 
side.  But  in  vain !  This  plan  carried  out  with  the  courage 
for  which  the  General  had  already  made  a  reputation  among 
the  bravest  and  the  best  soldiers  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia, should  have  resulted  in  the  capture  of  all  Butler's  ar- 
tillery and  wagons,  (that  he  was  safely  withdrawing  in  our 
sight),  and  a  good  portion  of  his  Army  of  the  James.  Gen- 
eral D.  H.  Hill  was  with  General  Whiting,  but  without  com- 
mand. Both  his  prayers  and  imprecations  to  deliver  the 
coup  de  grace  were  without  avail.  Is  it  an  evil  genius  that 
thus  hovers  above  the  Confederate  cross  ?  For  this  is  not  the 
first  time  that  it  has  been  checked  on  the  high  tide  to  an  effec- 
tive victory  by  a  voice  that  certainly  came  not  out  of  the 
North,  saying:  "Thus  far  shall  thou  go,  and  no  farther." 

The  only  casualty  remembered  in  the  regiment  as  of  to-day 
is  the  mortally  wounding  of  Green  Bowers,  of  Company  D, 
by  a  rifle  ball  which  also  went  through  an  artillery  horse  near 
him  on  the  front  line. 

BUTLER  BOTTLED  UP. 

17  May.  Though  we  have  not  captured  Butler,  we  have 
"bottled  him  up"  (as  General  Grant  reports  it  to  Mr.  Lin- 
coln), between  the  James  and  Appomattox    rivers,    and    a 


PUBLIC  library] 

fSTOR,   LENOX   AND 


Region  embraced  in  the  Operations  of  the  A.rmies 
against 
RICHMOND  and  PETERSBURG,  VA. 
Reduced  from  Map  of  tlie  Engineer  Bureau,  War  Dept 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  355 

much  smaller  force  will  be  amply  sufficient  to  hold  our  shorter 
line  across  the  naiTOw  neck  from  bend  to  bend  of  the  here 
converging  rivers,  which  lower  down  diverge  considerably  be- 
fore uniting,  thus  suggesting  General  Grant's  figure.  Our 
line  extends  from  near  Bermuda  Hundreds  on  the  fonner  to 
a  point  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Confederate  Fort  Clifton  on  the 
latter.     D.  H.  Hill  urges  another  assault. 

18  May.  With  a  picket  line  advanced,  we  throw  up  a 
counter  line  of  works,  receiving  a  shelling  from  Butler's  gun- 
boats. 

19  May.  Company  D  is  out  in  front,  some  500  yards  to 
the  right  of  the  Howlett  house,  rectifying  the  line  of  rifle 
pits  to  conform  to  the  possible  line  of  attack  and  defence. 
Consultation  with  General  W.  G.  Lewis,  recently  promoted 
from  Lieutenant-Colonel  to  Brigadier-General,  and  well 
known  as  an  engineer  of  ability,  who  appears  on  the  line. 

BATTI.E   OF   WAKE   BOTTOM    CHURCH^    OR   CLAY^S   FARM. 

20  May.  Companies  B  and  H,  Captains  F.  N.  Roberts 
and  W.  G.  Graves,  relieve  Company  D,  which  joins  the  regi- 
ment. About  2  p.  m.,  Beauregard  makes  a  general  assault 
from  right  to  left  on  Butler's  line,  and  drives  it  in  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile  on  the  right,  and  something  less  on  the  left. 
Our  troops  on  this  part  of  the  line  were  put  in  too  spasmodi- 
cally, in  unsupported  detachments,  allowing  the  enemy  to  re- 
inforce from  point  to  point  as  successively  threatened,  or  to 
make  a  counter-charge  and  flank  movement  with  fresh  troops 
against  ours  before  they  could  recover  from  the  disorder  in- 
cident to  a  headlong  rush  into  the  contested  positions.  The 
fight  upon  the  part  of  the  Fifty-sixth  ended  with  the  enemy's 
picket  line,  from  which  we  had  driven  their  advanced  line  of 
battle,  in  our  possession.  The  loss  to  the  Fifty-sixth  was  90 
killed  and  wounded  in  less  than  half  as  many  minutes,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Luke  being  one  of  the  wounded.  In  Com- 
pany D,  as  follows:  Washington  Blackwood,  Jesse  Clark, 
John  Clark,  James  Hicks,  Elzy  Riley,  James  Roberts,  Wm. 
N.  Simmes  and  Corporal  J.  Erwin  Laycock ;  also  James  M. 
Clark,  Ensign,  and  Jesse  Brown  and  William  E.  Faucett,  all 
wounded.     Jesse  Brown,  like    Corporal    Hughes    at    Ply- 


356  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65". 

iii(iuf]i,  luul  his  twisted  l)lankct.  pierced  a  dozen  times  by  a 
miiiie  ball  which  burnt  his  arm  without  breaking  the  bone, 
and  he  will  return  to  duty  in  a  few  days.  The  Ca])tain  of 
Company  D  promoted  Solon  E.  Birkhead  from  ])rivate  to 
First  Sergeant  for  conspicuous  bravery  in  this  battle,  known 
as  the  battle  of  Ware  Bottom  Church,  or  Clay's  Farm. 
Among  the  wounded  in  Company  H  was  Lieutenant  R.  W. 
Belo,  who  lost  a  foot.  Company  I  lost  some  of  its  best  men : 
Sergeant  Amos  Harrill  (brother  of  the  (Japtain),  Coq^oral 
W.  C.  Beam,  George  Griffin  and  the  brothers,  Jack  and  Joe 
Tessenear,  all  killed,  and  twelve  men  wounded.  Company 
A  here  lost  a  great  favorite  in  the  killing  of  the  brave  Isaac 
G.  Gallopp. 

21  May.  Busy  strengthening  the  new  line,  and  22  May 
Lieutenant  Charles  R.  Wilson  and  others  rejoined  the  com- 
pany, having  been  wounded  at  Plymouth. 

23  May,  Flag  of  truce  to  bury  the  dead  on  the  contested 
ground  between  the  tw^o  lines.  A  ghastly  sight.  Some  are 
not  recovered,  as  they  fell  wdthin  the  enemy's  lines,  three 
days  ago — a  sad  uncertainty  around  some  hearthstones  until 
peace  on  earth  shall  return  again.  Information  is  obtained 
of  the  gallant  "Live  Oak"  Walker,  whom  we  met  on  the  field 
just  tO'  our  right,  20  May,  in  command  of  Evans'  (S.  C) 
Brigade,  Colonel  Elliott  now  commanding.  The  enemy  re- 
port him  doing  well  after  the  amputation  of  his  leg. 

Some  of  the  casualties  of  the  last  week's  operations  were  J 

Company  B — Killed :  D.  P.  Blizzard  ;  wounded.  Lieuten- 
ant A.  R.  Carver  and  John  Tart. 

Company  C — ^Wounded :  Corporal  J.  Matthews  and  Wm. 
Childers. 

Company  E — Sergeant  J.  IST.  Clark  and  B.  Garner; 
wounded,  B.  F.  Sikes. 

Company  G — Killed:  James  Tucker;  wounded,  R.  P. 
Smith  and  C.  Love. 

Company  H — Wounded :  Sergeant  T.  J.  Montague,  Cor- 
poral 'N.  A.  Home,  David  May,  J.  O.  Scoggins,  Sergeant  S. 
A.  Thompson,  Corporal  H.  C.  Murchison,  W.  F.  Lackey 
(supposed  killed),  11.  Bledsoe,  J.  Bolin,  G.  W.  Bogle,  S.  L. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  357 

Garden,  John  Lee,  F.  Patterson,  T.  J.  Peel,  M.  Stewart,  J. 
H.  Vickers,  W.  S.  Whitaker,  G.  Roberts,  W.  T.  Patterson. 
Missing:  K.  P.  Combs,  J.  L.  Casote  and  J.  S.  Massey. 

Company  K — Wounded:  Sergeant  J.  J.  MclSTeely,  G.  W. 
Edwards,  Z.  Morgan  and  A.  C.  Shields. 

Company  I — Wounded :  Sergeant  C.  P.  Tanner,  G.  W. 
Spurlin,  D.  P.  Smart,  J.  M.  Michael,  J.  W.  Campe  and  J.  J. 
Morton. 

Company  F — Wounded:  Lieutenant  J.  R.  Grigg,  W.  C. 
Wolf,  M.  Crowder. 

25  May.  In  the  romantic  intimacy  that  has  sprung  up 
between  the  j^ickets  of  the  two  opposing  armies,  a  soldier  in 
the  Twenty-fifth  North  Carolina  lends  his  pick  to  a  Yankee 
to  dig  his  rifle  pit,  a  new  one  being  made  necessary  by  our 
last  move  upon  them ;  and  the  blue  coat  returns  it  after  com- 
pleting the  job. 

31  May.  Major-General  Hoke,  with  his  division,  consist- 
ing now  of  Clingman's  ISTorth  Carolina,  Martin's  IsTorth  Car- 
olina, Hagood's  South  Carolina  and  Colquitt's  Georgia  Brig- 
ades is  ordered  to  Cold  Harbor. 

2  June.  A  demonstration  in  force  by  us  is  made  along  the 
whole  of  the  line  between  the  two  rivers,  leaving  the  enemy's 
right  intact,  but  pushing  back  their  left  some  400  yards, 
while  in  the  centre  the  ground  lost  by  them  in  the  first  as- 
sault is  recovered  by  a  counter-charge.  During  the  whole 
night  our  pickets  kept  up  a  rapid  firing. 

During  this  week  General  Bushrod  R.  Johnson  re- 
ceives a  commission  as  Major-General,  and  to  him  are  as- 
signed Ransom's  North  Carolina,  Evans'  South  Carolina 
(commanded  l\v  General  Elliott,  promoted  to  succeed  Walk- 
er), Grade's  Alabama,  and  Wise's  Virginia  Brigades. 
This  division  now  holds  Butler  in  the  bottle  by  guarding 
the  shortened  line  from  the  Howlett  house  (near  Dutch 
Gap),  to  Fort  Clifton.  Captains  Grigg  and  Graham,  with 
two  companies  of  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina,  relieve  the 
picket  line  just  before  day,  and  find  that  the  innocent  fire- 
flies have  caused  much  of  the  commotion  of  the  night,  the 
men  firing  at  the  flicker  without  waiting  for  the  crack  of  a 


358  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

rifle  or  the  sound  of  a  bullet.     No  more  ammunition  was 
wasted  in  such  mimicry  of  war. 

3  June,  1864.  Grant,  at  5  a.  m.,  renews  the  assault  at 
Cold  Harbor,  pressing  up  to  our  works  in  solid  columns.  But 
the  contest  is  over  in  sixty  minutes,  and  they  are  repulsed 
with  a  loss  of  12,737  (as  per  official  report),  many  of  these 
being  negroes.  An  advance  is  again  ordered  by  him  at  8  a. 
m.,  but  his  men  refuse  to  move.  He  had  doubtless  hoped  to 
make  these  assaults  the  culmination  of  his  "Wilderness  Cam- 
paign." The  former  Adjutant  of  tlie  Fifty-sixth,  now  Assist- 
ant Adjutant  General  of  Lane's  North  Carolina  Brigade,  was 
the  bearer  of  General  Leee's  reply  to  General  Grant's  proposi- 
tion tliat  botli  parties  might  bury  their  dead  and  attend  to 
their  wounded.  General  Lee,  having  none  uncared  for,  de- 
clined this,  and  only  yielded  when  General  Grant  formally 
asked  to  be  allowed  to  care  for  his  own. 

4  June.  Ransom's  Brigade,  Colonel  H.  M.  Rutledge  com- 
manding, proceeds  to  Bottom's  bridge  on  the  Chickahominy, 
below  Richmond,  and  reports  to  Major-General  Robert  Ran- 
som. Colonel  Rutledge  is  taken  sick  and  sent  to  the  hospital 
and  the  command  of  the  Brigade  goes  to  Colonel  Paul  F.  Fai- 
son,  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Luke  command- 
ing the  regiment. 

5  June.  The  Forty-ninth  and  Fifty-sixth  are  posted  near 
the  railroad  bridge. 

7  June.  Company  K,  Captain  F.  R.  Alexander,  and 
Company  D,  Captain  R.  D.  Graham  on  picket  line  near  the 
stream.  Our  friends,  the  enemy,  make  a  proposition  to  us. 
the  Dutch  Captain  declaring,  "T  Avould  like  to  keep  de  beace- 
aple  as  far  as  bossiple."  We  agree  that  long  range  isolated 
sharpshooting  shall  not  be  indulged  in.  They  were  Penn- 
sylvania dismounted  cavalry. 

9  June.  Brigade  marched  to  Cliaffin's  farni,  and  occu- 
pied the  winter  quarters  at  Fort  Harrison.  The  rest  is  very 
much  enjoyed,  and  a  uuinber  of  us  visit  friends  belonging  to 
the  Confederate  fleet  in  the  James. 

13  June.  In  toucliing  distance  of  our  baggage  to-day  for 
the  first  time  since  we  crossed  the  State  line — over  a  month 
since.     Such  is  war. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  359 

investment  of  peteksbueg  begun. 

15  June.  Crossing  the  James  on  a  pontoon  bridge  at 
Drewrv's  Bluff,  we  marched  all  night  to  Petersburg. 

16  June.  The  Fifty-sixth  is  detached  at  Pocahontas 
Bridge,  and  held  in  readiness  to  report  to  Geaieral  Gracie, 
commanding  the  Alabama  Brigade,  if  called  for,  at  Swift 
Creek.  The  rest  of  the  Brigade  under  Colonel  Faison  re- 
ports to  General  Beauregard  on  the  line  of  intrenchments  to 
the  east  of  Petersburg,  and  south  of  the  Appomattox  river. 
The  head  of  Grant's  army  is  now  on  the  south  side  of  the 
James  and  advancing  from  City  Point.  Petersburg  is  evi- 
dently the  new  objective  point.  Hoke's  Division  has  here 
met  their  first  assault,  and  after  a  very  stubborn  contest,  re- 
tired from  a  section  of  the  outer  line  near  Jordan's  house. 
Beauregard  with  this  reinforcement,  makes  a  counter-charge, 
and  re-establishes  the  original  line.  This  is  on  the  south 
of  the  Appomattox,  and  out  near  the  Baxter  road.  Here 
Captain  John  C.  Pegram,  our  efiicient  Adjutant-General, 
was  mortally  wounded  while  placing  the  Brigade  in  position. 

Late  this  evening  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina,  being 
joined  by  the  Forty-ninth  North  Carolina  returning  from 
the  position  just  named,  where  the  brigade  had  been  hotly  en- 
gaged, and  well  handled,  under  Colonel  Faison,  moves  out  to 
Swift  Creek,  and  uniting  with  Grade's  Brigade,  the  column 
advances  under  that  gallant  officer,  driving  Butler  back  to 
Bermuda  Hundreds  and  establishing  a  junction  with  Pick- 
ett's Division  coming  down  from  Richmond.  The  enemy 
had  torn  up  the  Richmond  &  Petersburg  Railroad  at  the  point 
of  crossing  the  turnpike. 

Having  thus  put  Butler  back  into  his  bottle,  we  turn  the 
cork  over  to  Pickett's  Division,  the  line  now  confronting  him 
again  being  the  same  that  was  occupied  by  Beauregard's 
army  immediately  after  the  defeat  of  Butler  at  Ware  Bottom 
Church  20  May.  The  emergency  had  compelled  Beaure- 
gard to  quietly  abandon  for  the  time  this  position  to  meet 
Grant's  advance  from  City  Point,  posting  Gracie  at  Swift 
Creek  to  check  Butler  in  any  attempt  to  enter  Petersburg 
from  the  north  side  of  the  Appomattox. 

17  June.      Morning    finds    us    crossing  the  Appomattox 


360  North  Carolina  Troops,   1 861 -'65.. 

again,  with  scarcely  an  hour's  rest,  and  that  was  spent  in 
waiting  for  a,  train.  The  Forty-ninth  and  Fifty-sixth  imme- 
diately go  into  line  of  battle,  with  our  brigade,  al)out  a  mile 
to  the  east  of  Petersburg,  and  extending  at  a  right  angle 
south  from  the  Jerusalem  road.  Here  we  throw  up  a  new 
line  of  breastworks.  After  some  very  desperate  fighting,  in 
which  the  three  other  regiments  bore  their  full  share,  in  front 
of  this  position,  Beauregard  found  the  original  line  here  un- 
tenable with  such  odds  against  him,  and  had  Avithdraw^n  thus 
far,  preserving  each  organization,  l)ut  losing  several  pieces 
of  artillery,  especially  in  Graham's  Petersburg  Battery. 
Johnson's  Tennessee  Brigade  is  said  to  have  sustained  the 
heaviest  losses.  In  this  new  position  a  box  of  cartridges 
npon  one  of  our  men  of  the  Fifty-sixth  was  exploded  by  the 
concussion  of  a  bullet  from  the  enemy — the  only  instance 
recollected  during  the  war.  Here,  too.  First  Lieutenant  Jos. 
B.  Coggin,  of  Company  D,  a  brave  and  efficient  officer,  from 
South  Lowell,  Orange  county,  was  mortally  wounded. 

VOLUNTARY    :sriGHT    CHAKGE    OF    17    .JUNE. 

About  dark,  word  is  passed  along  the  line  that  General 
Beauregard  says  that  if  we  will  hold  our  own  until  10  o'clock, 
all  will  be  well.  The  'Tving  of  Spades"  did  not  explain.  So 
the  guess  lay  between  whether  we  would  then  get  a  rest,  or 
have  the  privilege  of  digging  another  hole  in  the  ground. 

Before  the  time  is  up,  and  without  other  troops  taking 
our  place.  Ransom's  Brigade  was  rapidly  moved  down  tlie 
rear  of  the  line,  by  the  left  flank,  and  took  position  in  some 
pine  woods  near  the  Baxter  road.  In  a  short,  time  the  line 
was  advanced  and  took  position  on  tlu^  open  ground  in  front. 
The  men  supposed  ^ve  were  supporting  a  line  of  battle  in  our 
front  held  by  Wise's  Brigade;  but  the  fact  was* that  they  had 
been  ovei*powered  and  compelled  to  abandon  this  positioru 

We  were  now  the  only  line  between  the  enemy  and  Peters- 
burg. Tliis  was  soon  made  evident  by  a  terrible  volley, 
which  killed  among  others,  that  fearless  and  most  competent 
ofiieer,  and  courteous  gentleman.  Captain  Frank  R.  Alexan- 
der, of  Mecklenburg,  as  he  was  advancing  to  make  a  recon- 
noissance  with  his  splendid  Company  (K).     From  the  cap- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  361 

tured  line  the  brigade  was  now  exposed  to  the  rapid  fire  of 
a  double  line  of  battle,  the  flash  of  their  guns  coming  both 
from  the  ditch  and  over  the  embankments  above  it  in  its 
rear,  as  they  now  faced  us.  ]^o  organization  could  wait 
for  orders  or  live  in  short  range  of  such  a  fire.  We  must 
make  a  change  of  base  immediately.  With  a  simultane- 
ous impulse  the  brigade  arose  and  dashed  forward.  In  a 
few  minutes  the  line  was  ours,  and  the  roar  of  musketry  over. 
The  Thirty-fifth  met  with  the  fiercest  resistance,  and  in  their 
hand-to-hand  struggle  in  the  works,  lost  their  own  stand  of 
colors  temporarily  and  took  two  from  the  enemy.  In  this 
charge  was  also  the  Twenty-second  South  Carolina,  of  El- 
liott's Brigade,  gallantly  moving  forvvard  with  the  first  on 
the  left,  and  sweeping  the  enemy's  line  before  them.  The 
complete  casualties  cannot  now  be  given ;  but  the  heaviest  loss 
was  sustained  by  the  Thirty-fifth  jSTorth  Carolina,  which  lost 
70  killed,  among  them  their  superb  leader,  that  Christian  gen- 
tleman, Colonel  Jno.  G.  Jones,  of  Person  county.  The  wound- 
ing of  Wm.  I.  Gillis,  Frank  Roberts,  James  Beri'y  and  James 
McKee,  of  Company  D,  Fifty-sixth  iSTorth  Carolina,  are  re- 
called as  a  part  of  the  casualties  in  this  remarkable  battle. 
The  prisoners  were  passed  up  the  line  to  the  right.  Soon 
thereafter,  the  Captain  of  the  Color  Company  of  the  Fifty- 
sixth  North  Carolina  noticed  what  seemed  (in  the  night), 
to  be  a  good  portion  of  the  brigade  abandoning  the  works  and 
moving  compactly  to  the  rear.  Rushing  out  to  them  with 
commands  and  entreaties,  and  protesting  against  immedi- 
ately giving  up  what  had  been  gained  at  such  a  cost,  he  discov- 
ered that  these  were  the  prisoners  there  consolidated  and  on 
the  march  to  the  rear.  Of  course,  he  did  not  further  inter- 
fere with  the  procession. 

Later  in  the  night  a  Federal  ofiicer  was  foimd  on  the  cap- 
tured line,  suffering  too  severely  to  move,  and  begging  to  be 
sent  to  the  rear;  but  on  being  quietly  asked  if  he  would  not 
rather  take  his  chances  with  his  own  people  in  the  morning, 
as  it  was  now  evident  that  we  were  about  to  be  recalled,  he 
with  cheerful  and  very  quiet  resignation  awaited  our  de- 
parture. 

Company  I  secured  an  equipment  of  Springfield  rifles  and 


362  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

a  supply  of  ammunition.  Some  of  these  guns  were  orna- 
mented on  the  stocks  with  candngs  of  fish,  animals,  snakes, 
turtles,  etc.  They  w^ere  highly  prized  and  carried  by  the 
men  to  the  close  of  the  war.  They  were  carved  hy  the  Min- 
nesota Indians,  from  whom  they  were  here  captured. 

ALL   DAY   WITH   SPADE   AND   RIFLE. 

18  June.  The  brigade  was  withdrawn  towards  Peters- 
burg by  the  Baxter  road,  and  after  crossing  a  streamlet,  east 
and  in  sight  of  Blanford  cemetery,  was  assigned  a  position 
on  the  crest  of  the  first  rising  ground,  the  right  resting  on  the 
Jerusalem  Plank  Road.  Major  John  W.  Graham  covered  the 
movement  with  a  line  of  skirmishers,  composed  largely  of 
Company  I  under  its  gallant  Captain,  retiring  them  in  the 
early  dawn,  after  repulsing  an  attack  by  an  opposing  line  of 
skirmishers.  Soon  a  new  line  was  laid  out  by  the  engineer, 
and  with  the  insufficient  tools  brought  out  of  the  battle  of 
last  night,  as  gathered  on  the  field,  the  men  prepared  to  re- 
ceive an  assault.  The  Captain  of  Company  D  insisted  that 
his  company  should  lie  placed  further  to  the  front  at  the 
brow  of  the  hill  so  as  to  command  its  eastern  face. 

Assent  is  about  to  be  given  by  the  engineer  in  charge,  Colo- 
onel  D.  B.  Harris,  when  the  enemy  are  seen  constructing  a 
battery  out  to  the  left  which  threatened  a  partial  enfilade  of 
this  salient.  This  objection  he  met  by  a  proposition  to  con- 
struct traverses  against  tliis  cross  fire,  being  confident  that 
the  enemy  could  never  reach  the  top  of  that  hill  if  his  men 
could  sight  them  from  the  time  they  began  the  ascent.  The 
location  of  a  section  of  artillery  (from  Pegram's  Virginia 
Battery),  already  in  position  immediately  to  the  left  of  this 
spot,  (to  the  right  of  a  ravine  crossing  the  line,)  doubtless 
decided  the  engineer  to  adhere  to  his  first  plan.  Momen- 
tous consequences  and  one  of  the  bloodiest  battles  of  the 
war  are  to  follow  tliis  decision.  The  work  proceeded  as 
rapidly  as  could  be  with  men  sO'  long  on  a  constant  strain, 
and  now  three  consecutive  nights  without  sleep,  and  faring 
almost  as  roughly  as  to  rations.  Lieutenant-Colonel  G.  G. 
Luke,  disabled  by  a  severe  carbuncle,  which  is  aggravate<i  by 
this  exposure,  reluctantly  seeks  relief  at  the  hands  of  the  sur- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  363 

geon  in  the  rear,  and  Major  Graham  is  left  in  command,  giv- 
ing his  attention  specially  to  the  left  wing,  while  the  right 
separated  from  his  by  the  ravine  and  the  artillery  just  men- 
tioned, is  under  Captain  Frank  IT.  Roberts,  of  Company  B. 
This  is  the  third  day  of  the  three  for  which  our  grand  com- 
mander, the  invincible  Lee,  has  sent  us  word  that  we  must 
hold  Petersburg  for  him  at  all  hazards.  The  question  of  mar- 
tial courage  would  seem  to  have  been  already  decided ;  and 
now  comes  that  of  physical  endurance.  The  men  work  with  a 
will,  cracking  jokes  with  their  wonted  cheerfulness.  Mean- 
while the  legions  of  Grant  are  not  idle,  as  we  can  see  them 
massing  in  our  front,  and  their  artillery  has  again  commenced 
playing  upon  us.  But  for  the  turn  affairs  took  last  night,  this 
new  line  would  have  been  ready  by  daylight  for  the  enemy's 
reception.  As  it  is,  we  must  meet  them  again  while  it  is  barely 
inhabitable,  as  nearly  every  man  came  off  the  battle  field 
Ihis  morning  with  an  extra  gun,  while  spades  and  picks  are 
the  exception ;  and  considerable  time  has  been  consumed  in 
gathering  in  implements  as  best  we  could  from  the  town. 

The  contour  of  the  ground  enables  the  enemy  to  form  their 
lines  of  battle  unmolested  some  300  yards  in  our  front  behind 
the  intervening  ridges,  while  from  their  redoubts,  as  fast  as 
completed,  they  give  us  a  raking  fire  in  different  directions. 
Elliott's  South  Carolina  Brigade  is  now  immediately  on  our 
right,  with  the  left  resting  on  a  section  of  Wright's  Virginia 
Battery  in  the  Jerusalem  road.  They  are  the  first  to  receive 
the  compliments  of  the  enemy  to-day,  and  get  material  as- 
sistance from  the  right  wing  of  the  Fifty-sixth  ISTorth  Car- 
olina, as  our  line  following  the  lay  of  the  ground  trends  from 
him  to  the  northeast,  and  thus  commands  a  portion  of  Elliott's 
front  across  the  road,  as  his  faces  east. 

Soon  after  midday  over  the  ridges  just  described  the  en- 
emy to  the  south  of  the  road  is  seen  advancing  in  splendid 
array  five  columns  deep  and  with  perfect  alignments.  On 
they  come  over  half  the  distance,  with  few  shots  wasted  on 
them.  Now  the  battle  opens  in  earnest,  and  they  make  a 
dash  for  Elliott's  lines.  But  in  vain.  They  reel  before  the 
well-directed  fire  of  the  men  who  were  trv'ing  to  make  every 
shot  tell.     The  ranks  waver,  break  and  rally  again,  only  to 


364  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

meet  a  similar  reception.  A  Federal  officer,  mounted  on  a 
beautiful  gray,  is  seen  gathering  group  after  group  about  him 
upon  which  to  ronrganize  a  line  of  battle,  as  he  dashed  about 
the  field. 

The  best  marksmen  in  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina  suc- 
cessively try  to  bring  him  down,  and  a  Captain's  shot  cuts  a 
small  limb  just  over  his  head.  It  was  felt  that  if  he  went 
down,  the  charge  was  over  on  that  side  of  the  road.  But  the 
death  of  such  a  man  would  not  only  be  a  loss  to  his  country, 
but  to  humanity ;  and  the  charge  not  being  renewed,  it  is  a 
satisfaction  even  on  this  side  to  know  that  he  escaped.  Now 
their  artillery  seems  detenuined  to  make  our  regimental  right 
wing  its  target  in  revenge  for  our  deadly  cross-fire ;  but  their 
gunners  come  in  for  our  best  attention,  though  at  such  a  dis- 
tance, and  their  fire  materially  slackens.  B\it  in  this  can- 
nonading we  lost  the  commander  of  our  right  wing.  Captain 
F.  N.  Roberts.  Faithful  to  every  duty,  his  genial  presence 
always  brought  good  cheer  with  it,  and  no  one  in  the  whole 
brigade  was  more  universally  beloved.  To  every  camp-fire 
he  was  always  a  welcome  addition. 

Company  D  barely  escaped  a  wholesale  slaughter.  A  shell 
ricochetting  across  the  field,  bounded  into  the  trench ;  but 
'[uick  as  tliought,  Jolm  Alvis  Parker  had  it  ii])on  his  spade 
and  hurled  it  back,  with  the  simple  exclamation,  "Get  out  of 
here."  It  exploded  as  it  went  over.  There  was  no  braver 
deed  during  the  war. 

Next  the  storm  shifts  to  the  left  of  our  salient,  along  the 
fronts  of  the  left  wing  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  the  Twenty-fifth 
and  the  Thirty-fifth.  The  charge  is  delivered  just  as  Field's 
Division,  of  the  Anny  of  Northern  Virginia,  have  come  up 
the  line  from  tlic  left  as  far  as  this  salient  and  ravine,  and 
that  Iialf  of  Ransom's  Brigade  is  about  to  be  replaced.  They 
thus  find  a  double  line  ready  for  them,  though  crowded  into 
unfinished  works.  The  commander  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  now  on 
the  left,  says:  ''At  this  ])oint  the  fine  array  of  the  troops  of 
Gen.  Grant,  who  had  also  l)een  sent  to  the  south  side  of  the  Ap- 
pomattox, could  lie  seen;  and  the  old  flag  floating  proudly  to 
the  breeze,  recalled  memories  of  other  days,  when  covering 
a  united  countrv,  and  eoidd  but  (^xtort  a  feelinj::  of  adniira- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  365 

tion  for  the  men  so  proudly  advancing  beneath  its  folds,  as 
foeinen  worthy  of  our  steel."  But  they  recoil  before  the  with- 
ering fire.  The  first  act  in  the  bloody  drama,  south  of  the 
Jerusalem  road,  is  simply  here  repeated.  This  is  about  3 
p.  m.,  and  here  this  commander.  Major  John  W.  Graham,  re- 
ceive*  a  flesh  wound  through  the  right  arm,  retiring  him  from 
duty.  That  portion  of  liansom's  Brigade  is  then  relieved  by 
Field. 

The  open  ground  and  ravine  necessary  to  be  crossed  in  pass- 
ing the  artillery  at  the  salient,  delay  our  relief  from  moving 
further  to  the  right  until  darkness  shall  conceal  the  move- 
ments that  there  are  no  sufiicient  trenches  to  cover.  Mean- 
while the  enemy  is  organizing  a  movement  against  the  other 
portion  of  Faison's  brigade  line  held  by  the  Twenty-fourth 
and  the  right  wing  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  from  the  right  on  the 
Jerusalem  road  back  northward  to  this  hill  that  we  were  so 
anxious  this  morning  to  render  secure  against  the  enemy's 
investment.  Last  night  they  had  been  routed  by  a  forlorn 
hope,  a  single  line  of  battle,  that  had  left  its  own  position  va- 
cant and  driven  them  from  a  captured  section.  They  may 
now  hope  to  find  a  weak  joint  in  our  harness,  if  we  have 
practiced  a  similar  strategy  to  give  them  the  last  two 
bloody  repulses  to-day.  Their  troops  are  rapidly  massed 
now  in  our  immediate  front,  and  rush  to  cover  below 
us  along  the  nm  at  the  foot  of  the  steep  hill.  Just  before 
sundown  they  advance  up  the  slope,  and  it  is  with  difiiculty 
that  the  ardor  of  the  men  to  fire  at  the  first  view  of 
them  is  restrained ;  but  they  appreciate  the  order  to  wait 
until  they  can  sight  the  belt-buckle  as  a  target,  when  one 
or  two  well-directed  rounds  ends  the  business  of  the  day,  and 
it  is  thought  with  greater  loss  to  them  than  on  either  our 
right  or  left,  as  this  time  they  have  been  allowed  to  come  in 
speaking  distance. 

Thus  the  day  closes ;  but  at  the  foot  of  this  salient,  the 
enemy,  out  of  reach  of  shot  and  shell,  has  come  to  stay,  as  pre- 
dicted to  the  engineer  this  morning.  But  more  of  this  here- 
after. 

In  the  night  Kershaw's  Division  moved  up  our  lines  as 
we  march  out  under  a  sharp  musketry  fire  of  the  enemy, — 


3G6  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

doubtless,  from  the  commotion,  expecting  a  counter-charge. 
We  hear  this  was  soon  followed  by  a  second  charge  on  our 
position,  only  with  increased  loss.  John  Clark,  of  Orange, 
was  credited  with  having  unhorsed  a  field  or  general  officer 
in  til  is  battle. 

In  the  unique  affair  of  last  night,  the  loss  of  the  gallant 
Lieutenant,  Cornelius  Spivey,  of  Company  E,  killed  on  the 
field,  should  have  been  noted.  Also  that  that  faithful  and 
intrepid  officer,  Captain  Thomas  P.  Savilles,  of  Company  A, 
of  Camden,  was  severely  wounded  through  the  arm  just  as 
the  forward  movement  began,  and  immediately  reporting  to 
the  Captain  of  Company  D  that  this  left  his  company  without 
an  officer,  requested  that  he  would  lead  both  companies,  as 
he  was  knocked  out,  and  must  retire.  But  the  present  recol- 
lection is  that  upon  the  suggestion  that  it  would  be  found 
pleasanter  behind  the  enemy's  guns,  than  before  them,  he 
pushed  forward  wdth  the  first  to  enter  their  lines.  Any  of- 
ficer might  well  be  proud  to  connnand  Company  A  on  any 
occasion.  They  were  mostly  young  men,  laughing  in  the 
face  of  danger,  and  bearing  the  fatigues  of  tlie  campaign  with 
a  cheerfulness  that  was  an  inspiration  to  all  around  them. 
Captain  Savilles  was  their  worthy  Captain.  Captain  Noah 
H.  Hughes,  after  holding  out  with  a  wonderful  tenacity, 
had  broken  down  and  died  in  a  Kichmond  hospital  the  first 
of  the  month.  His  worth  was  attested  by  the  affectionate 
attachment  and  admiration  of  such  a  company. 

19  June.  The  brigade  remains  in  reserve,  the  Twenty- 
fourth,  Twenty-ninth  and  Fifty-sixth  in  bivouac  on  the 
Plank  road,  near  the  comer  of  Sycamore  street,  leading  to 
New  Market.  We  are  not  beyond  the  long  range  of  the  en- 
emy's rifles,  and  with  little  shelter  find  the  sun  very  oppres- 
sive. 

A  letter  of  20  June,  1864,  from  Sergeant  M.  Cagle,  gave 
the  following  additional  casualties  of  Company  B  in  late  en- 
gagements: "Wounded:  Sergeant  L.  H.  Hurst,  Corporal 
Holmes,  Henry  Usry,  Olin  Jackson  (arm  lost),  Calvin  Cul- 
breth,  B.  C.  Johnson,  Joel  Hudson  (mortally),  B.  F.  Ken- 
drick,  E.  T.  Gardner,  Joel  Barefoot,  and  D.  Vann.  Missing: 
W.  L.  Brown,  Wm.  Bowden,  J.  D.  Blizzard,  L.  L.  Tart  and 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  367 

!Fumey  Wood.  Most  of  the  above  occurred  in  tlie  night 
charge  of  the  17th  instant.  The  company  greatly  deplores 
the  loss  of  Captain  F.  iST.  Robei'ts.  He  was  highly  esteemed 
and  greatly  beloved  by  all  the  regiment." 

BATTLE  or  JONEs"  HOUSE. 

22  June.  The  Brigade  reports  to  Lieutenant-General  A. 
P.  Hill,  on  the  extreme  right  to  the  south  of  the  city  near  the 
Jones  house.  He  attacks  the  left  flank  of  the  enemy,  cap- 
turing about  1,600  prisoners,  with  very  small  loss  on  our  side, 
Lane's  and  Scales'  Xorth  Carolina  Brigades  leading  the  as- 
sault, our  regiment  being  in  reserve. 

23  June.  Xear  the  scene  of  yesterday's  action  we  make  a 
further  protest  against  Grant's  pei^petual  extension  by  the 
left  flank,  and  present  towards  him  a  line  of  breastworks  run- 
ning off  south  from  our  south  front  at  a  right  angle  and  fac- 
ing east.  This  completed,  Elliott's  and  Ransom's  Brigades 
return  to  the  east  of  the  city  after  night. 

24  June.  At  midnight  the  Brigade  moves  out  again,  still 
imder  the  command  of  Colonel  P.  F.  Faison,  of  the  Fifty- 
sixth,  and  enters  the  line  to  the  south  of  the  Petersburg  & 
]N^orfolk  Railroad.  There  is  no  covered  way  here,  and  the 
movement,  liable  to  draw  a  fusillade  from  the  enemy  at  short 
range,  at  the  least  noise,  is  necessarily  executed  very  slowly 
over  the  exposed  ground.  Thus  daylight  finds  two  lines  of 
troops  '^occupying  the  same  space."  There  is  a  gap  in  the 
works  caused  by  a  stream  of  water  immediately  on  our  left, 
towards  which  we  are  moving.  So  we  remain  close  neigh- 
bors until  night  shall  come  again  to  enable  the  troops  we  are 
relieving  to  get  out  quietly.  In  the  progress  of  the  siege, 
(though  the  word  up  to  this  date  may  as  appropriately  be 
applied  to  either  of  the  contending  annies,  each  behind  strong 
works  and  each  with  its  line  of  supplies  still  intact),  such 
streams  are  dammed  to  form  impassable  ponds  in  front  of 
the  lines. 

25  June.  Day  is  breaking  before  we  are  fairly  in  posi- 
tion. The  left  of  the  brigade  rests  on  the  N'orfolk  Railroad. 
We  hear  that  General  Lee,  in  that  spirit  of  banter  with  which 
he  would  occasionally  pay  a  compliment,  says  of  our  sue- 


368  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801 -'65. 

cessful,  though  unexpected,  night  charge  of  the  17th  instant, 
whieli  restored  the  broken  line,  and  further  checked  the  en- 
(■iii\'s  advance,  that  he  has  had  other  troops  to  straggle  to 
the  rear,  hut  Ransom's  are  the  first  to  straggle  to  the  front. 

I  hit  of  more  serious  import  is  his  declaration,  as  repeated 
to  us:  ''I  now  have  General  Grant  just  where  I  want  liim." 
His  whole  demeanor  shows  that  he  is  perfectly  sincere  in  this, 
and  the  army  is  inspired  by  the  same  buoyant  hope.  He 
has  seen  many  of  his  bravest  and  best  men  go  down  in  the  last 
sixty  days,  hut  it  is  well  known  that  the  enemy  taking  the 
initiative  against  him  in  this  campaign,  have  suffered  fright- 
fully, and  it  is  thought  no  exaggeration  to  estimate  the  total 
loss  on  that  side  so  far  as  equal  to  Lee's  total  effective  opposed 
to  him  through  the  long  series  of  bloody  engagements  from 
the  Wilderness  to  Petersburg.  (Statistics  have  since  fully 
confirmed  this.) 

progress  of  titk  siege. 

Lee's  line  protecting  Richmond  and  Pctei*sburg,  facing 
north,  east,  south  and  then  east  again,  now  extends  consider- 
ably over  thirty  miles.  He  still  has  tlie  railways  to  Weldon, 
and  to  Danville  intact  for  supplies,  and  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina  have  united  and  completed  a  connection  between 
Danville  and  Greensboro,  the  people  of  Mecklenburg,  North 
Carolina,  contributing  the  rails  of  the  line  but  recently  laid 
between  Charlotte  and  Davidson  College. 

Our  first  duty  now  is  to  make  our  ditclies,  that  we  will  in 
all  probability,  occupy  for  some  time  while  awaiting  develop- 
ments, as  strong  and  comfortable  as  we  can.  Bnish  is 
brought  in  from  the  rear  to  construct  bootlis  for  sliade,  and 
blanket  houses  are  set  up  and  staked  by  a  simple  device  with 
horizontal  poles  on  forki'd  posts;  the  inner  facinii;  .f  the 
breastworks  is  strengthened  witli  revetments  of  tind>er;  the 
streets  and  sinks  kept  thorougidy  ])oli('ed  ;  and  safe  covered- 
ways  construct^^d  at  convenient  intervals  to  avoid  the  losses 

incident  to  a  beleaguered  line  of  l)attle  and  its  c miunica- 

tions.  We  are  now  becoming  familiar  with  a  new  engine  of 
destruction,  the  mortar  gun.     The  name  is  derived  from  its 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  369 

resemblance  to  the  domestic  utensil.  It  is  remarkable  with 
Avhat  accuracy  a  shell  thrown  out  at  an  elevation  of  from  45  to 
75  degrees  may  be  made  to  come  down  on  a  given  point.  A 
cannon  ball  passes  sO'  swiftly  that  it  leaves  the  whistling 
sound  through  the  air  to  follow  it ;  but  the  mortar  shell  slowly 
revolving  in  its  descent  overhead,  aided  by  the  hissing  of  the 
fuse,  heard  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other,  leaves  its  audi- 
ence in  a  state  of  uncertainty,  not  to  say  anxiety,  as  tO'  which 
seat  the  stranger  intends  to  take.  To'  the  question  addressed 
to  a  young  Captain  by  one  of  his  company,  "Don't  you  dread 
those  mortar  shells  more  than  anything  else  ?"  the  reply  was 
made :  "j^o ;  they  are  the  first  things  I  have  yet  encountered 
that  a  man  ought  not  to  be  afraid  of."  "How  is  that?" 
"Why,  the  oinniverous  beast  is  a  ventriloquist;  you  cannot 
dodge  it ;  and  it  is  a  poor  philosophy  that  fears  what  it  can- 
not avoid." 

For  days  the  losses  on  both  sides  are  considerable  from  this 
annoyance.  Then  bomb  proofs  are  constructed  by  making 
perpendicular  excavations  immediately  behind  the  trenches 
along  covered  ways  leading  to  tliem  or  beyond ;  over  these 
square  or  oblong  recesses  are  laid  stout  logs ;  then  a  bed  of 
leaves ;  and  on  that  a  mound  of  earth.  Gradually  sleeping- 
apartments  were  thus  supplied  along  our  whole  eastern  front, 
as  at  any  point  along  this  line,  battle  might  be  delivered  at 
any  time,  night  or  day.  The  men  thus  protected  began 
jocosely  to  treat  mortar-shelling  as  an  entertainment ;  and  it 
was  not  out  of  order  for  veterans  to  run  to  cover  when  the 
play  began.  As  the  siege  progressed,  unexploded  shells  and 
fragments  were  gathered  by  our  ordnance  department,  and 
payment  made  tO'  the  soldiers  who'  brought  them  in  from  the 
field.  A  whole  shell  was  a  prize,  and  races  were  made  in 
some  instances  for  them  while  yet  in  mid-air,  with  such  excla- 
mations as:  "That's  mine,  I  saw  it  first;"  and,  "No,  you  are 
out  of  its  range;  it  is  coming  my  way."  It  might  explode  in 
mid-air,  or  after  striking  the  ground ;  but  that  was  viewed 
rather  as  a  matter  of  disg-ust  than  of  fear.  Mortar  guns  of 
proper  calibre  were  specially  cast  by  the  Confederates  to  re- 
turn some  of  these  shells  to  the  enemy. 
24 


370  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'C5. 

fokt  hell  and  moktak  bed, 

Strong  forts  for  heavy  ordnance  and  at  points  most  threat- 
ened, especially  the  salients  and  on  the  cavalier  lines,  are 
constructed  and  mounted.  Of  course  this  was  not  the  work 
of  a  day,  nor  a  M'eok,  nor  a  month,  but  goes  on  steadily,  one 
third  of  the  coimiiiind  under  arms,  the  others  working  by  de- 
tails. Where  the  distance  between  the  lines  will  ])ennit,  a 
picket  line  is  established  and  protected  by  rifle  pits.  This  is 
tiuihiuhI  c^icli  night  to  prevent  a  surprise,  and  the  skirmish- 
ers withdrawn  therefrom  at  daylight.  Near  the  salient  occu- 
pied by  the  portion  of  Pegram's  Virginia  Battery,  on  which 
the  centre  of  the  Fifty-sixth  Kegiment  rested  in  the  battle  of 
18  June,  tlie  enemy  have  gradually  dug  in  towards  our  line 
irntil  they  are  in  speaking  distance.  Here  at  the  slightest 
commotion,  taken  as  a  demonstration  on  either  side,  an  in- 
ce-ssant  musketry  fire  is  begun  and  continued  through  the 
night.     The  point  is  called  "Fort  Hell." 

The  field  where  our  line  crosses  the  Norfolk  Railroad  is 
called  "The  Mortar  Bed,"  for  a  similar  reason.  These  mis- 
siles are  rained  upon  Colquitt's  salient  facing  Fort  Stedman 
at  the  crest  of  the  hill,  here  nearest  the  railway,  and  upon  the 
cavalier  line  immediately  behind  it.  But' the  daily  returns 
have  almost  ceased  to  show  casualties  from  the  mortars. 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  catching  a  sight  of  these  shells 
against  a  white  cloud  in  the  air  after  the  report  of  the  gun, 
and  before  they  have  reached  the  altitude  from  which  they 
are  to  descend ;  but  with  a  clear  sky,  the  first  warning  of  its 
vicinity  may  be  the  puzzling  hiss  of  the  fuse  in  its  descent. 

27  June.  Wm.  Cole  died  of  wounds  received  in  the  bat- 
tle of  the  18th  instant.  He  was  an  exemplary  citizen  and 
a  good  soldier.  4  July,  James  R.  Miller  is  wounded  on  the 
skinnish  line  guard  duty. 

22  July.  Wm.  J.  Tinnin  is  mortally  wounded,  and  dies 
on  the  23d.  He  had  sei'ved  faithfully  as  First  Sergeant,  and 
in  the  diflScult  position  of  Commissary  Sergeant.  On  this 
date  Thomas  C.  Scarlett  was  severely  wounded. 

,  SAPPING  AND   MINING. 

The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  to  which  Beauregard's 


[the  new  "s^oR^I 
I  PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 

ASTOR,  LENOX  AND 
Xiuo£N  FOUNDATIONS^ 


FIFTY-SIXTH  UKGIMENT. 


1.  T.  P.  Savillps,  Captain,  Co.  A. 

2.  ,  Henry  Williams,  Private,  Co.  A, 

3.  Frank  N.  Roberts,  Captain,  Co.  B. 

4.  J.  A.  KiuK.  -M  Lieut.,  Co.  B. 

0.     J.  K.  B.  Walker,  Private,  Co.  B. 


8. 


D.  M.  McDonald,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  B. 
Wni.  J.  McDonald,  Private,  Co.  B. 
.Joseph  G.  Lockliart,  Captain,  Co.  E. 
Jarvis  B   Liitterloli,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  E. 


(^Picture  in  Supplementary  Group,  -Ith  vol.) 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  371 

army  has  been  transferred  as  the  Fourth  Corps,  under  Gen- 
eral 11.  H.  Anderson  (  Longstreet  having  recovered  from  his 
Wilderness  wound  and  returned  to  his  old  corps),  has  now 
successfully  withstood  attacks  from  front,  rear,  flank,  and 
overhead.  Is  there  any  other  direction  on  earth  from  which 
the  ingenuity  of  man  may  hope  to  approach  ?  ISTo.  But 
there  is  an  untried  route  under  the  earth.  Early  in 
this  month,  the  enemy  began  running  tunnels  from  two  or 
three  different  points  to  undennine  our  lines.  Our  sap- 
pers and  miners  go  down  into  the  earth  to  meet  them,  and 
time  after  time,  while  Brigade  Officer  of  the  Day,  has 
the  writer  placed  his  ear  to  the  wall  of  a  tunnel  cut  beneath 
Colquitt's  salient,  sometimes  occupied  by  our  brigade,  but 
was  unable  to  distinguish  any  sound  different  from  the  nat- 
ural roaring  experience  by  closing  the  ear.  All  along 
our  line,  at  points  facing  practical  bases  on  their  side 
for  such  underground  operations,  we  were  boring  for  them 
with  our  long  range  augers.  These  augers  were  constructed 
with  poles  for  handles,  and  on  the  larger  end  a  fold  of  sheet 
iron  or  steel  securely  fastened,  which  w^ith  two  upright  edges 
lacking,  say,  two  inches  of  coming  together,  formed  the  bit 
of  the  chisel.  As  fast  as  these  filled  with  the  compact  earth 
in  digging,  they  were  withdrawn  and  cleaned  out  with  a  bay- 
onet. A  depth  of  twenty-five  feet  had  failed  to  disclose  the 
modem  catacomb.  But  evidently  great  expectations  are 
raised  over  the  way,  and  we  must  be  on  the  qui  vive.  Three 
o'clock  each  morning  now  finds  us  in  full  line  of  battle,  there 
to  remain  until  the  sun  is  fully  up. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  CEATEE. 

30  July.  Six  weeks  ago  to-day  occurred  the  dispute  over 
the  location  of  the  line  to  defend  the  first  salient  at  the  ravine 
north  of  the  Jerusalem  road,  then  held  by  the  right  centre 
company  of  the  Fifty-sixth  E'orth  Carolina  State  Troops. 
Meanwhile  our  brigade  has  moved  one  space  to  the  left,  re- 
placed by  Elliott's.  To-day  the  spot  takes  its  place  in  history 
to  be  remembered  long  after  the  disputants  shall  have  been 
forgotten.  At  sunrise,  as  our  line  of  battle  was  about  to  break 
ranks  for  another  day,  a  dull  thud  is  heard  to  our  right  and  a 


372  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

cloud  of  dust  and  suiokc  liides  the  horizon.  This  salient  has 
thus  become  tlu^  centre  of  the  Crater  at  Petersburi;'.  Soon 
after  tlie  lodg-nient  at  its  foot,  to  which  they  had  been  repulsed, 
on  the  l<Sth  ult.,  the  idea  of  spriniiinii:  a  mine  here  occurred  to 
tlic  cueniy  (original ing'  witli  Lieutenant-Colonel  Pleasants,  a 
coal  miner  of  Pennsylvania),  and  now  under  the  complete 
cover  afforded,  and  with  the  racket  at  Fort  Hell,  they  have  at 
last  effected  it.  It  was  to  have  been  exploded  while  it  was  yet 
dark ;  but  the  fuse  went  out  and  had  to  be  relit.  The  im- 
mediate loss  to  us  is  256  men  from  the  Twenty-second  South 
C'ar(dina  Ilegiment  of  Elliott's  South  Carolina  Brigade,  and 
the  detachment  still  there  from  Pegram's  Battery.  A  field 
piece  of  ours  here  carried  up  by  the  explosion,  falls  across  the 
enemy's  line,  so  close  are  they  at  this  point.  The  smoke  and 
dust  have  not  cleared  away  before  Colonel  L.  M.  McAfee,  in 
command  of  Ransom's  Brigade,  is  moving  the  Twenty-fifth, 
now  on  our  right  under  Major  W.  S.  Grady,  and  the  Forty- 
ninth  joining  them,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Flennning,  to 
the  first  ridge  between  the  Crater  and  Petersburg,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  they  are  in  position  to  receive  any  advance  in 
that  direction,  while  the  Fifty-sixth,  under  Captains  Lawson 
Harrill,  acting  Colonel,  and  P.  D.  Graham,  acting  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel, followed  by  the  Thirty-fifth  and  Twenty-fourth, 
deploy  in  single  file,  and  move  up  the  line  to  the  right  to 
meet  any  demonstration  in  their  front,  contributing  by  theii* 
steady  fire  nuiterially  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check,  while  a 
forlorn  hope  is  being  organized  for  a  countercharge.  It  was 
sure  death  for  one  of  them  even  to  start  to  the  rear  from  this 
(north)  side  of  the  crater.  Elliott's  fine  Brigade,  though 
yielding  gi'ound  to  the  avalanche  of  earth  thus  thrown  against 
them,  are  not  stampeded,  but  immediately  take  position  on 
the  south  and  also  facing  the  crater,  similar  to  McAfee's  to 
the  north  and  west,  leaving  a  gap  for  the  play  of  our  resen'e 
artillery  at  Blandford  Cemetery, 

The  explosion  has  made  an  excavation  along  our  line  170 
by  65  feet.  The  cloud  of  dust  and  smoke  is  seen  rolling  away 
against  the  rising  sun ;  but  all  is  still  quiet  along  Bumside's 
line.  It  had  been  intended  that  his  colored  division  should 
lead  the  assault ;  but  this  was  countermanded  for  fear  of  the 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  373 

moral  effect,  if  it  should  prove  to  them  a  second  Cold  Har- 
bor. So  Ledlie's  Division,  the  First  of  Bumside's  Corps,  led 
the  charge  as  far  as  the  excavation,  into  which  they  all  went. 
They  were  followed  by  Potter's  Division,  piling  in  on  them. 
Griffin's  Brigade  of  this  division  climbs  to  the  edge  of  the 
Crater,  and  advances  to  sweep  through  the  gap  in  the  Confed- 
erate line,  but  are  driven  back  into  the  hole  by  our  concen- 
trated fire  of  musketry  from  right  and  left,  and  the  eight  field 
guns  and  mortars  facing  them  from  Blandford  Cemetery. 

Another  Brigade  of  Potter's  Division  is  then  brought  for- 
w^ard,  but  does  not  come  over  their  line.  Then  Burnside's 
Third  Division,  under  General  Wilcox,  rushes  out  to  the  Cra- 
ter, which  they  now  find  too-  full  to  admit  them.  A  short 
dash  over  the  intervening  space  gives  them  possession  of  a  sec- 
tion of  the  Confederate  line  between  the  Crater  and  the  Jeru- 
salem road.  But  this  emergency  had  been  anticipated,  and 
now  from  embrasures  enfilading  this  line,  Wright's  Battery 
rakes  them  with  gi'ape  and  canister  from  left  and  right,  and 
their  only  safety  is  back  on  the  other  side  of  the  breastwork. 

The  three  white  divisions  having  effected  no  permanent 
lodgment,  Burnside  now  sends  in  his  colored  division  under 
General  Ferrero.  They  gain  the  vacant  Confederate  line, 
but  not  one  of  Wright's  guns,  or  if  so,  but  for  a  few  minutes. 
Their  punishment  is  much  severer  than  that  received  by  Wil- 
cox's men ;  and  they  are  compelled  to  beat  a  retreat,  leaving 
many  dteiad,  wounded  and  prisoners  in  the  trenches. 

The  Eighteenth  Corps  then  comes  in,  and  Turner's  Divis- 
ion makes  the  next  advance.  Though  suffering  severely  they 
effect  a  partial  lodginent  within  our  lines  behind  traverses 
and  in  covered  ways. 

It  is  now  about  2  p.  m.  While  the  enemy  has  made  five 
desperate  and  distinct  ventures  to  break  through  the  gap,  we 
have  only  been  waiting  for  General  Mahone  to  bring  us  a 
small,  but.  important  reinforcement  of  one  brigade  to  our  line 
of  battle  from  the  extreme  right  at  Hatcher's  Run,  to  make 
a  counter-charge.  He  now  arrives,  and  the  forlorn  hope, 
made  up  for  this  pui-pose,  consists  of  "the  Twenty-fifth  and 
Forty-ninth  Regiments  of  Ransom's  NoTth  Carolina  Brigade, 
Wright's  Georgia  Brigade,  Grade's  Alabama  Brigade,  part 


374  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

of  Elliott's  South  Carolina  Brigade,  and  Wieseger's  Virginia 
Brigade,  all  under  command  of  Major-General  Mahone. 
The  intervening  space  was  raked  by  the  artillery  and  mus- 
ketry of  the  enemy,  but  a  quick  dash  through  the  storm  of 
shot  and  shell  restores  the  line  to  the  right  and  left  of  the 
Crater,  from  which  a  white  handkerchief  is  soon  hoisted,  and 
the  battle  is  over. 

The  severest  loss  to  the  enemy  is  in  and  around  the  Crater, 
for  into  this  frightful  gap  where  their  troops  were  massed  in 
great  numbers,  our  mortar  guns  had  been  playing  for  some 
time,  while  the  surface  of  the  ground  was  here  commanded 
by  the  Fifty-sixth  and  other  infantry  regiments  of  the  two 
Carolinas  and  the  artillery.  The  writer  from  what  he  saw 
during  and  immediately  after  the  battle,  estimated  their  loss 
at  fully  3,000,  and  a  few  days  thereaftxsr  before  making  his 
notes  obtained  a  Northern  paper  putting  the  loss  at  5,000. 
Ours,  all  told,  is  only  about  500,  as  the  distance  charged 
across  is  very  short,  and  other^vise  we  have  had  the  advantage 
of  position  since  their  first  mad  rush  was  over.  Among  oth- 
ers we  mourn  the  loss  of  Major  W.  S.  Grady,  our  "Rough 
and  Ready,"  who  led  the  Twenty-fifth,  and  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Flemming,  who  fell  at  the  head  of  the  Forty-ninth. 
Major  Grady's  splendid  constitution  and  vitality  bore  liim 
up  for  thirty  days  in  spit©  of  his  nine  severe  wounds.  The 
eight  field  pieces  of  artillery  brought  up  between  this  gap  and 
Petersburg,  and  continuing  in  this  fight  to  the  finish',  I  was 
informed,  were  those  of  Latham's  NTorth  Carolina  and  Ram- 
say's North  Carolina  Batteries,  while  Wright's  Battery  and 
the  remaining  guns  of  Pegram  under  those  two  officers,  were 
served  effectively  on  the  disputed  line. 

Conjointly  witli  this  attempt  on  Petersburg,  General  Grant 
has  to-day  made  an  equally  fierce  assault  upon  Fort  Harrison, 
where  he  found  General  Lee  in  his  usual  attitude  ready  to 
meet  liim.  This  liad  taken  every  available  man  from  the 
south  side  of  the  James  I'ivcr,  so  that  our  only  ui(\ins  of  check- 
ing Bumside's  advance,  at  the  Crater,  was  by  reducing  the 
line  of  battle  to  a  skirmish  line  on  either  side  of  the  captured 
section,  and  with  the  surplus  thus  formed  and  Mahone's  addi- 
tion of  one  brigade,  about  one-fifth  of  the  forlorn  hope,  crush- 


Fifty-Sixth  Rigiment.  375 

ing  theon  before  thej  discovered  our  weakness.  We  have 
been  crediting  Grant  with  more  courage  than  generalship. 
In  tliis  instance  he  has  shown  both ;  but  at  both  points  he  has 
been  met  by  equal  courage  and  greater  skill,  and  his  superior 
numbers  have  availed  him  nothing.  The  dead  lay  thicker 
on  this  field  than  any  before  seen  by  the  writer,  and  he  thinks 
that  the  negroes  came  in  with  the  desperate  belief  that  they 
were  tO'  receive  no  quarter  from  their  friends  in  the  rear  or 
the  foes  in  their  front,  and  thus  continued  the  struggle  after 
all  hope  of  escape  was  over.  This  is  inferred  from  conver- 
sation with  negroes  wounded  on  the  field. 

A  heavy  cavalier  line  is  next  constructed  in  rear  of  the  Cra- 
ter, despite  the  continued  attentions  of  the  enemy  to  retard 
it.  Sharpshooting  and  mortar-shelling  go  on  briskly.  Upon 
our  parapets  we  make  loop-holes  with  sand  bags  and  gabions, 
and  also  used  blocks  of  wood  with  iron  facings  for  the  rifle- 
men. Occasionally  a  man  is  struck  through  the  little  port 
hole  made  for  his  rifle. 

STATE  ELECTION. 

The  first  Thursday  in  August,  1864,  the  North  Carolina 
regiments  vote  in  the  trenches  under  fire  for  Governor.  The 
candidates  are  the  incumbent,  Zebulon  B.  Vance,  and  William 
W.  Holden,  editor  of  the  North  Carolina  Standard.  We  feel 
toward  Vance  that  he  is  one  of  us,  by  former  comradeship, 
and  his  able  administration,  doing  so  much  for  his  State 
troops  in  the  field.  So  that  the  vote  is  overwhelmingly  in  his 
favor.  The  path  of  public  safety  lay  in  keeping  our  people 
united  to  the  end,  whatever  that  might  be.  The  credit  for 
this  most  illustrious  part  of  his  whole  career  he  generously 
divides  with  his  two  chief  counsellors  in  his  Chapel  Hill  ad- 
dress on  the  life  of  Governor  Swain. 

life   in   the   TRENCHES. 

Now  for  days  we  have  incessant  rains ;  great  sickness  fol- 
lows, and  disease  from  the  exposure  is  claiming  more  victims 
than  the  missiles  of  death.  The  writer  finds  himself  fre- 
quently in  command  of  the  regiment  in  the  changes  thus  oc- 
casioned, but  for  a  greater  portion  of  the  time  we  are  under 


376  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Captain  Harrill.      Captain  W.  G.  Graves  was  disabled  for  a 
time  by  a  slid]  wound. 

Nothing  can  abate  the  grim  humor  of  the  Confederate  sol- 
dier. A  gentleman  appearing  on  the  line  in  a  silk  hat  was 
seriously  condole<l  with  u])on  the  loss  of  his  cow.  Upon  re- 
plying that  he  had  nevt^r  owncnl  a  cow,  he  was  asked :  ''Well, 
then,  what  are  you  doing  with  that  churn  upon  your  head  in 
mourning  ?"  A  little  further  on  he  was  requested  to  con- 
tribute that  stove  pipe  to  complete  a  1)omb  proof.  The  heal- 
ing balm  was  applied  when  in  sympathetic  tones  he  was  told 
not  to  mind  those  fellows;  tliat  they  were  teasing  every  fool 
that  passed  by.  But  the  Avitticisms  of  the  time,  running 
from  grotesque  to  the  pathetic,  would  make  a  separate  v(jlume. 
Behind  their  flashes  nuiy  l)e  found  the  esprit  de  corps  of  the 
veterans  who,  in  the  trenches,  faced  death  almost  continu- 
ously for  ten  months. 

THE  TAR   HEELS. 

The  following,  familiar  to  nil  the  Army  of  Xorthern  Vir- 
ginia., illustrates  the  complacent  pride  with  which  the  North 
Carolina  soldiers  adopted  the  distinctive  sobricpiet  of  Tar 
Heels,  first  banteringly  g-iven  them.  Historians  had  gen- 
erally ignored  our  first  steps  in  the  contest  with  Great  Bri- 
tain and  disposed  of  our  later  domestic  status  with  the 
statement  that  the  principal  productions  of  North  Carolina 
are  ''tar,  ]iitcli  ;ind  turpentine" — which,  of  excellent  quality, 
are  found  in  aliout  one-fifth  the  area  of  the  State.  Thus 
after  one  of  the  fiercest  battles,  in  which  their  supporting 
column  was  driven  from  the  field  and  they  successfully 
fought  it  out  alone,  in  the  excliange  of  the  compliments  of  the 
occasi(m  the  Noi'th  (^irolinians  were  greeted  with  the  ques- 
tion fi'om  tlic  passing  derelict  regiment:  "Any  morc^  lar  down 
in  the  Old  North  State,  boys?"  Quick  as  thought  came  the  an- 
swer: "No;  not  a  bit;  old  Jeff's  bought  it  all  up."  "Is  that 
so;  what  is  lie  going  to  do  with  it  f  was  asked,  "lie  is  going 
to  put  it  on  vou'ns  heels  to  make  von  stick  IxHter  in  the  next 
fight." 

20  August.  Ransom's  Brigade,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Harris,   of   the   Twenty-fourth,    Captain    TJ.    D.    Graham    in 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  377 

command  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  marching  through  Petersburg 
to  the  extreme  right,  reported  to  Major-General  Henry  Heth. 
General  Grant,  persisting  in  his  left  flank  movement,  is  now 
uncomfortably  near  the  Weldon  Railroad. 

BATTLE  AT  THE  DAVIS  HOUSE. 

21  August.  General  Heth  moves  forward  to  the  assault, 
with  Hearing's  ArtillerV'  behind  us,  playing  over  the  woods 
in  our  front  upon  the  enemy  on  the  far  side.  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel Harris,  leading  the  brigade  and  Captain  W.  G.  Graves, 
who  has  just  returned  after  recovering  from  his  wound,  act- 
ing as  Colonel  of  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  with  Captain  R. 
D.  Graham  acting  Lieutenant-Colonel.  The  five  regiments 
move  forward  in  splendid  style  by  company  front,  with  inter- 
vals corresponding  to  regimental  strength,  across  the  open 
field  at  the  Davis  house,  and  just  to  the  east  of  the  Weldon 
Railroad.  At  the  skirt  of  the  woods  each  is  thrown  forward 
into  line  on  its  right  company,  and  the  battle  opens. 

As  we  drive  the  enemy's  skirmishers  before  us,  their  artil- 
lery far  out  in  the  open  field  beyond  the  woods  in  front  and 
Hearing's  from  our  rear,  exchange  shots,  which  pass  each 
other  above  our  heads.  Abatis  impede  our  advance;  but 
once  through  this,  the  alignment  is  quickly  restored  under  a 
galling  fire,  and  the  movement  is  steadily  fomvard  again. 

And  now  in  face  of  the  foe,  who  are  still  doing  all  the 
shooting,  our  line  of  battle,  under  the  severe  punishment  it 
is  receiving  at  short  range,  staggers  and  writhes  like  a  mon- 
ster serpent,  mortally  wounded,  and  as  if  about  tO'  snap  at 
eveiy  vertebra.  A  beardless  youth  shouts :  "'On  with  the 
yell,  boys ;  on  with  the  yell." 

It  had  been  observed  that  a  soldier  never  turned  to  the 
rear  with  this  shout  of  defiance  and  victory  on  his  lips,  and 
that  its  effect  was  two-fold ;  subjective,  in  that  it  raised  to 
the  highest  pit«h  the  enthusiasm  of  the  advancing  column ; 
and  objective,  in  that  it  had  a  correspondingly  demoralizing 
effect  upon  the  line  thus  assaulted  by  a  foe  who  assumed  vic- 
tory as  already  assured  to  them.  It  does  not  fail  on  this  oc- 
casion. The  old  Fifty-sixth,  in  the  centre,  responds  with  a 
will  and  volume  that  the  Comanche  tribe  might  have  envied ; 


378  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

the  deadly  aim  of  the  enemy  is  diverted  at  random,  and  the 
fusillade  slackens  perceptibly,  while  the  brigade,  like  a  hu- 
man tornado,  iiishes  over  their  line. 

Lieutenant  M.  W.  Fatherly,  commanding  Company  C,  was 
the  first  man  in  from  this  regiment,  and  Wm.  Bowen,  about 
the  same  time,  the  first  from  Company  D.  Re-alignment  is 
quickly  made,  and  we  rush  forward  to  the  next  line  of  the  en- 
emy, found  dismantled,  along  the  south  edge  of  the  woods. 
It  is  abandoned  before  we  reach  it.  Here,  while  the  enenly 
strongly  posted  on  elevated  ground  across  an  open  field,  are 
playing  on  us  with  shell  and  canister,  w^e  are  also  now  in 
the  deadly  range  of  our  own  artillery.  We  send  back  to  ask 
if  the  third  line  is  wanted,  and  are  answered :  ''No ;  the  first 
line  was  enough,"  and  are  withdrawn  to  that. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Harris,  Captain  Graves  and  Lieutenant 
S.  R.  Holton,  of  Company  H,  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina,  act- 
ing on  brigade  staff,  are  among  those  remembered  for  conspic- 
uous bravery  to-day,  but  not  a  man  faltered.  No  casualty  list 
is  at  hand.  The  brave  Corporal,  D.  F.  A.  Sloan,  of  Mecklen- 
burg, was  shot  down  with  the  colors,  but  gallantly  supported 
and  rescued  by  his  comrades,  P.  J.  Sossaman  and  R.  J. 
Stough.  Lieutenant  H.  A.  L.  Sweezy,  always  at  his  post  and 
to-day  gallantly  leading  his  company  (I),  was  killed;  also 
Rufus  Davis,  of  the  same  company,  and  the  ever  faithful 
Lieutenant  James  A.  King,  Company  B.  The  brigade,  as 
showm  above,  is  commanded  by  a  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  has 
only  two  other  field  officers  preseni-  for  duty.  In  the  night 
the  brigade  skirmish  line  is  thrown  out  um'er  Captain  Gra- 
ham. 

22  August.  Back  to  the  trenches  again,  the  left  of  the 
Brigade  resting  on  the  City  Point  Railroad. 

25  August.  Major  John  W.  Graham  returns  to  the  regi- 
ment, having  recovered  the  use  of  his  arm,  wounded  18  Jime 
near  the  salient  that  became  tlie  Crater  of  30  July.  During 
his  absence  he  had  attended  the  wedding  of  Colonel  John  A. 
Gilmer,  of  the  Twenty-seventh  North  Carolina,  married  on 
crutches  with  other  wounded  officers  as  groomsmen,  includ- 
ing Lieutenant-Colonel  Jos.  C.  W(^1)b,  also  of  the  Twenty- 
seventh,  and  himself. 


I 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  379 

SIEGE   life   continued. 

Quite  a  contrast  to  such  sceues  were  the  bare  trenches, 
glaring  in  the  summer  sun,  when  dry,  and  slippery  with  mud 
after  a  rain.  Occasionally  the  sharpshooting,  and  artillery 
duels  by  tacit  consent  would  be  off  for  some  days.  The  re- 
newal of  the  bloody  work  would  not  begin  until  in  perfect 
good  faith  the  attacking  party  had  given  warning  by  some 
such  cry  as,  ''Rats  to  your  holes."  From  time  to  time  un- 
ofl&cial  interviews  in  which  tobacco,  coffee,  newspapers,  etc., 
were  exchanged,  would  take  place  in  front  of  the  lines  in  easy 
range  of  the  guns  of  either  side.  A  victory  gained  by  them 
in  any  quarter  they  would  announce  to  us  by  a  fierce  salute 
of  half  a  day  or  more  from  shells  and  mortars,  to  which  cour- 
tesy the  scarcity  of  our  ammunition  did  not  permit  us  to  re- 
ply. Battles  to  the  right,  as  that  at  Reams  Station,  25  Au- 
gust, 1864,  for  possession  of  the  railway,  or  to  the  left,  to 
find  and  probe  any  weak  point  in  our  armor,  could  be  dis- 
tinctly heard. 

In  September,  taking  advantage  of  a  very  dark  night,  they 
rectified  their  line  in  our  front  from  the  City  Point  road 
south  to  their  batteries  on  Hare's  Hill.  This  change  of  line 
was  to  escape  the  enfilade  from  our  forts  firing  across  the  Ap- 
pomattox. The  writer  as  Brigade  Officer  of  the  Day,  pointed 
this  out  to  Engineer  Officer  Cohen,  and  sat  by  him  on  the  bat- 
tery, at  Colquitt's  salient  until  he  had  drawn  a  complete  dia- 
gram of  it.  Then  lifting  our  hats  to  a  sharpshooter  on  Hare's 
Hill,  about  300  yards  in  front,  who  had  complimented  us  with 
a  half  dozen  close  shots,  we  retired.  That  night  while  still 
on  duty  and  making  his  rounds,  he  was  knocked  senseless  by 
a  bullet  on  the  left  of  the  neck.  Fortunately  the  speed  of 
the  ball  had  been  affected  materially  by  striking  the  ground ; 
and  then  ricochetting  over  the  breastwork,  it  was  received  on 
the  coat  collar.  Otherwise,  instead  of  a  few  days  suffering, 
the  result  would  have  been  immediately  fatal.  He  was  at 
the  time  the  last  effective  ofiicer  left  with  his  company,  and 
as  the  Fifty-sixth  had  many  others  who  would  have  done  the 
same,  mention  is  here  made  of  Company  D's  next  morning 
report  (of  23  September).  Under  the  heading  of  officers 
present  effective,  it  read:  "1  Captain,  if  it  is  a  fight;  but  not 


380  North  Carolina  Troops,  18G1-'G5. 

for  a  march/'  Such  still  was  tlie  grim  detomiination  in  Lee's 
army. 

24  September.  Beauregard  informs  us  that  the  enemy  are 
going  to  open  a  terrific  shelling  upon  our  position,  and  we 
must  "lie  low."  This  was  awaited  for  some  time ;  but  James 
W.  James,  going  out  too  soon,  was  pierced  through  the  chest 
by  a  shrapnel  shcdl  back  at  tlie  wagon  yard  on  the  west  side 
of  Petersburg.  He  survive<l  this  frightful  wound  until  that 
night.     He  was  a  brave  and  faithful  soldier. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  ])etween  the  Grater  and  Col- 
quitt's salient,  we  exploded  a  mine  under  a  portion  of  the  en- 
emy's line.  I  think  there  were  no  casualties  in  the  Fifty- 
sixth — again  under  Captain  Harrill.  In  fact,  it  amounted 
to  nothing  beyond  an  object  lesson. 

20  September.  B.  H.  McKee,  and  1  October  J.  F.  Brown 
and  Jesse  Clark,  were  wounded  in  the  trenches — all  first- 
class  men.  It  is  lutpcd  that  some  account  may  yet  l)e  had 
of  the  casualties  of  each  of  the  companies  of  this  regiment 
through  the  war  and  a  more  detailed  sketch  of  their  particu- 
lar experiences.  There  was  a  considerable  list  of  casualties 
auKUig  officers  and  men  that  I  did  not  note,  and  cannot  now 
obtain. 

1  November.  Thus  the  time  wore  on,  with  many  inci- 
dents, however,  that  cannot  be  recalled.  At  the  divisi(m  in- 
spection now  made,  the  regiment  is  complimented  on  its  fine 
military  appearance  and  the  general  condition  of  arms  and 
accoutrements.  As  much  could  not  be  said  of  clothing,  for 
none  were  indebted  to  the  Quartermaster  for  an  overdraft, 
and  no  re(pnsiti<m  had  been  honored  for  some  time. 

INSPECTIOX   BY  GENERAL  LEE. 

But  the  event  of  this  ]Kn-iod  is  an  inspection  by  General 
Lee  in  person.  He  is  neatly  attired  in  regiilation  gTay,  but 
without  the  general's  white  buff  coat  collar  and  cuffs.  A  turn- 
down collar,  of  the  same  material  as  the  gray  cloth  coat,  bears 
three  stars :  but  there  is  no  gold  wreath  around  them,  nor  a 
particle  of  gold  lace  upon  the  sleeves,  where  from  cuff  to  el- 
bow a  full  dress  uniform  would  have  given  him  four  parallel 
cords   throuii'h    manv    a    twist    and    turn    foi-ming   the  hiero- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  381 

glyphic  chevron  interpreted  to  be  the  initials  C.  S.  A.  With 
the  modest  suggestion  of  rank  on  the  collar,  he  might  have 
been  mistaken  for  a  Colonel  in  his  best  fatigue  suit,  if  the 
triplicate  arrangement  in  the  two  rows  of  buttons  ujwn  the 
breast  were  overlooked.  His  hat  is  a  soft  black  felt ;  but  in 
the  summer  he  had  been  seen  along  the  lines  with  a  white 
straw.  Hair  and  full  beard  are  both  short.  Complexion 
is  of  a  healthy,  ruddy  hue,  indicating  a  temperate  life.  He 
is  six  feet  high  and  well  proportioned.  There  is  a  fearless 
look  of  self-possession  without  a  trace  of  arrogance,  while  tlie 
bright,  intellectual,  sincere,  even  sympathetic  expression  of 
the  eye  inspires  a  feeling  of  confidence  and  comradeship  in 
which  one  forgets  to  note  its  color.  Such  is  Lee  in  the  zenith 
of  his  fame,  age  57,  in  November,  186-i.  At  the  outbreak  of 
the  war  the  Confederate Congi'ess  had  created  five  ofiicers  with 
the  rank  of  full  General,  These  were  appointed  in  this  suc- 
cession :  Samuel  Cooper,  who  continued  through  the  war  as 
Adjutant-General,  having  just  resigned  the  same  position  in 
the  United  States  Army.  Albert  Sidney  Johnston,  killed  in 
the  battle  of  Shiloh  ;  Robert  E.  Lee ;  Joseph  E.  Johnston  ;  and 
P.  G.  T.  Beauregard.  Braxton  Bragg  and  Kirby  Smith 
were  subsequently  given  the  same  rank.  Around  Lee  as 
around  no  other,  clung  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field 
and  of  the  people  at  home.  The  Congress  voiced  the  unani- 
mous demand  when  it  raised  him  to  the  rank  of  General-in- 
Chief.  This  made  the  second  vacancy  in  the  rank  of  Gen- 
eral, filled  as  above  noted.  His  General  Order  No.  1,  as 
Connnander-in-Chief,  was  issued  9  February,  1865. 

An  incident  illustrating  General  Lee's  though tfulness  of 
others,  occurred  just  after  his  passing  to  the  right  of  the 
Fifty-sixth.  At  the  exposed  point,  before  noted  in  Colquitt's 
salient,  he  got  up  and  leisurely  examined  the  change  in  the 
line  that  had  been  reported  to  him,  against  the  entreating  pro- 
test of  General  Gracie,  of  Alabama,  then  holding  that  point, 
who  informed  him  that  more  than  one  man  had  already  been 
picked  off  there  by  sharpshooters.  Finally  looking  around 
and  seeing  that  he  had  not  been  allowed  to  make  this  exam- 
ination alone,  he  said:    ^'General  Gracie,  I  think  you  ought 


382      North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'05. 

not  to  expose  yourself  here ;  let's  get  down."     We  hear  that 
General  Gracio  is  killed  at  this  point  a  few  days  lat^r. 

Equally  characteristic  is  the  following  incident,  which  I 
might  have  recalled  to  Captain  Williams  before  he  closed  his 
admirable  sketch  of  Company  C,  Tenth  Regiment  (Artil- 
lery). It  is  given  as  received  from  his  predecessor,  in  com- 
mand of  that  battery  at  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  During 
the  ferocious  artillery  duel  preceding  the  charge  of  Pettigrew 
and  Pickett,  General  Lee,  with  other  officers,  was  for  a  time 
immediately  in  the  rear  of  this  battery  below  the  crest  of  the 
hill.  A  young  Lieutenant,  from  a  command  not  yet  en- 
gaged, finely  mounted,  galloped  up  and  stationed  himself  in 
an  exposed  position  out  in  front  and  near  by,  and  was  look- 
ing back  to  see  if  he  had  attracted  the  desired  admiration. 
General  Lee  took  in  the  situation  at  once.  Beckoning  him  to 
come  back,  and  then  ignoring  the  rank  designated  by  his  full 
dress  unifoi-m,  said  :  ''Young  man,  who  are  you  V  He  was 
answered  with  name,  rank  and  command,  and  replied: 
"Thank  you  for  the  information ;  I  might  have  mistaken  you 
for  some  citizen  who  wished  to  Avitness  a  battle.  As  I  am 
somewhat  older  than  you,  will  you  pardon  me  for  expressing 
an  opinion  ?  I  think  you  should  not  expose  your  life  unnec- 
essarily ;  your  country  may  need  it.  Return  to  your  com- 
mand." 

The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  knew  its  leader,  and  he 
knew  them.  It  had  been  demonstrated  that  the  Araiy  of  the 
James  could  not  enter  Petersburg;  also  that  the  two  cities 
were  safe  even  after  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  though  re- 
pulsed at  point  after  point,  had  made  its  way  down  by  the  left 
flank  and  joined  it.  For  it  had  now  taken  "all  summer," 
and  General  Grant  had  not  yet  been  able  to  "fight  it  out  on 
this  line." 

''the  last  ditch.'' 

But  it  was  true  as  he  said,  we  had  "robbed  the  cradle  and 
the  grave,"  and  were  now  "in  the  last  ditch."  While  our 
additions  were  individually  raw  recruits,  they  did  not  consti- 
tute new  organizations,  but  were  immediately  consolidated 
with  younger  members  of  their  families  and  neighbors  al- 
ready   constituting    veteran    corps.     They    were    generally 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  383 

familiar  with  tlie  use  of  fire  arms.  Our  only  trouble  was 
that  there  were  not  enough  of  them. 

While  our  last  stake  is  being  thus  played  for  all  it  is  worth, 
confident  even  in  our  last  ditch,  the  Northern  people  have 
been  fully  aroused  to  the  determination  that  the  war  shall  not 
last  another  year.  Volunteers  coming  ?  No ;  the  day  for 
them  on  both  sides  has  long  since  passed.  Drafts  are  made 
of  many  more  additional  men  than  we  can  number  in  the  ag- 
gregate of  veterans  and  conscripts  combined,  thus  making 
the  odds  here  at  least  4  to  1.  Draft  riots  in  New  York  in- 
spire a  faint  hope  that  the  Empire  State  will  give  no  more 
men  against  us.  But  quiet  is  soon  restored  up  there,  and 
there  is  a  mighty  increase  of  population  in  our  front.  Some 
expectation  was  raised  that  the  vote  for  General  McClellan 
against  Mr.  Lincoln  (on  the  encouragement  of  which  Mr. 
Stephens  and  Mr.  Davis  had  a  very  acrimonious  controversy, 
see  their  correspondence  in  re  Cable,  see  Official  Records) 
would  be  strong  enough  at  least  to  indicate  a  desire  of  the 
Union  States  to  have  some  offer  submitted  to  us  looking  to  a 
settlement  by  arbitration.  Delusive  hope.  A  feeling  akin 
to  that  which  on  our  side  had  in  August  elected  Vance  over 
Holden,  in  North  Carolina,  now  on  the  other  carried  Lincoln 
triumphantly  through  over  McClellan.  If  Grant  found  his 
force  again  insufficient,  he  could  again  double  it,  and  all 
would  be  properly  equipped  and  fed.    We  had  no  more. 

Among  the  drafted  men  confronting  us  circulars  were  sent 
by  ''grapevine  telegraph,"  offering  them  protection  and  oc- 
cupation in  our  rear,  if  they  were  peaceably  inclined.  This 
at  first  met  with  some  success,  and  as  many  as  twenty-five 
one  night  came  through  our  regimental  picket  line  from  a 
single  regiment. 

Recently,  Hampton  had  made  a  cavalry  dash  in  the  rear  of 
Grant's  left  flank,  and  driven  from  their  pens  into  our  lines 
1,600  head  of  fine  beef  cattle.  (See  Vol.  I,  Ninth  North 
Carolina.)  This  showed  that  the  spirit  that  had  opposed 
Grant  all  summer,  was  still  with  us.  Friendly  exchanges 
of  tobacco,  crackers,  newspapers,  etc.,  had  ceased  with  the 
appearance  of  the  too  friendly  circulars ;  but  nothing  could 
keep  down  the  spirit  of  banter,  now  and  then  cropping  out 


384  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

between  the  lines.  Thus  a  blue  coat  calls  over  to  know  if 
Johnny  has  ''any  corn  dodgers  for  supper,"  and  is  answered : 
"We  have  something  very  good  with  them."  "'Wliat's  that?" 
"Why,  Hampton's  beef." 

It  so  happened  that  quite  a  numl)er  of  our  recent 
pcryyicment  visitors  had  been  from  drafted  iiicii  assigned  to 
the  Fiftli  New  IIam]:)shire.  A  call  was  made  (nie  night 
to  know  if  ,r<)hnny  was  awake,  and  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive. Then:  "What  regiment  is  that  over  there,"  and  from 
the  Fifty-sixth  was  shouted  back,  as  reliable  war  news: 
"The  Fifth  New  Hampshire."  The  niglit  was  very  still, 
and  voices  could  be  heard  at  a  long  distance  (piite  distinctly. 
This  sally  was  met  witli  the  heaviest  shout  of  laughter  re- 
mend)ered  to  have  been  heard  during  the  war,  and  as  the 
joke  was  passed  down  their  line,  it  was  taken  up  from  point 
to  point,  with  merry  peals  luitil  lost  in  the  distance. 

WINTEK  IN  THE  TRENCHES. 

The  winter  in  the  trenches  was  one  of  great  hardship, 
though  scarcely  an  assault  was  delivered  from  either  side. 
Fuel  had  to  be  brought  in  by  hand,  about  a  mile,  as  had  beeii 
the  tind)er  for  the  bomb-proofs  in  the  summer.  Our  winter 
quarters,  as  well  as  chimneys,  were  made  of  barrels,  boxes, 
or  any  material  that  could  be  had,  and  held  in  place  with 
daubs  of  mud. 

The  cases  were  not  isolated  through  the  regiment,  of  men 
who  had  gone  through  every  movement  by  day  or  night,  and 
had  never  missed  a  battle.  Some  had  been  wounded,  on  dif- 
ferent occasions,  but  had  managed  to  return  in  time  for  the 
next,  while  others,  always  to  the  from,  had  been  spared 
from  both  wounds  and  disease.  The  following  therefore 
is  given  not  as  exceptional,  but  as  of  a  class.  At  the 
close  of  1864,  the  Captain  of  Company  D  obtained  leave  of 
absence  on  business.  On  the  application  was  endorsed  by  the 
regTinental  connuander:  "Approved.  Has  not  missed  a 
march  or  a  fight  in  which  his  company  was  engaged."  By 
the  Brigade  Commander:  "Approved,  because  desei'ved." 
By  the  Division  Commander:  "Approved,  as  by  Brigade 
Commander,"  and  so  on  to  the  headquarters. 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  385 

TALK  0¥  PEACE. 

Christmas,  1864.  '^Peace  on  earth,  good  will  to  men?" 
No,  not  yet;  but  evidently  a  proposition  in  some  shape  is 
about  to  be  made  from  the  Confederate  side.  Rumors  have 
been  current  of  inducing  General  Longstreet,  who  is  said  to 
be  a  .personal  friend  of  General  Grant's,  to  have  an  interview 
with  liim,  and  submit  a  proposition  that  he  can  now  take  his 
pick  of  the  blue  and  the  gray,  and  enforce  the  Monroe  Doc- 
trine against  Napoleon  III,  now  occupying  Mexico.  The 
above  is  given  as  recorded  in  my  journal.  The  U.  S.  Official 
Records  show  that  General  Longstreet  that  winter,  at  the  re- 
quest of  General  Ord,  commanding  the  Army  of  the  James, 
finally  met  him  in  an  interview,  and  was  informed  that  there 
might  be  a  satisfactory  adjustment  through  a  military  con- 
vention, and  if  General  Lee  desired  an  interview,  it  would 
not  be  declined.  (See  Mr,  Davis'  message  to  Confederate 
States  Congress,  13  March,  1865.) 

On  our  part  of  the  line,  while  the  officers  were  strict  disci- 
plinarians, knowing  that  the  bravest  mob  counts  for  little  on 
a  battlefield,  they  were  "with  the  boys"  off  duty,  and  many 
life-long  friendships  M^ere  thus  formed  in  the  field.  The 
writer  would  thus  be  asked  (in  confidence)  this  winter  if  he 
hadn't  really  given  up  all  hope.  The  most  effective  reply 
was,  that  we  all  had  the  same  opinion  of  General  Lee ;  that  he 
was  as  humane  as  he  was  brave ;  that  he  would  not  uselessly 
sacrifice  the  lives  of  men  who'  always  protested  against  his  ex- 
posing his  own — the  protest  having  been  actually  enforced  at 
Spottsylvania  Court  House — that  he  had  often  shown  his 
confidence  in  us,  and  that  we  must  not  prove  unworthy  of  it; 
that  when  all  was  over,  he  was  great  enough  tO'  say  so. 

On  Christmas  day,  a  dinner  was  distributed  from  the 
ladies  of  Petersburg  to  the  soldiers  on  the  line,  and  highly 
appreciated.  But  it  was  evident  that  at  many  a  hearth- 
istone  there  was  now  suffering  for  food.  Home  letters  to 
the  soldiers  were  in  many  cases  anything  but  cheerful.  So 
the  year  closed.     Of  this  period.  Captain  L.  Harrill  says : 

"During  this  long  siege  the  men  were  on  short  rations, 
scantily  clothed,  and  lived  under  ground,  in  what  was  known 
as  bomb-proofs.  They  would  eat  anything.  The  writer  was 
25 


386  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'05. 

invited  to  a  "sciiiiiTcl  dinner"  of  large,  grey  wharf  rats  found 
along  the  Appomattox   river." 

THE  PEACE  COMMISSION. 

January,  1865.  The  left  of  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Car- 
olina is  resting  on  the  City  Point  Railroad.  In  the  south 
side  of  the  deep  cut  is  excavated  regimental  headquarters, 
protected  by  bracings  and  supports  of  heavy  timber.  The 
Forty-ninth  and  Twenty-fifth  to  our  right;  the  Thirty-fifth 
and  Twenty-fourth  to  our  left.  Here  the  Peace  Commis- 
sioners, authorized  by  Congress  and  appointed  by  Mr.  Davis, 
crossed  the  lines,  going  out  to  meet  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Mr. 
Seward,  of  his  Cabinet,  at  Fortress  Monroe.  The  appointees 
were  Messrs.  A.  H.  Stephens,  Vice-President  Confederate 
States ;  R.  M.  T.  Hunter,  of  Virginia,  formerly  United  States 
Senator,  now  a  Confederate  States  Senator;  and  J.  A.  Camp- 
bell, of  Alabama,  formerly  Associate  Justice  Supreme  Court, 
United  States,  now  Assistant  Secretary  of  War.  The  feeling 
in  the  army  that  all  had  been  done,  which  our  resources  and 
human  valor  could  accomplish,  was  manifested  by  the  pro- 
longed cheers  which  greeted  their  departure  as  the  news  ran 
along  the  line.  North  Carolina  had  a  right  to  be  heard  from 
in  this  matter.  The  first  States  had  seceded  without  awaiting 
an  overt  act  towards  the  destruction  of  slavery  after  Mr. 
Lincoln's  election ;  but  after  a  thorough  canvass,  with  the 
Chief  Executive  and  almost  all  the  State  press  in  favor  of  it, 
she  had  in  February,  1861,  voted  down  the  proposition  to 
call  a  State  Convention  with  authority  to  consider  a  ques- 
tion that  had  not  yet  arisen.  But  with  the  opening  of  the 
war  at  Fort  Sumpter  12  April,  1861,  and  the  call  of  Mr.  Lin- 
coln for  a  quota  of  troops,  her  volunteer  companies,  of  which 
thei-e  were  a  number  throughout  tlie  towns,  immediately  re- 
ported themselves  to  Governor  Ellis,  who  had  replied  to  the 
Federal  Government,  substantially:  "You  cannot  get  a  man 
from  North  Carolina."  The  State  Convention  in  afterwards 
unanimously  witlidrawing  from  the  LTnion,  had  acted  deliber- 
ately, and  though  she  swore  to  her  own  hurt,  yet  to  the  end  she 
changed  not.  Casting  al)out  11 '3,000  votes,  she  has  contribu- 
ted over  125,000  troops,  and  her  dead  heroes  slain  in  battle 


k 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  387 

cumber  twice  those  from  any  other  State.  I^ot  for  a  moment 
did  she  think  of  deserting  her  associates.  Terms  with  one 
must  be  terms  with  all.  In  this  spirit  Senator  William  A. 
Graham,  in  full  accord  and  after  consultation  with  General 
Lee,  introduced  the  peace  commission  resolution,  which  was 
adopted  ;  and  he  would  have  gone  out  as  its  Chairman,  but  for 
Mr.  Stephens'  unexpectedly  accepting  the  complimentary  ten- 
der of  the  position  which  Mr.  Davis  thought  his  state  of  health 
would  compel  him  to  decline.  General  Lee  not  only  ap- 
proved, but  urged  the  measure  and  prompt  action,  saying, 
•'My  lines  may  be  broken  any  night,  and  where  I  am  to  rally, 
I  do  not  know.  The  truth  is,  I  shall  not  rally  at  all."  When 
K)ld  that  the  commission  was  appointed,  but  their  hands  were 
tied  by  the  President's  instructions  to  insist  upon  the  recog- 
nition of  our  independence,  he  exclaimed,  not  profanely,  but 
with  great  feeling,  "I  wish  to  God  that  I  was  dead ;  the  war 
is  over,  and  Mr.  Davis  ought  to  acknowledge  it." 

This  account  of  the  origin  of  the  Peace  Commission  of  Jan- 
uary, 1865,  and  of  General  Lee's  full  concurrence  with  him, 
I  received  from  Governor  Graham  just  after  the  close  of  the 
war.  He  also  said  that  Mr.  Davis  explained  this  compli- 
mentary tender  to  Mr.  Stephens  as  an  effort  to  conciliate  him. 
from  U.  S.  Official  Records  it  is  now  evident  this  referred 
to  a  sharp  and  bitter  correspondence  in  the  matter  of  Mr. 
David  F.  Cable,  of  Ohio. 

What  was  General  Lee  to  do  ?  A  soldier  cannot  resign  his 
sword  while  under  fire.  He  must  see  the  battle  through 
first.  And  there  had  been  almost  a  continuous  battle  since 
the  first  of  the  preceding  May.  Congress  raised  him  to  the 
first  rank  of  General-in-Chief  of  the  Confederate  States 
Armies ;  but  it  had  not  yet  empowered  him  to  treat  for 
peace.  It  was  afterwards  further  understood  by  us  that  in 
some  way,  General  Grant  was  sounded  by  him  and  had  de- 
clared himself  powerless  to  settle  any  question  not  purely  mil- 
itary. 

Of  course,  the  Commission  accomplished  nothing.  Diplo- 
macy made  all  out  of  the  Federal  refusal  of  independence 
that  was  possible.  There  were  bonfires  and  speeches  in 
Richmond ;  but  they  did  not  decrease  the  overwhelming  num- 


388  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

bers  and  resources  of  General  Grant,  or  add  to  the  depleted 
ranks  and  supplies  of  General  Lee.  Mr.  Blair,  who  opened 
the  matter  on  the  Federal  side,  gave  no  encouragement  to  in- 
sert  in  the  Confederate  commission  the  clause :  '^and  to  secure 
peace  to  the  two  countries,"  and  Mr.  Lincoln's  surprise  at 
finding  it  there  is  manifest  in  his  special  message  to  Con-= 
gress. 

Through  January  and  February  there  was  bitter  weather, 
with  rain,  sleet  and  snow.  There  was  some  comfort  in  the 
bomb-proofs  with  a  coal  fire,  which  often  liad  to  be  started 
with  nothing  but  a  match  and  freshly  cut  green  pine  wood. 
With  pocket  knives  we  would  whittle  a  lot  of  shavings,  very 
thin,  perseveringly  dry  these  in  the  blaze  until  they  would 
ignite,  and  thus  eventually  get  a  starter  upon  which  to  put 
the  coal,  occasionally  at  last  to  have  the  chimney  knocked  in 
by  a  shrapnel  shell,  if  it  protruded  at  all,  after  becoming  a 
better  target  with  its  smoke. 

Furloughs  were  cut  off  unusually  early  by  the  failure  of 
the  Peace  Commission,  if  such  it  can  be  called.  And  even 
before  that  any  officer  returning  after  the  expiration  of  his 
leave,  must  report  in  pei'son  to  General  Lee.  Means  of 
transportation  were  limited.  On  some  lines  there  were  tri-' 
weekly  trains,  which  the  ever  ready  Vance  facetiously  said^ 
meant  that  the  train  went  up  the  road  one  week,  and  tried  to 
get  back  the  next.  At  Greensboro  the  writer  returning  with 
two  Virginia  ladies,  managed  to  get  them  on  a  train  exclu- 
sively for  the  Confederate  TreiTsury  girls  fleeing  before  Sher- 
man from  Columbia  for  Richmond ;  but  the  guard  was  inex^ 
orable  against  their  escort.  His  time  was  up  next  day,  and 
this  the  last  chance  to  make  it.  The  ladies  kindly  smuggled 
him  in  at  a  window  about  the  centre  of  the  car,  and  thus  he 
kept  his  record. 

The  crisis  was  evidently  approaching.  In  the  army  op- 
posed to  us  were  not  only  white  men  from  this  and  other  coun- 
tries, but  the  colored  troops  alone  within  the  call  of  its  com- 
mancling  officer  for  the  next  campaign,  were  not  less  than  150 
regiments ;  more  than  our  effective  present,  as  given  above. 
The  States  claimed  by  us  as  Confederate  had  contributed  to 
the  Union  armies  350,000  men.   First  and  last,  the  Confedei*- 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  389 

ate  soldiers  actually  in  the  field  were  hardly  more  than  dou- 
ble that ;  while  the  other  soldiers  brought  out  from  the  North 
and  West,  were  six  times  as  many.  Truly  the  ISTorth  was  in 
earnest  at  last,  and  many  men  who  had  admitted  the  Consti- 
tutional right  of  a  dissatisfied  State  to  secede,  were  in  the 
front  fighting  for  the  Union,  just  as  on  the  Southern  side  the 
strongest  original  Union  men,  Avith  the  old  cry:  "Blood  is 
thicker  than  water,"  were  now  in  to  the  finish  to  help  their 
neighbors  out  of  a  difficulty  with  "the  last  man  and  the  last 
dollar."  These  had  been  Mr.  Holden's  pledge,  when  he 
signed  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  20  May,  1761,  and  our  in- 
imitable Vance  alluded  to  it  when  taken  to  Washington  by 
his  captors,  saying:  "We  have  spent  the  last  dollar,  and  I 
have  come  on  as  the  last  man." 

Some  idea  of  the  status  of  our  money  is  shown  when  it  is 
stated  that  at  Christmas,  1864,  the  writer  obtained  as  a  spe- 
cial favor,  at  $125.00  a  side  of  calf-skin  out  of  which  to  have 
a  pair  of  boots  made.  The  lowest  water-mark  reached  by 
Federal  currency  was  $2.56  for  $1.00,  some  time  prior  to 
Gettysburg  and  Vicksburg,  occurring  the  first  week  in  July, 
1863.  Meal  was  now  $50  per  bushel  and  flour  $700  per  bar- 
rel, reported  by  Mr.  Davis  as  prices  then  paid  by  the  Govern- 
ment. He  thereupon  submitted  a  proposition  to  try  tO'  bor- 
row gold,  and  make  specie  payments. 

RELIEF    ON    HATCHER^S   RUN. 

15  March.  We  were  relieved  by  Gordon's  Corps,  and 
Ransom's  Brigade  (probably  wdth  the  rest  of  Johnson's  Divis- 
ion in  their  vicinity,)  moved  out  to  the  extreme  right  on 
Hatcher's  Run.  The  change  from  living  in  the  ditches 
and  sleeping  in  bomb-proofs,  is  very  much  enjoyed.  The 
days  are  occupied  by  guard-mounts,  company  and  squad 
drills  in  the  forenoon,  and  battalion  drill  and  dress  parade 
in  the  afternoon.  ISTine  days  pass  without  the  enemy's  front 
persistently  protruding  beyond  our  right  flank.  We  must 
go  back  and  w^ake  him  up. 

24  March.  While  in  the  execution  of  battalion  evolutions 
on  the  drill  gi*ounds,  a  courier  rides  up  and  delivers  a  dis- 
patch to  the  commanding  officer.  Major  John  W.  Graham. 


300  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Back  to  quarters,  where  the  evening  is  spent  in  cooking  ra- 
tions and  getting  ready  for  a  night  march. 

BATTLE  OF  HARe's  HILL^  OR  FORT  STEDMAN. 

25  March.  Before  daylight  the  hrigade  under  Colonel 
Eutlcdge  moves  through  Petersburg,  and  a  little  before  dawn 
finds  us  on  familiar  ground  near  the  line  between  City  Point 
Railroad  and  the  Norfolk  Railroad.  Ransom  is  put  in  com- 
mand of  Wallace's  Brigade,  with  his  own.  But  the  halt 
here  is  only  long  enough  to  form  in  line  of  battle  for  a  dash 
at  the  enemy  in  our  front;  for  Gordon's  people,  who  had  re- 
placed us  here  on  the  15th  instant,  have  just  been  moved  up 
the  line  to  the  right  and  are  to  advance  in  line  abreast  with  us. 
The  left  of  the  Fifty-sixth,  the  regiment  to-day  again  under 
Major  Graham,  is  near  the  City  Point  road,  and  to  its 
right  is  the  Forty-ninth  and  then  the  Twenty-fifth.  Captain 
Lawson  Harrill,  in  command  of  Company  I,  now  on  the  left, 
and  Lieutenant  Charles  M.  Payne,  of  Company  K,  on  the 
right,  now  move  briskly  over  the  line  with  the  skirmishers, 
and  on  their  heels  follows  our  line  of  battle.  The  skirmish 
line  quickly  unhooks  our  chevaux  de  frise.  Through  them 
pass  the  nearest  sections  or  platoons,  and  wheeling  immedi- 
ately into  line,  we  rush  forward  bounding  over  their  breast- 
works, and  the  position  is  ours  before  the  enemy  are  ready 
for  the  work  of  the  day.  At  the  earliest  dawn  we  know  that 
the  line  is  ours  as  far  as  we  can  see  up  to  the  crest  of  Fort 
Stcdman  on  Hare's  TTill,  to  our  right.  We  are  now  on  the 
Baxter  country  road  at  the  old  race  track,  and  find  that  the 
Fifty-sixth  forms  the  extreme  left  of  tlie  Confederate  line, 
that  has  come  in.  Our  movement  had  been  covered  by  the 
darkness,  and  we  now  look  for  troops  to  come  up  on  our  left. 
We  understood  that  Pickett  was  to  come  from  Butler's  front 
at  Drewry's  BlufF,  and  take  the  lino  from  our  left  to  the 
river.  The  morning  woi-c  (ni,  with  ilic  enemy  paying  us 
their  respects  both  with  infantry  and  distant  artillery  on  our 
left,  and  shelling  from  a  point  to  our  right.  The  men  who 
had  charged  through  Plymouth  before  breakfast,  were  not 
to  be  idle  spectators,  for  the  rest  of  the  day  of  the  drama  in 
which  we  had  acted  only  the  first  scene.      So  "Major  Graham 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment,  391 

prepared  to  wheel  to  the  left  and  charge  in  the  rear  the  fort 
on  the  City  Point  road.  It  was  supported  by  a  Michigan 
Brigade,  commanded  by  Colonel  Ely,  (whose  acquaintance 
was  subsequently  made,  while  we  were  recovering  from 
wounds,  in  Petersburg,)  and  they  had  shown  no  disposi- 
tion to  get  out  of  our  way,  or  let  us  alone.  At  the  same 
time  we  are  in  the  range  of  a  fort  on  the  south  and  an- 
other on  the  north  bank  of  the  Appomattox  river  to  our  left, 
who  are  displaying  a  spirit  of  rivalry  in  their  attentions  to 
us.  Before  our  assault  can  be  delivered  against  our  nearest 
foe,  a  solid  column  of  blue  appears  upon  the  rising  ground 
to  our  front  and  right.  Their  alignment  is  perfect,  and  down 
they  dash  only  to  be  repulsed  by  the  steady  volleys  from  our 
line.  Over  again  they  come,  and  again  they  are  driven  back. 
The  third  time  they  meet  with  no  better  success.  Now,  ex- 
cept to  our  left  and  an  occasional  shell  from  the  right,  there 
is  comparative  quiet. 

Here  we  find  a  peculiar  use  for  those  troublesome  bayo- 
nets, for  the  retaining  of  which  we  had  been  complimented  on 
the  inspection  of  the  division.  As  a  protection  against  the 
flank  fire  we  dig  the  loose  earth  and  form  ridges  between 
which  to  lie.  Every  man  in  this  section  was  soon  protected  ex- 
cept Robert  Kell  Gates  and  the  Captain  of  Company  D.  In  a 
few  minutes  Gates  was  instantly  killed,  and  the  Captain 
wounded  in  the  leg.  About  the  same  time,  we  could  see  on 
our  extreme  right  that  the  captured  line  was  being  gradually 
abandoned.  Major  Graham  held  the  regiment  together  until 
it  could  be  ascertained  whether  there  was  any  order  to  that 
effect,  when  Adjutant  Thomas  R.  Roulhac,  of  the  Forty- 
ninth,  came  down  the  line  to  transmit  the  order  from  General 
Ransom,  and  the  Fifty-sixth,  as  ordered,  waited  its  turn  and 
came  off  last  from  the  field.  The  writer  gratefully  remembers 
the  gallant  Sergeant  Hotchkiss,  who  assisted  him  back  within 
our  line.  The  command  of  the  company  was  turned  over  to 
Lieutenant  Robt.  T.  Faucett.  Before  reaching  the  lines  he 
was  struck  again,  this  time  in  the  shoulder  by  a  piece  of  shell 
from  the  artillery  at  the  Appomattox.  The  enemy  regTetting 
their  neglect  to  turn  out  in  time  to  meet  us  more  handsomely 
in  the  early  morning,  were  now  doing  all  in  their  power  to 


392  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

make  the  procession  more  interesting  as  we  returned.  While 
we  had  advanced  and  taken  their  second  line,  they  liad  lesseoi- 
ed  the  gap  we  had  made  in  their  first  line,  finally  overwhelm- 
ing and  capturing  half  of  Company  I,  with  its  gallant  Captain 
fighting  to  the  last,  and  their  trenches  here  were  lined  now 
with  men  by  whom  we  had  to  rush  on  our  return  without  an 
exchange  of  compliments.  In  this  galling  fire  on  our  flank, 
many  good  men  went  down,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  sincere  re- 
gret that  subsequent  events  have  allowed  no  opportunity  to 
get  a  complete  list  of  casualties  even  in  any  company.  In 
this  enfilade,  Major  Graham  fell,  pierced  through  both  legs 
by  the  same  ball,  but  was  borne  by  his  devoted  men  within  the 
lines,  directed  by  the  gallant  Lieut.  V.  J.  Palmer,  and  Capt. 
W.  G.  Graves.  On  his  way  to  the  rear  the  stretcher  was 
stopped  by  a  kindly  word  of  General  Lee,  who  inquired  his 
condition. 

The  behavior  of  the  whole  regiment  and  brigade  was  i;ever 
better  than  in  this  action  of  25  March,  1865.  Advancing 
from  a  point  in  the  lines  that  we  had  held  all  winter,  and  of 
course  considered  impregnable  against  those  people,  and  their 
own  seeming  as  strong  as  ours,  no  man  had  faltered  in  his 
duty.  The  pluck  of  the  Confederate  soldier  was  probably 
never  better  sliown  than  to-day  by  our  Ensign,  James  M. 
Clark,  of  Orange  county.  Cut  down  in  the  terrible  flank 
fire,  with  a  \og  bone  shattered  below  the  knee,  he  delivered 
the  colors  that  he  had  borne  aloft  through  so  many  storms  of 
battle,  to  Bedford  McKee,  by  whom  they  were  brought  across 
our  lines.  Then  seizing  between  his  teeth  the  folds  of  his 
Idaukct,  s])read  beneath  him,  he  crawh'd  over  the  ground  until 
safely  back  in  one  of  our  rifle  pits.  Standard  and  banner 
had  been  ripped  and  rent,  but  never  a  stain  upon  its  lionor. 
Coni])any  K  went  in  un(h'r  Captain  Origg  with  forty-four 
men,  and  came  out  with  only  eight  un(h>r  Lieutenant  Palmer. 

Company  I  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  that  part  of  the 
lines  lield  l)y  the  C(infe(U>ratcs,  and  ;ifler  the  linttle  Ii;id  been 
raging  for  some  tini(%  Ca])tain  Ilarrill  received  an  order 
from  General  Kansoni  with  his  compliment.s,  saying  the 
tnircrsc  there  iniisl  he  held.  The  defense  of  this  traverse 
for  tlie  time,  checked  the  eneniv  iMisliinc;  al<in<j:  theii'  main  line 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  393 

to  enfilade  the  regimemt.  Aboi;t  9  or  10  o'clock,  as  the  regi- 
ment was  withdrawing  last  from  the  field,  the  enemy  made 
another  desperate  charge  in  front  and  at  the  same  time  the 
Second  Michigan  Regiment  rushed  along  the  main  line  and 
captured  Captain  Harrill  and  about  twenty  of  the  company, 
while  Lieutenants  J.  M.  Walker  and  P.  H.  Gross  and  some 
twenty  of  the  men  escaped  with  the  regiment,  J.  C.  Gross 
and  Thomas  Robbins  were  killed.  Lieutenant  Walker,  in 
command  of  the  remnant  of  Company  I,  passed  through  the 
battle  of  Five  Forks  and  some  skirmishes  on  the  retreat  to 
Appomattox. 

The  post  of  the  regiment  was  a  most  critical  and  impor- 
tant one,  protecting  the  flank  and  rear  of  others,  withdrawn 
one  by  one,  ahead  of  it,  and  it  might  have  surrendered  with 
honor  after  this  was  accomplished  and  itself  almost  sur- 
rounded at  close  quarters.  But  it  was  needed  back  on  the 
line,  and  tO'  the  line  it  went,  though  with  a  loss  of  about  250, 
over  one-half.  Major  Graham  and  Captain  Graham  were 
taken  froan  the  Confederate  hospital  to  be  the  guests  of  Mr. 
Wm.  R.  Johnson,  and  received  every  attention  from  that  ele- 
gant and  patriotic  family,  and  the  well  known  physician,  Dr. 
Lassiter.  Here  General  Ransom  was  our  earliest  caller  and 
telegraphed  our  friends  of  the  provision  made  for  our  com- 
fort. 

In  this  battle  the  gallant  Captain  Taylor,  of  Company  B, 
Fifty-sixth,  from  Fayetteville,  lost  a  leg,  and  Captain  White 
was  shocked  by  the  immediate  explosion  of  a  shell. 

It  was  said  that  Pickett's  Division  had  failed  to  make  con- 
nection with  our  left  because  of  the  breaking  down  of  the 
railroad  trains  furnished  them.  Exactly  the  dimensions  of 
this  sortie,  the  writer  has  never  learned,  but  it  was  evidently 
a  reconnoissance,  possibly  to  be  followed  up  by  a  last  desper- 
ate venture.  (General  Lee's  report  sustains  this  view,  and 
says  he  found  the  enemy's  interior  line  too  strong  tO'  be  taken 
without  a  costly  sacrifice  of  life.)  The  loss  probably  fell 
heaviest  on  the  Fifty-sixth  North  Carolina,  as  it  was  the  last 
to  retire;  but  we  were  in  no  condition  to  lose  one  man  even 
for  four  of  the  enemy.  The  Federal  officers  met  during  the 
removal  of  the  dead,  were  exultant  and  evidently  found  some 


394  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

satisfaction  to-daj  for  the  terrible  punishment  they  had  re- 
ceived in  the  battle  of  the  Crater,  to  which  they  referred. 

The  Confederate  loss  in  this  affair  was,  according  to  Gen- 
eral F.  Lee,  2,949,  including  1,000  captured.  The  enemy 
report  a  loss  of  98  killed  and  509  wounded,  481  missing  of 
their  infantry ;  and  four  killed,  fourteen  wounded  and  twen- 
ty-five missing  of  the  artillery.  That  afternoon  General 
Ransom  meets  General  Hartranft  and  during  the  flag  of 
truce  120  Confederate  dead  and  15  badly  wounded  are  turned 
over  to  us.  Nearly  one-half  of  the  Confederate  loss  to-day 
fell  on  Ransom's  Brigade,  Colonel  Rutledge  reporting  1,364 
lost  out  of  his  2,300.  General  Lee  says  in  his  report:  "All 
the  troops  engaged  behaved  most  handsomely,  including  two 
brigades  under  Brigadier-General  Ransom." 

Somehow  the  war  had  not  been  foiight  out  on  the  line  last 
summer;  but  if  we  are  now  spoiling  for  a  fight.  General 
Grant  evidently  has  enough  people  with  him  at  last  to  read- 
ily accommodate  us,  and  get  home  by  next  summer.  His 
losses  can  be  supplied ;  ours  cannot. 

26  March.  The  brigade  moves  out  to  the  right,  and  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel G.  G.  Luke,  who  has  just  returned, 
takes  command  of  the  Fifty-sixth.  On  the  east  front  and 
particularly  near  the  Crater,  night  after  night  witnesses  the 
most  continuous  musketry  firing,  the  reverberating  vol- 
leys, heard  back  in  the  city,  rivaling  discharges  of  artillery. 
Behind  such  rackets  the  most  important  movements 
are  made.  Gaps  might  probably  be  found  now  in  either  line, 
as  in  ours  particularly  17  June,  and  30  July,  1864. 
But  only  on  one  side  was  there  a  thought  of  making  an- 
other advance.  On  the  other  side  the  alternative  might 
now  be  presented  of  fighting  our  way  through  to  Gen- 
eral Jos.  F.  Johnston's  army  then  rctii'iug  through  the  Caro- 
linas  before  Geueral  Slici'iiuni.  (u-  ;i  race  for  the  mountains  of 
Virginia. 

FAILURE   TO   NEGOTIATE   PEACE. 

Tf  there  was  I'le  faintest  hope  of  a  reconsideration  of  the 
Hampton  Roads  affair,  it  was  vain.  The  time  had  passed. 
For  it  now  appears  that  the  interview  referred  to  across  the 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  395 

line  between  General  Ord  and  General  Longstreet,  took  place 
about  the  first  of  March.  Pursuant  thereto  General  Lee 
wrote  to  General  Grant,  2  March,  1865,  ''sincerely  desiring 
to  leave  nothing  untried  which  may  put  an  end  to  the  calam- 
ities of  war,"  and  adding:  ''I  am  authorized  to  do  whatever 
the  result  of  the  proposed  intenaew  may  render  necessary  or 
advisable."  Evidently  our  President  and  Confederate  Sen- 
ate had  at  length  fully  acquiesced  in  the  measure  so  earnestly 
seconded  by  General  Lee  at  its  initiation.  But  it  was  now 
too  late. 

General  Grant  replied  from  City  Point,  4  March,  1865: 
''In  regard  tO'  meeting  you  on  the  6th  instant,  I  w^ould  state 
that  I  have  no  authority  to  accede  to  your  proposition  for  a 
conference  on  the  subject  proposed.  Such  authority  is  vested 
in  the  President  of  the  United  States  alone.  Gen.  Ord  could 
only  have  meant  that  I  would  not  refuse  an  interview  on  any 
subject  on  which  I  have  a  right  to  act,  which,  of  course,  would 
be  such  as  are  purely  of  a  militaiy  character,  and  on  the  sub- 
ject of  exchanges,  which  have  been  entrusted  to  me." 

The  situation  had  changed  since  January.  Mr.  Lincoln 
himself  could  not  now  control  it,  and  General  Lee  was 
put  upon  his  mettle;  for  to  the  last  he  was  resolved  to  die 
rather  than  submit  to  an  unconditional  surrender  of  the 
Army  of  T^orthem  Virginia. 

The  record  of  this  event  is  thus  expanded  because  many 
of  the  most  intelligent  of  the  rank  and  file  of  this  regiment 
were  deeply  interested  in  all  that  was  heard  of  it  at  the  front, 
and  on  a  satisfactory  compromise  being  attained,  were  ready 
with  more  than  its  quota  if  the  joint  expedition  to  oust  the 
unfortunate  Maximilian  from  Mexico  were  seriously  called 
for.  Though  the  too  diplomatic  instmctions  to  our  commis- 
sioners proved  fatal,  no  one  doubted  tlie  sincerity  of  Mr. 
Davis'  convictions  or  that  he  had  the  courage  of  them.  When 
the  subsequent  steps  taken  to  reopen  the  matter  all  failed,  he 
followed  with  a  message  to  the  Confederate  Congress,  13 
March,  1865,  making  a  very  able  presentation  of  his  side  of 
this  affair,  and  in  the  concluding  sentence  portraying  with 
prophetic  ken  the  "Fool's  Errand,"  (the  attempt  to  set  up 
carpet-bag  State  Governments)  :    "There  remains  then  for 


396  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

us  no  choice  but  to  continue  the  contest  to  a  final  issue,  for 
the  people  of  the  Confederacy  must  be  but  little  known  to 
him  who  supposes  it  possible  they  would  ever  consent  to  pur- 
chase at  the  cost  of  degTadation  and  slavery  permission  to 
live  in  a  country  garrisoned  by  their  own  negroes  and  gov- 
erned by  officers  sent  by  their  conqueror  to  rule  over  them." 
For  data  relating  to  much  of  the  battle  of  Hare's  Hill  and 
subsequent  events  the  writer  is  indebted  to  survivors  of  Com- 
panies D,  F,  H,  I  and  K,  the  statement  of  Mr.  C.  P.  Tanner, 
well  known  as  one  of  the  bravest  men  in  Company  I,  being 
the  most  exact.  The  regiment  was  engaged  skirmishing 
through  the  27th  and  2Sth  of  March  and  worked  all  night 
of  the  27th  constructing  breastworks  beyond  the  pond  on 
Hatcher's  Run  at  Battery  45.  With  about  an  hour's  rest, 
they  marched  back  into  line  of  battle  on  the  night  of  the  28th 
and  were  skirmishing  and  manoeuvering  all  day  of  the  29th, 
the  enemy  several  times  dashing  against  their  line  only  to  be 
promptly  driven  back.  This  was  in  the  vicinity  of  Burgess' 
Mill,  on  Hatcher's  Run.  All  day  of  the  30th  they  awaited 
an  attack  at  Five  Forks. 

BATTLE   of   FIVE   FORKS. 

As  Grant  now  resumed  his  left  flank  movement,  to  gain 
the  only  roads  by  wliicli  Lee  could  hope  to  effect  a  junction 
with  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  retreating  before  Sherman  in 
JSTorth  Carolina — the  Southside  Railroad  from  Petersburg, 
and  the  Lynchburg  from  Richmond  intersecting  at  Burke- 
ville  Junction, — Lee  had  sent  out  this  detachment  four  miles 
to  his  right  to  meet  Sheridan  at  Five  Forks  on  his  ad- 
vance from  Dinwiddle  (^ourt  House,  a  few  miles  southeast. 
The  road  from  Dinwiddle  Court  House  trending  northwest 
towards  Petersburg,  comes  into  two  others,  the  White  Oak 
running  east  and  west,  and  the  Ford  road  north  and  south,  at 
the  point  of  intersection ;  hence  the  name  of  Five  Forks.  At 
sunset  on  30  March,  General  Pickett  with  Corse's,  Terry's 
and  Stuart's  Brigades  of  his  own,  and  Ransom's  and  Wal- 
lace's of  B.  R.  Johnson's  Division  under  General  Ransom, 
took  position  in  line  of  battle  and  awaited  the  assault.  The 
enemy  not  coming  within  range,  they,  next  day,  31  March, 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  397 

moved  upon  him,  took  one  line  of  battle,  and  drove  Sheridan's 
advance  back  to  the  Court  House  that  afternoon,  where  night 
ended  the  battle,  in  which  the  cavalry  divisions  of  Rosser,  W. 
H.  F.  Lee  and  Fitzhugh  Lee  also  participated  under  the  lat- 
ter. The  Fifty-sixth,  under  Colonel  Luke,  was  with  the  bri- 
gade under  Colonel  Rutledge,  in  the  left  wing  of  this  column, 
and  after  crossing  a  creek  under  fire,  charged  the  right  flank 
of  the  enemy,  and  compelled  the  retreat  of  the  wdiole  line, 
after  their  left  had  been  steadily  resisting  Pickett's  right 
lower  down  the  creek. 

Early  next  morning,  1  April,  the  detachment,  occupying 
this  exposed  position,  fell  back  nearly  to  the  White  Oak  road 
in  time  to  check  the  movement  of  Warren's  Fifth  Corps 
against  their  left  rear.  While  Rosser  was  sent  off  to  guard 
the  wagon  train,  W.  H.  F.  Lee  was  posted  to  the  right  and 
Mumford  to  the  left  of  Pickett ;  but  there  was  the  gap  of  four 
miles  between  them  and  the  right  of  Lee's  lines.  Ransom's 
Brigade  was  immediately  to  the  right  of  Mumford.  Mum 
ford  was  at  4  p.  m.  ovei-whelmed  and  Ransom's  left  flank 
and  rear  hotly  assailed,  while  the  demonstrations  against  W. 
H.  F.  Lee  were  not  so  strong,  and  by  a  counter-charge  were 
repulsed. 

But  Pickett's  whole  conmaand  was  soon  enveloped  from 
front,  left,  and  rear,  and  his  right  seriously  threatened.  For 
some  time  the  unequal  contest  was  gallantly  maintained. 
The  Fifty-sixth,  fighting  the  enemy  on  the  front  and  rear, 
repulsed  five  distinct  charges.  Captain  Sterling  H.  Gee,  our 
Assistant  Adjutant-General,  was  killed  at  the  point  so  stub- 
bornly held  by  this  regiment.  No  officer  had  a  better  record, 
and  he  was  the  happy  bridegroom  of  only  a  week.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Adjutant  Robert  B.  Peebles,  of  the  Thirty-fifth 
North  Carolina  Troops,  well  known  for  bravery  and  efliciency 
throughout  the  command,  and  who  had  risen  from  the  ranks 
in  Company  E  of  the  Fifty-sixth.  Pickett's  loss  is  4,000 
men,  13  stands  of  colors  and  6  guns,  over  half  of  his  forlorn 
hope. 

In  this  battle  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment  maintained  its 
record  for  courage  and  discipline.  True  to  that,  it  could  not 
retire  without  orders.     After  little  rest  for  a  week,  these  last 


398  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

manoeuvres  had  extended  over  two  days.  It  was  successful 
both  in  charging  and  afterwards  in  repeatedly  repulsing  the 
heavy  columns  of  the  enemy.  With  their  support  on  the  left 
flank  crushed  at  last  by  a  rear  attack,  they  vainly  believed,  as 
did  General  Ransom,  that  to^  others  would  be  assigned  the 
part  of  checkmating  the  odds  of  over  5  to  1,  now  gradually 
surrounding  them.  Captain  Graves  had  opened  the  battle 
in  command  of  the  regimental  sharpshooters,  and  now  with 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Luke,  Adjutant  Faison,  Lieutenants  Pal- 
mer, Walker,  Faucett,  Badger,  Wilson,  Turner  and  others, 
shared  with  the  men  in  handling  the  muskets  most  effectu- 
ally. xVnother  round  would  have  killed  a  few  more  of  the  en- 
emy, but  it  only  meant  a  needless  massacre  of  the  survivors  on 
our  side  by  overwhelming  numbers  now  in  touching  distance. 
In  the  final  melee  here  and  there  men  escaped,  as  General 
Ransom,  with  his  staff  and  a  forlorn  hope  on  the  right,  cut 
their  way  out  to  the  Southside  (Danville)  Railroad,  where 
they  were  consolidated  that  night  with  Anderson's  Corps.  In 
this  last  charge  he  lost  his  second  horse  of  the  day,  the  superb 
thoroughbred  Ion,  shot  under  him.  Bitter  criticisms  were 
made  of  the  management  of  this  reconnoissance ;  but  we  may 
generously  grant  that  its  commander  (Pickett)  was  fortunate 
in  getting  back  with  any  portion  of  his  force ;  and  the  choice 
of  that  portion  was  hardly  left  to  him. 

Here  closed  the  career  of  the  Fifty-sixth  as  a  regiment, 
contributing  to-day  its  full  proportion  of  the  700  men  lost  by 
the  brigade.  But  there  remained  about  a  company's  strength 
with  all  the  rear  guard  details,  disabled  men  returning  to 
duty,  and  the  surgeon's,  quartermaster's  and  ordnance  corps. 
With  a  few  general  lines  we  will  now  see  these  to  the  end. 

2  April.  With  little  resistance  except  at  Fort  Gregg,  on 
the  south  front,  where  there  is  some  stubborn  fighting,  the 
Confederates  now  concentrate  upon  their  inner  line,  running 
around  Petersburg  from  the  Appomattox  on  the  east  to  the 
same  river  on  the  west,  where  they  repulse  all  assaults  to 
dislodge  them.  Richmond  and  Petersburg  cannot  be  held 
another  day.  General  Lee's  dispatch  is  delivered  to  Mr. 
Davis,  while  attending  morning  service  at  St.  Paul's  church 
in  Richmond,  that  he  must  start  that  night  "or  run  the  risk  of 


Fifty-Sixth  RegimExNt.  399 

being  cut  off  in  the  morning.  It  will  be  a  difficult,  but  I 
hope  not  an  impracticable  operation.  The  troops  will  all  be 
directed  to  Amelia  Court  House." 

THE  retreat. 

As  we  file  across  the  Pocahontas  Bridge  over  the  Appomat- 
tox, the  blowing  up  of  the  iron-clad  gunboats  in  the  Jam^ 
can  be  heard,  while  the  sky  is  lurid  with  the  burning  of  to- 
bacco warehouses  and  army  stores  in  Richmond.  The  writer 
hoping  soon  to  be  able  to  report  for  duty,  if  then  within  the 
Confederate  lines,  was  fortunate  in  meeting  an  old  Chapel 
Hill  friend,  Captain  Bradford,  commanding  a  field  battery 
from  Alabama.  On  a  horse  loaned  by  him,  he  made  his  way 
via  Goode's  Bridge  to  Amelia  Court  House  and  found  the 
command  reorganizing.  Was  indebted  for  similar  courtesies 
by  the  way  to  Dr.  John  E.  Logan,  of  Greensboro,  IS^.  C,  a 
Surgeon  in  Grimes'  Division,  and  to  Captain  Gregory,  of 
Washington,  X.  C,  belonging  to  the  same  command,  and  to 
Captain  A.  B.  Williams,  Company  C,  Tenth  I^orth  Carolina 
Regiment  (artillery). 

5  April.  Lee  has  concentrated  his  forces  at  Amelia  Court 
House,  his  losses  in  the  last  ten  days  being  one-third  of  his 
effective  force,  leaving  him  now  less  than  30,000  infantry. 
Here  trains  had  arrived  with  ample  rations  for  his  army,  on 
Sunday,  2d  April,  and  in  the  excitement  some  one  had  hur- 
ried them  on  to  Richmond  without  stopping  to  unload.  Since 
reading  Colonel  Cheek's  sketch  of  the  Ninth  (First  Cavalry), 
I  think  that  one  of  Sheridan's  scouts  in  gTay  here  played  us 
this  trick,  and  acted  the  officious  quartermaster. 

From  the  cribs  in  the  country  the  men. were  furnished  with 
raw  corn,  to  take  their  chances  of  roasting  it  on  the  retreat. 
Three  small  infantry  corps  were  now  formed  from  what  re- 
mained of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  and  to  these  com- 
mands are  assigned  Longstreet,  Ewell  and  Anderson,  (Major- 
General  John  B.  Gordon  commanding,  the  latter  at  the 
surrender),  while  Fitzhugh  Lee  has  the  cavalry  corps,  the 
remnant  of  the  regiment  and  brigade  being  in  Anderson's 
Corps.  (See  General  Lee's  report  to  Mr.  Davis,  12  April, 
1865.)      Captain  McNeely  commanded  the  last  of  the  Fifty- 


400  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

sixtli.  Tlic  naval  battalion  from  tlie  destroyed  gimboats,  were 
under  C/oinnKxlorc  Tucker,  and  assigned  to  Custis  Lee's  Divis- 
ion under  Ewell.  This  point  is  thirty-eight  miles  southwest 
from  Richmond,  and  within  twenty  miles  of  Burkeville. 
But  after  this  fatal  delay  of  twenty-four  hours,  Lee  can  no 
longer  hope  to  connect  with  Johnston,  and  resumes  his  march 
on  the  night  of  5  April  for  Farmville,  over  on  the  Lynch- 
burg Railroad,  distant  thirty- five  miles  west. 

0  April.  At  Sailor's  Creek,  surrounded  and  without  artil- 
lery, the  commands  lose  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners 
6,000  men.  Generals  Ewell,  Custis  Lee,  Kershaw  and 
Dubose  of  Ewell's  Corps,  and  Generals  Corse  and  Hunton 
of  Pickett's  Division,  Anderson's  Corps,  are  captured.  Ran- 
som's remnant  got  through  with  little  damage. 

7  April.  At  Farmville  rations  have  been  brought  down 
from  Lynchburg.  These  are  issued  and  the  command  now 
reduced  to  two  corps,  under  Longstreet  and  Gordon,  marches 
out  four  miles  on  the  road  towards  Lynchburg,  and  halts  on 
chosen  ground  to  allow  the  wagon  train  to  get  ahead.  Here 
the  assaidt  of  Humphrey's  Corps  is  repulsed  after  he  has  lost 
571  men.  The  honor  of  this  aifair,  a  part  of  which  passed 
under  the  eye  of  the  writer,  belongs  to  Hoke's  Brigade  \mder 
General  William  Gaston  Lewis.  After  a  loss  of  two-thirds 
of  the  men  carried  into  action,  he  rejoined  the  retiring  army 
that  had  safely  passed  in  his  rear,  and  deeply  affected  by  the 
slaughter  of  so  many  brave  comrades,  with  streaming  eyes 
he  asked  General  Gordon  why  he  had  sent  his  brigade  in 
alone  against  such  odds  as  twenty  to  one,  and  was  assiired  it 
was  the  last  resort  to  save  the  corps.  No  higher  compliment 
could  have  been  paid. 

Within  seven  miles  of  Appomattox  a  deteraiined  effort  was 
made  to  break  through  the  line  of  retreat  held  by  the  remnant 
of  Cox's  and  Lewis'  Brigades,  the  latter  connecting  with 
Cummings'  North  Carolina  Battery.  This  was  defeated  with 
great  loss  to  the  enemy.  General  Lewis  assisting  to  serve  the 
guns,  firing  grape  and  canister,  was  dangerously  wounded 
and  left  at  a  house  near  by. 

That  night,  the  7th,  Lee  pushes  on  towards  Appomattox 
Court  House,  with  Gordon    in    front,    followed    closely    by 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  401 

Longstreet,  and  Fitzhug'h  Lee  covering  the  rear.  Progress  is 
slow  and  cantious.  The  vicinity  of  the  Court  House  is 
reached  on  tlie  evening  of  the  8th.  But  Sheridan  Math  two 
strong  divisions  of  cavalry,  Ord's  infantry  and  the  Fifth 
Corps  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  is  across  our  path. 

9  April.  The  Confederate  cavalry  has  moved  from  the 
rear  to  the  front  during  the  night,  with  orders  to  resume  the 
march  at  1  a.  m.  As  late  as  the  night  of  the  8th,  General 
Lee  had  not  abandoned  all  hope  of  escape;  and  as  to  an  un- 
conditional surrender,  lie  said :  "Sooner  than  that  I  am  re- 
solved to  die." 

Accordingly  he  directed  Gordon  and  Fitz  Lee  to  attack 
Sheridan's  cavalry  at  daylight  on  the  9th.  The  charge  was 
made,  Cox's  I^orth  Carolina  Brigade  leading,  and  the  cav- 
alry pushed  back  with  the  loss  of  two  guns  and  a  number  of 
prisoners.  But  the  gray  line  is  then  ordered  to  come  back. 
The  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  has  made  its  last  charge,  and 
fired  its  last  shot. 

The  surrender  is  on  terms  with  the  honors  of  war.  In  the 
conclusion  of  the  formalities  there  is  nothing  to  humiliate  the 
vanquished.  The  skeleton  regiments  unattended  stack  their 
arms  at  the  points  designated,  and  there  silently  and  forever 
furl  their  banners.  The  wounded  receive  attention  from 
the  medical  corps  of  both  sides.  The  writer,  not  yet  recov- 
ered, is  furnished  an  ambulance  back  to  Burkeville  Station 
in  company  with  Captain  H.  A.  Chambers,  wounded  in 
command  of  the  Forty-ninth  at  Five  Forks  and  also  still  dis- 
abled. 

An  interesting  volume  could  be  made  up  of  deeds  of  daring 
along  the  retreat.  In  his  report  of  the  surrender,  three 
days  thereafter,  General  Lee  states  his  effective  force  at 
7,892  infantry  with  arms,  and  75  rounds  of  ammunition,  and 
63  pieces  of  artillery  with  94  rounds  of  ammunition,  and  he 
believed  the  cavalry  who  had  reached  Appomattox  Court 
House  about  2,100  effective  men.  The  number  since  pub- 
lished in  the  U.  S.  Official  Records  includes  without  distinc- 
tion the  quartermaster's,  ordnance  and  medical  corps  and 
the  disabled.  The  total  here  surrendered  by  this  brigade 
26 


402  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

consolidated,  was  41  officers  and  394  men.  Here  I  saw  a 
largo  number  of  Federal  prisoners  turned  over  to  General 
Grant's  armj.  The  inevitable  should  have  been  gracefully 
acknowledged  by  the  civil  authorities  at  Hampton  Roads  the 
last  of  January,  1865,  and  the  further  sacrifice  of  life  and 
j)roperty  avoided ;  but  under  constraint  of  his  office  and  for 
the  last  three  months  against  his  own  private  judgment,  Lee 
had  fought  to  a  finish. 

10  April.  On  the  printing  press  at  General  Grant's  head- 
quarters the  forms  of  parole  to  be  signed  by  the  Confederate 
officers  for  themselves  and  on  behalf  of  their  men,  with  the 
certificates  furnished  to  the  officers,  are  printed  and  dated  as 
of  to-day,  Monday.  This  done,  and  General  Grant  having 
shared  his  rations  with  us,  the  homeward  march  in  small 
bands  of  unarmed  men  commences,  many  carrying  a  copy  of 
General  Lee's  farewell  address,  which  is  as  follows. 

General  Orders  No.  9. 

Headquartees  Army  of  ISToethern  Virginia^ 
Appomattox  Court  House^  10  April,  1865. 

After  four  years  of  arduous  service,  marked  by  unsur- 
passed courage  and  fortitude,  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia has  been  compelled  to  yield  to  overwhelming  numbers 
and  resources.  I  -need  not  tell  the  survivors  of  so  many  hard- 
fought  battles,  who  have  remained  steadfast  to  the  last,  that 
I  have  consented  to  this  result  from  no  distrust  of  them ;  but 
feeling  that  valor  and  devotion  could  accomplish  nothing  that 
could  compensate  for  the  loss  that  would  have  attended  the 
continuation  of  the  contest,  I  have  determined  to  avoid  the 
useless  sacrifice  of  those  whose  past  sei-vices  have  endeared 
them  to  their  countrymen. 

By  the  terms  of  agTeement  officers  and  men  can  return  to 
their  homes,  and  remain  there  until  exchanged.  You  will 
take  with  you  the  satisfaction  that  proceeds  from  the  con- 
sciousness of  duty  faithfully  performed  ;  and  I  earnestly  pray 
that  a  merciful  God  will  extend  to  you  His  blessing  and  pro- 
tection. 

With  an  unceasing  admiration  for  your  constancy  and  de- 
votion to  your  country,  and  a  grateful  remembrance  of  your 


Fifty-Sixth  Regiment.  403 

kind  and  generous  consideration  of  mvself,  I  bid  you  an  af- 
fectionate farewell.  R.  E.  Lee^ 

General. 

For  the  preservation  of  many  dates  and  much  of  the  r  late- 
rial  in  this  imperfect  sketch,  grateful  acknoAvledgmeiit  is 
here  made  to  the  writer's  valet  and  friend,  David  Blount,  who 
reached  him  and  his  brother  at  Petersburg  a  few  days  after 
they  were  both  wounded,  and  attended  him  thence  faithfully 
to  Appomattox  Court  House,  and  back  again.  He  carried 
his  journal  through  in  a  small  valise,  and  was  thus  occasion- 
ally the  target  for  a  joke  by  the  wayside.  Hailed  with  the 
question  whether  he  was  carrying  baggage  for  the  division, 
he  replied  with  the  utmost  politeness  and  sincerity :  "No,  sir ; 
this  is  just  Marse  Robert's  valise."  He  was  told  by  his  new 
acquaintances  at  Appomattox  Court  House  that  he  could  do 
much  better  by  going  North  with  them,  but  replied  that  when 
he  wanted  friends,  he  knew  where  he  could  find  them.  He 
accommodated  them,  however,  with  a  few  hundred  dollars  in 
Confederate  money  for  as  many  units  in  greenbacks.  Safe 
at  home  again,  he  told  his  fellow  freedmen  in  his  4  July 
speech,  1865,  at  Hillsboro,  IST.  C,  that  he  knew  who  were  his 
best  friends,  and  that  he  had  stood  by  two  of  his  white  folks 
when  General  Grant  was  mortarfying  Petersburg,  and  when 
he  could  do  nothing  more,  he  had  surrendered  with  General 
Lee  at  Appomattox.  At  his  honored  grave  I  now  pay  this 
tribute. 

Thirty-odd  years  have  passed  since  the  events  herein  but 
partially  portrayed.  The  issues  then  settled  can  never  arise 
again.  The  wind  was  sown,  and  the  harvest  was  the  w^hirl- 
wind.  Inter  arnia  silent  leges;  by  a  higher  law  than  all 
constitutions,  out  of  a  vital  germ  slumbering  through  eigh- 
teen centuries,  came  emancipation. 

The  Constitution  had  guaranteed  slave-property  to  the 
owners  as  a  vested  right.  The  South  to  perpetuate  this 
right,  broke  the  Union.  The  ISTorth,  to  preserve  the  Union, 
as  a  military  necessity,  broke  the  Constitution.  But  the  os- 
tensible issue  was  the  right  of  any  State  to  secede  on  its  own 
motion.  This  brought  about  another  double  paradox ;  for 
while  a  full  proportion  of  the  Union  lines  was  composed  of 


404  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

men  who  before  the  war  had  never  disputed  the  proposition 
as  a  reserved  State's  right,  however  inexpedient,  they  were 
confronted  on  every  battlefield,  from  first  to  last,  by  men  in 
gray,  who  (relying  only  on  the  inalienable  right  of  revolu- 
tion), could  find  nothing  whatever,  expressed  or  implied,  in 
the  Constitution  providing  for  a  secession.  The  motto  on 
either  side,  however,  when  the  conflict  came,  was  that  of  the 
brave  Decatur:  ''My  country!  Right  or  wrong,  my  country." 
To  the  North  this  meant  the  Union.  To  the  Confederate  sol- 
dier it  meant  his  State;  and  her  call  he  obeyed. 

Like  the  Protectorate  of  Cromwell,  the  Confederacy  has 
taken  its  place  in  history,  with  the  powers  that  be  no  more. 
England  under  the  restoration,  may  ignore  her  Ironsides ;  but 
N^orth  Carolina  accepting  the  situation  in  good  faith,  and  re- 
turning to  a  Nation  whose  origin  she  was  the  first  boldly  to 
propose,  will  never  blush  to  exhibit  her  long  Roster  of  Con^ 
federate  Soldiers. 

Ro.  D.  Graham. 
Washington,  D.  C  , 

9  April,   1901. 


THE  NEW  YORKI 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,  LENOX   AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS. 


FIFTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 

1.  H.  C.  Jones.  Colonel.  4.    John  Heard,  Captain,  Co.  C. 

2.  A.  C.  Godwin,  Colonel.  5.    William  Johnston,  Captain,  Co  H. 

3.  James  A.  Craige,  Major.  G.    James  F.  Litaker,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  F. 

7.     John  D.  Harrier.  Sergeant,  Co.  F. 


nFTY-SEVEHTH  REQI/IE/NT. 


By  colonel  HAMILTON  C.  JONES. 


The  Fiftj-seventh  l*^orth  Carolina  Regiment  was  organ- 
ized at  Salisbury  on  6  July,  1862.     Its  field  officers  were: 

Archibald  Campbell  Godwiis^^  Colonel. 
Hamilton  C.  Jones,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 
James  A.  Craige^  Major. 
Edward  A.  Semple^  Adjutant. 
William  G.  McNeely,  Quartermaster. 
Charles  S.  Morton^  Surgeon, 
A.  II.  BiNiON^  Assistant  Surgeon. 

Of  the  company  officers,  the  Captains  were  as  follows : 

Company  A^ — Eowan  County- — William  H.  Howard. 
Company  B — Rowan  County — William  S.  Brown. 
Company  C — Rowan  County — John  Beard. 
Company  D — Forsyth  County — James  E.  Mann. 
Company  E — Caiawba  County — Daniel  Rhyne. 
Company  F — Cabarrus  County — James  C.  Cannon. 
Company  G — Lincoln  County — John  F.  Speck. 
Company  H — Rowan  County — William  H.  Howerton. 
Company  I^ — Alamance  County — William  A.  Albright. 
Company  Iv — Rowan  County — Alfred  Miller. 

There  were  many  changes  in  the  personnel  of  the  company 
officers  in  the  course  of  time,  by  resignation  or  death. 

Of  the  field  officers  Colonel  Godwin  was  a  native  of  ISTanse- 
mond  county,  Ya.  He  had  left  home  when  only  19  years  old, 
and  in  1849  crossed  the  plains  on  foot  in  the  throngs  of  the 
thousands  seeking  the  gold  fields  of  California.  There  he  re- 
mained until  the  beginning  of  the  war,  having  in  the  mean- 
time amassed  considerable  fortune,  a  greater  part  of  which 
he  left  in  California  and  hastened  east  to  tender  his  services 


406  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

to  Virginia,  his  native  State.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war 
he  was  made  Major  in  the  Confederate  regular  army,  and 
for  a  short  while  was  assistant  Provost  Marslial  of  Richmond, 
and  afterAvards  was  sent  as  commandant  of  the  prison  at 
Salisbury,  where  he  organized  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment. 
He  was  in  every  sense  a  magnificent  gentleman.  He  was  of 
commanding  presence,  being  about  six  feet  high  and  sym- 
metrically formed.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  possessed 
a  high  order  of  courage  and  very  great  self-reliance,  all  of 
which  combined  to  make  him  the  type  of  the  Confederate  sol- 
dier. He  commanded  the  regiment  until  5  August,  1864, 
when  he  was  made  Brigadier-General,  succeeding  to  the  com- 
mand of  Hoke's  Brigade,  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  near 
Winchester  19  September,  1864. 

•James  A.  Craige,  the  ]\lajor  of  the  regiment,  had  seen  ser- 
vice with  the  Sixth  Regiment  prior  to  his  appointment  to 
the  Fifty-seventh,  and  the  writer,  the  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
had  seen  service  as  a  Captain  in  the  Fifth  North  Carolina 
State  Troops.  Of  the  company  officers,  non-commissioned 
officers  and  privates,  few,  if  any,  had  seen  any  active  service. 
There  were  many  Scotch-Irish  from  Rowan,  Iredell,  Cabar- 
rus, and  Mecklenburg;  there  were  Germans  from  Catawba, 
Lincoln,  Rowan,  Forsyth  and  Alamance.  They  had  been 
reared  in  the  ways  of  peace,  but  they  made  magnificent  sol- 
diers, patient,  enduring  and  fearless. 

THE  BATTLE   OF  FREDERICKSBURG. 

After  the  regiment  was  organized  at  Salisbury,  in  the 
summer  of  1862,  it  was  ordered  to  Richmond,  and  was  there 
attached  to  Davis'  Brigade  in  the  division  of  General  G.  W. 
Smith,  commanding  the  Department  at  Richmond.  The 
main  army  at  the  time  lay  along  the  line  of  the  Rapidan. 
The  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  remained  at  Richmond  until 
6  November.  While  there  it  had  been  carefully  drilled  and 
admirably  disciplined  ;  it  was  well  equipped,  and  when  it  was 
sent,  in  November,  to  join  the  army  upon  the  Rapidan,  it 
numbered  more  than  800  rifles,  and  was  a  soldierly-looking 
body  of  men.  It  was  attachcKl  to  Law's  Brigade,  Hood's 
Division,  along  with  the  Fourth  Alnl^ama,  Sixth  North  Caro- 


I 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  407 

lina  and  Fifty-fourth  jSTorth  Carolina.  Within  a  few  weeks 
after  it  joined  the  army  at  the  front,  came  the  battle  of  Fred- 
ericksburg, on  ]3  December,  1862.  In  that  battle  the  Con- 
federate army  occupied  a  semi-circular  line  of  hills  that  over- 
looked the  river  bottom  below  Fredericksburg,  and  terminat- 
ing at  Marye's  Heights,  just  above  the  town.  The  enemy 
occupied  Fredericksburg,  the  river  bottom,  and  the  Bow- 
ling Green  road  that  runs  not  far  from  the  river.  Across 
this  river  bottom  ran  the  railroad,  about  half  way  be- 
tween the  Confederate  line  and  the  Bowling  Green  road. 
The  fight  began  on  the  Confederate  right  and  left.  Furi- 
ous assaults  had  been  made  on  Marye's  Heights  and  had 
been  repulsed.  Repeated  assaults  had  been  made  on  A.  P. 
Hill's  Division  on  the  Confederate  right,  and  were  meeting 
with  momentary  success,  when  the  Federal  troops  were  driven 
back  by  General  Hoke,  then  a  Colonel  commanding  a  brigade. 
During  this  furious  fighting  on  the  extreme  right  and  left, 
the  Federal  troops  had  effected  a  lodgment  in  the  railroad 
cut  just  where  it  crosses  the  small  stream  known  as  Hazel 
Run.  This  railroad  cut  was  just  deep  enough  to  make  an 
excellent  breastwork  for  infantry,  and  the  position  was  occu- 
pied by  a  brigade  of  jSTew  Jersey  troops.  Two  co'mmands 
had  been  sent  by  General  Hood  to  dislodge  this  force  from 
the  railroad,  but  w^ere  both  repulsed.  A  line  of  woods 
stretched  along  the  outer  edge  of  the  river  bottom,  where 
the  ground  was  marshy,  and  between  this  line  and  the  rail- 
road there  was  some  six  or  eight  hundred  yards  of  almost 
level  ground.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  evening  General  Law 
w^as  ordered  by  General  Hood  to  make  another  effort  to  clear 
the  enemy  from  the  railroad.  He  ordered  the  Fifty-seventh 
Regiment  to  make  the  attack,  supported  by  the  Fifty-fourth 
l^orth  Carolina,  also  a  new  regiment.  Tlie  regiment,  when 
it  received  the  order,  was  in  the  woods  just  spoken  of,  and  in 
order  to  clear  the  woods,  owing  to  swamps  and  thickets,  was 
compelled  to  go  across  a  corduroy  road  out  into  the  open.  It 
went  by  fours-left-in-front.  As  the  first  company  cleared 
the  woods,  a  battery  opened  on  it  from  the  Bowling  Green 
road,  yet  under  this  fire,  company  after  company,  as  it 
cleared  the  woods,  went  steadily  into  line  without  a  falter  or 


408  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

a  sign  of  confusion,  and  the  line  was  formed  as  accurately  as 
if  on  parade;  then  at  ''quick  step"  it  started  for  the  enemy's 
line  on  the  railroad.  It  was  in  full  view  of  almost  the  entire 
Confederate  army  on  the  surrounding  hills,  and  of  a  larger 
part  of  the  Federal  along  the  Bowling  Green  road.  As  it 
started  there  came  a  cheer  from  the  hills.  The  line  moved  at 
"quick  step,"  with  amis  at  right-shoulder-shift.  The  enemy's 
artillery  redoubled  its  fire,  but  the  marksmanship  was  bad, 
and  the  regiment  was  receiving  little  punishment,  and  moved 
as  if  on  parade.  At  about  400  yards  the  enemy  opened  with 
their  rifles  from  the  railroad,  but  the  regiment  had  been  or- 
dered not  to  return  the  fire  until  the  enemy  broke,  and  so 
they  marched  in  silence.  Then  the  files  began  to  fall  out, 
killed  or  wounded  sometimes  from  shells  and  sometimes  from 
the  infantry  fire,  but  the  gaps  were  closed  up  and  the  regi- 
ment marched  steadily  forward  still  silent.  Then  the  bul- 
lets flew  thick  and  the  ground  in  the  wake  of  the  regiment 
began  to  be  strewn  with  those  brave  men,  thicker  and  thicker. 
Then  the  fire  became  terrific,  and  at  about  125  yards  from  the 
railroad  the  order  was  given  to  ''double-quick."  Then  it  was 
that  those  men  who  had  never  seen  a  battle  before,  had  never 
seen  (confederate  troops  in  action,  raised  that  Confederate 
yell  that  seemed  to  be  a  part  of  the  nature  of  the  Confederate 
troops.  There  was  a  sudden  dash  forward  into  the  thunder 
and  smoke  of  guns,  and  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  was  at 
the  railroad  with  their  guns  loaded,  and  those  of  the  enemy 
who  had  not  fled  were  captured  then  and  there.  The  regi- 
ment had  received  no  orders  to  halt  at  the  railroad,  so  Colonel 
Godwin,  in  obedience  to  what  he  considered  his  orders, 
planted  his  colors  upon  the  far  bank  of  the  railroad,  and  im- 
mediately the  regiment  was  again  in  line  and  making  towards 
the  Bowling  Green  road.  It  was  now  attacked  upon  its  flank, 
yet  it  never  faltered  nor  hesitated  until  it  had  gone  through 
this  ordeal,  a  distance  of  nearly  200  yards,  and  an  order  came 
from  General  Law  to  retire  to  the  railroad.  Then  was  seen 
what  is  rarely  seen  even  with  veteran  troops.  The  regiment 
faced  al)Out  under  a  murderous  fire,  marched  ])ack  and  took 
its  position  in  the  railroad  cut  without  confusion.  Just  be- 
fore this  movement.  Company  F,  from  Cabarrus,  which  oc- 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  409 

cupied  the  left  of  tlie"  line,  made  a  half  turn  to  the  left  and 
held  the  enemy  in  check  upon  Hazel  Run  while  the  regiment 
was  retiring  to  the  railroad.  It  was  one  company  standing 
alone  in  the  midst  of  a  great  battle  field,  and  yet  when  its 
task  was  done  it  went  in  good  order  to  the  railroad.  The 
struggle  had  lasted  in  all  perhaps  twenty-five  minutes,  and 
in  that  time  250  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  were  stretched 
dead  or  wounded  upon  the  plain.  Of  the  officers,  four  of  the 
Captains  were  either  killed  or  permanently  disabled.  Cap- 
tain Miller  and  his  two  Lieutenants — Frank  Hall  and  Law- 
son  Brown — were  killed ;  Captain  Cannon,  of  the  Cabarrus 
company,  was  permanently  disabled,  and  Captain  Speck,  of 
Lincoln  county,  lost  a  leg.  Captain  E.  J.  Butner,  of  Com- 
pany D,  from  Forsyth,  was  also  killed. 

This  was  the  first  experience  of  this  regiment  in  l^attle,  and 
the  writer  looks  back  now  in  wonderment  how  these  raw 
troops  endured  so  manfully  the  shock  of.  such  awful  battle. 
They  were  nearly  all  conscripts  and  nine-tenths  of  them  were 
farmers  or  farmers'  sons  from  the  counties  mentioned  above. 
They  fought  under  the  eye  of  their  comrades  on  the  hills,  who 
cheered  them  with  a  mighty  cheer  when  they  came  back  to 
the  railroad.  They  fought,  too,  under  the  eye  of  their  great 
commander-in-chief,  and  he  repaid  them  with  a  flattering 
notice  in  an  order  issued  the  next  day.  This  regiment 
\\'as  engaged  in  many  battles  after  this,  and  when  it  sur- 
rendered at  Appomattox  its  fame  was  still  untarnished,  but 
it  had  no  such  trial  as  befell  it  upon  the  threshold  of  its 
experience.  The  lesson  that  the  writer  drew  from  this  ex- 
perience was  that,  the  high-spirited  Scotch-Irish  and  the  pa- 
tient Germans  of  North  Carolina  are  unsurpassed  in  the  qual- 
ities that  go  to  make  great  soldiers. 

It  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  writer  in  any  degree  to  dispar- 
age the  conduct  of  the  Fifty-fourth  North  Carolina  Regi- 
ment, for  it  came  across  that  awful  plain  in  good  order,  but 
the  place  assigiied  it  was  too  far  in  the  rear  to  break  the  force 
in  any  great  measure  or  the  shock  to  the  Fifty-seventh,  but 
it  did  all  that  it  could  do  and  all  that  it  was  required  to  do, 
luider  the  leadership  of  its  gallant  commander,  Colonel  James 
C.  S.  McDowell. 


410  North  Carolina  Troops.   1861-'65. 


ANOTHER  BLOODY  VICTORY. 


The  winter  of  1862-'63  the  regiment  spent  in  camp  at  Port 
Royal,  on  the  Rappahannock,  below  Fredericksburg,  where  it 
remained  until  the  opening  of  the  campaign  in  the  spring  of 
1863.  When  General  Hooker  crossed  the  river  on  2  May, 
1863,  and  took  his  position  on  the  line  of  Chancellorsville, 
Early  was  left  with  his  division  and  several  other  brigades  to 
hold  the  line  below  Fredericksburg,  while  General  Jackson 
made  his  celebrated  flank  movement  and  gave  the  enemy  bat- 
tle at  Chancellorsville.  During  this  engagement  the  enemy's 
extreme  left,  under  General  John  Gibbon,  pressed  forward 
and  occupied  the  turnpike  leading  out  of  Fredericksburg,  a 
few  miles  above  Marye's  Heights.  Here  on  4  May  the  Fifty- 
seventh  had  another  rough  experience.  General  Hoke  was 
ordered  with  his  command  to  dislodge  a  part  of  the  enemy 
"^rom  a  strong  position  on  this  turnpike.  Unlike  the  posi- 
tion at  Fredericksburg,  the  ground  in  front  of  the  enemy's 
position  up  to  within  100  yards  of  the  turnpike  was  broken 
by  defiles,  and  covered  with  the  stunted  post  oak  that  seems 
to  grow  in  that  part  of  Virginia  where  nothing  else  is  planted. 
The  advance  was  under  the  immediate  leadership  of  General 
Hoke,  and  was  exceedingly  difficult,  and  anything  like  true 
alignment  was  out  of  question,  so  that  when  the  advancing 
line  of  four  regiments  reached  the  level  ground  near  the  en- 
emy's line  it  was  necessarily  in  considerable  disorder.  Here, 
as  it  reached  the  open  ground,  it  was  greeted  with  a  most  ter- 
rific fire  of  musketry  and  canister  from  the  enemy's  line. 
For  a  moment  it  looked  as  if  the  exploit  would  result  in  a 
failure,  but  in  that  supreme  moment  there  came  that  same 
Confederate  yell,  so  well  known  to  Confederate  ears,  and 
equally  well  understood  by  the  foe,  and  in  another  instant 
there  was  a  rush,  the  enemy's  line  was  taken  and  the  en- 
my  driven  back  with  great  confusion.  The  regiment  had 
maintained  its  former  renown,  but  it  won  another  bloody 
victory.  Colonel  Godwin,  its  gallant  leader,  was  wounded, 
as  was  also  Adjutant-Lieutenant  Semple.  Among  the  com- 
pany officers.  Captain  William  C.  Lord,  of  Conqiany  A,  a  gal- 
lant and  gifted  gentleman  from  Salisbury,  was  killed,  as  was 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  411 

also  First  Lieutenant  John  H.  Boyd,  of  Lincolnton,  who  com- 
manded Company  G,  and  Captain  William  Johnston,  of 
Company  H,  of  Cabarrus. 

THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN. 

When  the  Gettysburg  campaign  opened,  General  Early's 
Division  led  the  column  into  the  valley  and  surprised  Gen- 
eral Milroy  at  Winchester.  With  him  went  Hoke's  Brigade, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  Isaac  E.  Avery,  of  the  Sixth 
North  Carolina  Regiment,  that  brave  and  most  efficient  com- 
mander, who  within  a  few  weeks  was  to  fall  mortally 
wounded  on  the  heights  of  Gettysburg.  Milroy's  command 
was  surrounded  by  an  entrenched  camp  and  consisted  of  some 
1,500  or  2,000  men,  and  Hoke's  Brigade,  the  Fifty-seventh, 
being  still  a  part  of  it,  was  selected  to  charge  one  face  of  the 
entrenched  camp.  The  enemy  made  a  poor  defence,  how- 
ever, and  were  all  captured  with  little  or  no  loss  to  the  Con- 
federates, Milroy  having  in  the  meantime  effected  his  escape 
and  left  his  command  to  their  fate.  Then  came  the  momen- 
tous march  into  Pennsylvania.  Early's  Division,  with 
Hoke's  Brigade,  marched  by  Gettysburg  and  went  to  the  city 
of  York.  During  the  march  of  the  division  through  Penn- 
sylvania to  this  point,  within  twelve  miles  of  the  Susque- 
hanna river,  the  column  had  encountered  no  opposition,  had 
seen  no  Federal  troops,  nor  even  heard  the  sound  of  their 
drums  or  bugles.  The  country  through  which  it  had  marched 
was  largely  inhabited  by  Germans,  proverbially  phlegmatic, 
and  no  sign  of  excitement  had  been  visible  among  them.  The 
Confederate  army  was  restrained  by  strict  orders  and  there 
was  little  sign  of  invasion  from  an  hostile  army  to  be  seen 
along  the  route  of  their  march.  The  barns  were  filled  with 
grain,  the  fields  were  dotted  with  cattle  and  horses,  and  the 
Confederate  Quartermaster  and  Commissary  in  an  orderly 
way  provided  the  army  with  sustenance.  There  was  no 
straggling  and  consequently  the  passing  araiy  left  only  the 
tracks  of  its  soldiers  and  its  artillery  on  the  highway;  it  left 
the  fences  and  the  houses,  too,  yet  these  same  men  had  just 
come  from  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  a  fenceless  and  houseless 
country,  thanks  to  the  presence  of  the  Federal  army. 


412  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

ix  the  eneimy^s  country. 

The  column  entered  York  on  Sunday  morning.  It  looked 
as  though  they  were  unexpected,  for  the  church  bells  were 
ringing  and  crowds  of  well-dressed  men  and  women  were  on 
the  sidewalks  on  their  way  to  church.  They  stopped  and 
gazed  at  the  troops  as  they  passed  with  something  like  stu- 
pefaction, but  there  was  no  sign  of  alarm  even  among 
the  ladies.  They,  however,  seemed  to  give  up  the  idea  of 
going  to  church  tluit  day,  and  the  ladies  went  to  their 
homes  and  during  our  stay  there  they  were  rorolv  ever 
seen  on  the  streets.  The  men,  however,  mingled  freely  with 
the  Confederate  officers,  and  there  was  little  or  no  sign  of  bitr 
terness  apparent.  They  drank  together  and  discussed  the 
war  and  many  other  subjects  together.  Some  of  the  men, 
of  course,  were  ardent  Union  men,  and  expressed  their  senti- 
ment freely,  but  a  great  many,  and  it  seemed  to  the  writer  a 
majority  of  them,  were  bitterly  hostile  to  Mr.  Lincoln's  ad- 
ministration and  condemned  the  war  on  the  South.  The 
seeming  preponderance  of  the  anti-adminisi  ration  sentiment 
might  have  been  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Union  men  had  fled 
or  were  keeping  themselves  close.  When  the  division  left 
the  place  some  prominent  men  even  went  so  far  as  to  insist 
that  leading  Union  men  should  be  arrested  and  carried  away 
prisoners,  for  the  reason,  as  they  said,  that  the  Union  men 
had  been  dominating  and  tyranizing  over  them  ever  since  (he 
war  began.  General  Early  preserved  the  most  perfect  order 
during  our  stay  there.  He  levied  a  contribution  of  $100,000 
on  tlie  banks,  but  took  no  private  property  without  paying 
for  it.  A  foundry  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town  wliich  was 
used  by  the  government  for  the  manufacture  of  war  mate- 
rial li(^  burned. 

ox   TO   GETTYSBURG. 

After  remaining  sonic  five  or  six  days  in  York,  the  divis- 
ion took  up  its  march  for  Gettysburg.  Its  march  was  leis- 
urely, for  no  enemy  had  been  seen  or  heard  of  since  leaving 
Virginia.  As  the  head  of  the  column  reached  a  point  some 
three  or  four  miles  from  Gettvsburg,  somewhere  about  mid- 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  413 

day,  two  reports  of  field  guns  were  heard  in  the  direction  of 
Gettysburg,  and  forthwith  officers  began  to  discuss  the  sig- 
nificance of  it.  Owing  to  a  peculiar  atmospheric  condition, 
the  sound  seemed  farther  off  than  it  really  was,  and  it  was 
supposed  by  all  to  be  a  cavalry  engagement  some  twenty  miles 
away,  but  in  a  few  minutes  the  firing  became  rapid,  many 
guns  apparently  being  engaged,  many  more,  in  fact,  than 
were  generally  used  in  cavalry  engagements.  While  officers 
were  still  discussing  the  matter,  John  W.  Daniel,  now^  United 
States  Senator  from  Virginia,  then  the  young  and  brilliant 
Adjutant-General  on  General  Early's  staff,  was  seen  ap- 
proaching the  head  of  the  column  at  full  speed.  He  brought 
an  order  from  General  Early  saying  General  A.  P.  Hill  w^as 
hard  pressed  at  Gettysburg,  and  for  the  division  to  make  all 
haste  to  his  assistance.  Men  disengaged  themselves  of  their 
blankets  and  whatever  else  encumbered  them,  leaving  them 
to  be  gathered  by  the  rear  guard  and  wagon  train,  and  took 
the  quick  step  for  Gettysburg.  The  last  mile  was  made  at 
double-quick,  for  they  could  already  see  a  cloud  of  white 
smoke  floating  over  Gettysburg  and  could  hear  the  noise  of 
the  great  conflict.  When  the  division  reached  the  suburbs 
of  Gettysburg  it  took  position  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Con- 
federate line.  There  was  three  brigades,  Hoke's  under  Isaac 
E.  Avery,  on  the  extreme  left,  next  Hays'  Louisiana,  and 
then  Gordon's  Georgia  Brigade.  The  division  went  intO'  line 
and  halted  ten  minutes  to  rest  the  men.  From  our  position  we 
could  see  the  Confederate  and  Federal  lines  arrayed  one 
against  the  other  in  open  ground,  no  breastworks,  no  fortifi- 
cations, but  they  stood  apart  in  battle  array  and  were  in  plain 
view  for  two  miles  except  where  the  line  was  lost  in  the  de- 
pressions of  the  hills.  Then  a  Confederate  brigade  away  on 
our  extreme  right,  moved  f or\vard  upon  the  expectant  enemy ; 
there  came  a  jet  of  white  smoke  from  along  the  enemy's  line 
and  a  scarcely  audible  roar  of  musketry,  filled  in  by  the  sound 
of  the  artillery ;  then  there  came  the  expected  yell,  a  rush, 
and  the  enemy's  line  broke.  As  this  first  brigade  moved,  a 
second  was  moving  in  echelon ;  there  was  the  same  yell,  the 
same  rush,  and  the  same  flight  of  the  enemy.  Still  another 
brigade;  the  sound  of  the  conflict  and  yell  of  men  becoming 


414  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

more  distinct;  a  rush  forward  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  were 
seen  in  full  retreat.  As  the  conflict  neared  our  position  the 
effect  was  marvelous ;  the  men  were  wild  with  excitement, 
and  when  their  time  came  they  went  in  with  the  wildest  of  en- 
thusiasm, for  from  where  they  stood  they  could  see  two  miles 
of  the  enemy's  line  in  full  retreat.  It  looked  indeed  as  if 
the  end  of  the  war  had  come.  Tlie  Fifty-seventh  Regiment 
was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  Confederate  line,  and  its  op- 
ponents broke  at  the  first  fire,  in  fact  they  scarcely  waited  to 
receive  the  fire,  and  consequently  the  loss  of  the  regiment  at 
this  point  was  comparatively  slight.  On  the  right  of  the 
brigade,  however,  the  Sixth  and  Twenty-first  Regiments  had 
a  bloody  combat  with  their  portion  of  the  enemy's  line.  The 
Federal  troops  retreated  to  Cemeterv'  Hill,  broken  and  ap- 
parently utterly  routed.  There  was  not  an  officer,  not  even  a 
man,  that  did  not  expect  that  the  war  would  be  closed  upon 
the  hill  that  evening,  for  there  was  still  two  hours  of  day- 
light when  the  final  charge  was  made,  yet  for  reasons  that 
have  never  been  explained,  nor  ever  will  be,  under  the  eye 
of  that  matchless  commander,  that  the  South  loves  and  re- 
veres, and  the  whole  world  honors,  some  one  made  a  blunder 
that  lost  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  and,  humanly  speaking,  the 
Confederate  cause. 

CEMETERY  HILL. 

During  the  night  of  the  1st,  the  brigade  lay  in  position  be- 
tween the  town  and  Cemetery  Hill.  The  night  passed  qui- 
etly, except  that  we  could  hear  the  picks  and  shovels  of  the 
enemy  engaged  in  fortifying  their  line,  and  the  rumble  of 
guns  and  the  tramp  of  infantry,  as  at  intervals  during  the 
night  their  reinforcements  arrived.  When  morning  came, 
they  had  worked  wonders  in  fortifying  that  hill  in  so  short  a 
time.  Towards  evening  heavy  cannonading  began  on  our 
right,  extending  all  along  the  full  extent  of  our  line  from 
the  town  towards  Round  Top.  Immediately  afterwards 
Longstreet  assailed  this  position  with  part  of  his  corps,  but 
was  unsuccessful.  Late  in  the  evening  General  Hays,  of 
Louisiana,  received  orders  to  attack  the  ridge  in  front  of  us 
with  liis  brigade  and  ours,  he  being  the  senior  of  Colonel 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  415 

Isaac  E.  Avery,  who  was  in  command  of  our  brigade 
(Hoke's).  The  Louisiana  brigade,  though  composed  of  five 
regiments,  was  small  in  numbers,  and  of  our  brigade  only 
three  regiments  were  present,  the  Fifty-fourth  having  been 
detached  at  Hai*per's  Ferry  on  special  duty.  All  during  the 
day  these  two  brigades,  Hoke's  and  Hays',  had  lain  quietly 
in  a  depression  that  in  some  measure  protected  them  from 
the  fire  of  the  enemy's  guns.  The  sun  was  low  when  the 
order  came,  and  when  the  bugle  sounded  the  advance,  the  line 
advanced  in  beautiful  order,  and  as  it  pointed  to  the  south- 
west there  was  a  glint  all  along  the  line  of  bayonets  that  was 
very  striking  and  marked  how  beautifully  they  were  aligned. 
In  an  instant  after  becoming  visible  the  enemy  opened  fire 
with  artillery,  but  the  brigades  went  forward  in  the  same  beau- 
tiful order  across  the  interposing  valley  lying  between  the 
town  and  Cemetery  Hill,  l^ot  only  from  the  front  but 
away  out  towards  Gulp's  Hill,  on  the  enemy's  extreme  right, 
artillery  had  opened  on  us.  Before  the  hill  was  reached, 
the  musketry  fire  had  become  very  heavy,  and  the  Fifty-sev- 
enth Regiment,  which  was  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  line, 
suffered  heavily  from  both  artillery  and  infantry.  At  the 
point  where  this  attack  was  made  there  was  a  sort  of  bay  or 
indentation  in  the  ridge  which  compelled  the  Fifty-seventh 
Regiment,  or  rather  the  left  battalion  of  it,  to  swing  round 
almost  half  a  turn  before  it  struck  the  face  of  the  ridge.  In 
the  meantime  the  Sixth  and  Twenty-first  Regiments  and  the 
right  battalion  of  the  Fifty-seventh  had  reached  the  foot  of 
the  ridge  and  were  driving  the  enemy  from  his  intrenchments 
up  the  hill,  so  that  when  the  Fifty-seventh  was  fully  in  posi- 
tion a  rush  was  made  and  the  enemy  driven  to  the  top  and 
over  the  crest  of  the  hill.  There  was  but  little  daylight  left 
when  the  attack  commenced  and  twilight  and  then  darkness 
settled  on  the  conflict  as  this  comparatively  small  force 
reached  and  occupied  the  summit  of  the  historic  Cemetery 
Hill.  They  had  driven  everything  before  them  and  dis- 
lodged every  portion  of  the  enemy's  line  in  their  front  except 
a  redoubt  occupied  by  a  battery  of  artillery  and  a  body  of 
infantry.  The  two  brigades  had  lost  heavily  and  were  more- 
over much  exhausted  by  the  labor  of  the  struggle,  otherwise 


416  North  Carolina  Tkooi's,    18(51 -'65. 

even  this  last  strongliold  would  have  boon  carried.  Had  ihey 
received  a  reinforcement  of  another  brigade  they  would  un- 
doubtedly have  eti'ected  a  permanent  lodgment  upon  the  crest 
of  the  ridge,  which  they  had  won.  But  no  reinforcements 
canie,  but  instead  there  came  an  order  to  retire,  which  was 
effected  with  considerable  loss,  as  reinforcements  began  to 
arrive  on  that  part  of  the  enemy's  line.  So  far  as  the  writ- 
er's knowledge  extends,  this  was  the  only  portion  of  the  crest 
of  Cemetery  Ridge  that  was  taken  and  lield  by  any  portion 
of  the  Confederate  line. 

DEATH  OF  COLONEL  AVERY. 

In  this  charge  the  gallant  Colonel  Isaac  E.  Avery,  who 
commanded  Hoke's  Brigade,  fell  mortally  wounded  and  the 
command  of  the  brigade  devolved  upon  Colonel  A.  C.  God- 
win, of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment.  Colonel  Avery  fell 
before  reaching  the  foot  of  the  hill  and  his  fall  seriously 
impeded  tlie  attack,  as  it  was  not  known  to  some  parts  of  the 
line  for  some  little  time  that  he  had  fallen.  The  writer  sup- 
poses that  others  will  write  the  story  of  Colonel  Avery's  mil- 
itary life,  or  perhaps  have  done  so,  but  I  cannot  forbear  to  say 
here  that  he  was  a  gallant  soldier,  a  very  efficient  brigade  com- 
mander and  had  he  lived,  would  have  do\d)tloss  risen  rapidly 
in  rank. 

The  Fifty-seventh  took  no  further  part  in  the  battle  of  Get- 
tysburg after  this  attack  on  Cemeteiw  Hill  2  July.  It  was  in 
the  rear  of  the  army  on  tlie  march  to  Hagerstown  nii<l  after- 
wards to  the  Potomac  river.  It  crossed  at  the  ford  just  above 
Falling  Waters  about  2  o'clock  in  the  evening  on  the  day  that 
General  Pettigrew  was  killed ;  in  fact  we  distinctly  heard  the 
volley,  the  short  struggle  as  the  enemy's  advance  struck  Petti- 
grew's  Brigade.  After  the  return  of  the  army  to  Virginia, 
the  regiment,  along  with  the  other  regiments,  picketed  along 
the  line  of  the  Rapidan  river  until  the  campaign  began  which 
closed  with  the  battle  of  Bristoe  Station.  In  tliis  last  named 
battle  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  was  detached  from  the 
brigade  and  was  formed  at  right  angles  with  tlie  railroad  to 
protect  the  right  flank  of  Johnston's  Division  during  the 
fight.     The  enemy  made  no  attack  on  this  position  and  conse- 


Fifty-Seventh   Regiment.  417 

quently  neither  this  regiment  nor  any  part  of  the  brigade  was 
actively  engaged. 

THE  FIGHT  at  RAPPAHANNOCK  BRIDGE. 

After  this  battle  of  Bristoe  Station  the  anny  was  with- 
drawn behind  the  Rappahannock  river  and  lay  at  Culpepper 
and  on  the  plains  of  Brandy  Station  until  7  J^ovember.  In 
the  meantime  detachments  were  engaged  in  tearing  up  the 
railroad  for  the  benefit  of  the  iron,  which  was  much  needed 
in  the  Confederacy.  In  order  to  facilitate  this  work  a  pon- 
toon bridge  was  kept  at  the  point  where  the  Orange  &  Alex- 
andria Railroad  crossed  the  Rappahannock,  and  on  the  north 
side  were  some  earthworks  covering  this  bridge,  and  these  on 
7  J^Tovember  were  occupied  by  Hays'  Louisiana  Brigade. 
On  that  day  Oeneral  Sedg^vick  with  his  corps  advanced  from 
Manassas  and  threatened  the  Louisiana  Brigade.  Hoke's 
Brigade,  undex  the  command  of  Colonel  Godwin,  was  sent 
across  the  river  to  reinforce  the  Louisianians.  x\fter  crossing, 
the  brigade  was  directed  to  move  to  the  left  and  occupy  some 
slight  trenches  some  three  or  four  hundred  yards  off.  It 
had  scarcely  reached  the  position  assigned  wdien  a  heavy 
column,  composed  of  three  lines  of  infantry,  moved  directly 
upon  General  Hays'  position  at  the  bridge.  They  met  with 
a  warm  reception,  but  being  protected  from  our  artillery  fire, 
across  the  river,  by  the  nature  of  the  ground  and  the  breast- 
works, they  speedily  overpowered  the  Louisianians,  driving 
them  from  their  position  and  captured  the  works  overlooking 
the  bridge.  By  this  movement  Hoke's  Brigade  was  entirely 
cut  oif  from  retreat.  The  position  occupied  by  it  was  threat- 
ened by  a  line  in  its  front,  but  the  Sixth  and  Fifty-seventh 
Regiments  were  formed  outside  of  the  breastworks  and  at- 
tacked the  enemy  in  their  position  at  the  bridge  head,  wdiile 
the  Fifty-fourth  kept  the  line  at  bay  in  front.  In  the  first 
charge  the  enemy  were  dislodged  from  a  portion  of  the  works 
that  they  had  captured,  but  succeeded  in  holding  the  works 
commanding  the  bridge.  The  struggle  here  lasted  with  vary- 
ing fortunes  until  nightfall,  w^hen  the  enemy  sent  forward  a 
large  body  of  troops  and  completely  enveloped  the  brigade 
except  on  the  side  where  lay  the  deep  waters  of  the  Rappa- 
27 


418  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

hanuock  riv^er,  which  at  that  point  had  been  dammed.  A 
few  managed  to  escape  by  swimming  the  river,  but  almost  the 
entire  brigade,  officers  and  men,  were  captured.  Some  few 
of  the  officers  were  afterwards  exchanged  and  took  part  with 
the  regiment  in  its  subsequent  campaign,  but  the  most  of 
the  rank  and  file  remained  in  prison  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
It  had  been  a  bloody  combat,  and  besides  those  captured, 
many  hiy  dead  and  wounded  about  the  breastworks. 

As  was  always  the  case,  there  were  a  good  many  veterans 
of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  who  at  the  time  of  this  disas- 
ter were  in  the  hospitals  and  on  detached  service,  and  a  few 
of  the  officers  along  with  them.  Among  the  latter  were 
Major  Craige  and  Captain  John  Beard,  of  Salisbury.  Of 
the  latter  the  writer  will  have  more  to  say  later  on.  It  is  suf- 
ficient to  say  here  that  he  had  been  with  the  regiment  through 
all  its  service  and  had  acquired  a  reputation  both  for  courage 
and  skill  in  the  handling  of  his  company.  As  the  senior 
officer,  Major  Craige  gradually  gathered  together  this  rem- 
nant of  the  Fifty-seventh  and  in  the  course  of  time  conscripts 
were  sent  to  him  and  the  regiment  was  again  filled  up  to 
respectable  proportions.  Colonel  Godwin,  who  at  the  time 
of  the  capture  of  the  regiment  was  its  Colonel,  was  exchanged 
in  the  summer  of  1864,  but  was  soon  after  promoted  to  the 
position  of  brigadier  general  and  placed  in  command  of 
Hoke's  old  brigade.  The  writer,  Mdio  was  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel at  the  time,  was  not  exchanged  until  February,  1865. 
Major  Craige,  the  only  other  field  officer,  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  knee  in  the  Valley  campaign  in  August, 
1864,  and  disabled  for  active  service.  The  writer  has  not 
been  able  to  communicate  with  him  and  so  the  greater  part 
of  this  sketch,  after  the  capture,  has  been  furnished  by  Cap- 
tain Beard.  The  Twenty-first  North  Carolina  of  our  bri- 
gade was  on  detached  service  in  North  Carolina  and  thus  es- 
caped capture. 

After  the  capture  of  the  brigade,  as  above  stated,  the  rem- 
nant of  the  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Major  Craige, 
retreated  with  the  army  behind  the  Rapidan,  and  in  Decem- 
ber the  brigade  was  sent  to  North  Carolina  to  participate  in 
the  campaign  against  Plymouth.     The  Fifty-seventh  did  not 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  419 

participate  in  the  capture  of  Plymouth,  as  it  was  left  at  Kin- 
ston  to  guard  against  a  movement  from  New  Bern.  It  re- 
turned to  Petersburg  just  in  time  to  meet  General  Butler 
and  there  participated  in  the  battle  of  Drewry's  Bluff.  From 
there  it  was  ordered  to  the  South  Anna  to  join  the  main  army 
under  General  Lee,  and  was  present  at  the  second  Cold  Har- 
bor battle,  where  it  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  second  day, 
capturing  many  prisoners.  From  there  it  was  sent  to  Rich- 
mond and  thence  to  Lynchburg  by  rail  to  meet  the  threatened 
invasion  under  General  Hunter,  who  was  advancing  up  the 
valley.  Upon  the  approach  of  General  Early's  command 
General  Hunter  commenced  his  retreat,  but  was  overtaken 
by  Early  at  Liberty,  where  a  severe  action  took  place,  re- 
sulting in  the  complete  defeat  of  General  Hunter.  In  this 
battle  the  Fifty-seventh  bore  its  part,  having  by  this  time 
been  considerably  recruited.  General  Hunter  having  re- 
treated through  West  Virginia,  Early's  command  moved 
down  the  valley  to  Harper's  Ferry,  which  it  reached  on  4 
July,  1864,  while  the  Federal  troops  were  engaged  in  cele- 
brating the  day  with  a  great  feast. 

A   FEBEEAL   CELEBRATIOISr   INTERRUPTED. 

This  the  Confederates,  after  driving  the  Federals  off,  coolly 
appropriated — that  is,  the  eatables  and  drinkables — and 
many  of  the  Confederates  got  gloriously  drunk  on  the  whis- 
key and  wine  that  was  not  prepared  for  them.  The  next  day 
they  crossed  the  river  and  some  skirmishing  was  had  with  the 
enemy  under  General  Lew  Wallace.  In  this  fighting  Lieu- 
tenant F.  M.  Graham,  of  Rowan  county,  a  most  excellent 
officer  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  was  killed  and  the 
regiment  sustained  a  heavy  loss  in  men  and  officers.  Colonel 
Godwin,  soon  after  made  Brigadier-General,  was  in  command 
of  the  brigade,  which  was  left  at  Frederick,  Md.,  during  the 
battle  of  Monocacy  to  protect  the  rear  of  General  Early's 
march.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  brigade  to  care  for  the  wound- 
ed of  that  battle  and  to  have  them  removed  to  Frederick  and 
while  so  doing,  had  quite  a  spirited  action  with  some  Federal 
cavalry.  It  then  followed  General  Early  to  Washington. 
Here  it  was  posted  on  the  Georgetown  pike,  where  it  had  sev- 


420  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

eral  skiniiislics  witli  the  caxali'v  (if  llic  cni'iiiv.  Ii  l)rn\iii;lit  up 
the  rear  of  the  army  wlicii  it  recrossed  the  Potomac,  skiniiish- 
inp;  witli  the  enemy,  at  intervals,  but  getting  across  the  river 
with  no  great  loss.  After  crossing  the  men  started  for  Win- 
chester. At  this  time  the  regiment  was  in  command  of  Major 
Craige.  On  the  march  they  met  the  enemy  east  of  Winchester. 
The  action  began  with  the  shaqishooters  of  the  l)riga<le,  com- 
manded by  Captain  John  Beard,  and  witli  this  skirmish  line 
the  enemy  were  twice  driven  back.  They,  however,  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a  body  of  cavalry  in  the  rear,  and  Captain 
Beard  was  ordered  to  fall  back.  In  this  action  Major  Craige, 
commanding  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  knee  and  thereafter  incapacitated  for  active 
field  service.  The  regiment  participated  in  all  the  subse- 
quent actions  in  the  valley,  the  now  historic  contest  between 
Earlv  and  Sheridan  for  the  masterv  of  that  luckless  reinon. 

THE   WIXCTIESTER   FIGHT. 

On  19  September  occurred  near  Winchester  another  very 
serious  engagement.  General  PegTam  had  been  attacked 
by  a  heavy  force  and  General  Godwin,  with  his  brigade,  went 
in  haste  to  his  support.  Pegram,  overwhelmed,  was  retreat- 
ing when  Godwin  came  up.  This  for  a  time  threw  Godwin's 
Brigade  in  confusion,  and  here  again  the  Fifty-seventh  Regi- 
ment exhibited  its  old-time  steadiness.  It  rallied  first  in  the 
retreat  and  upon  it  the  rest  of  the  brigade  soon  rallied  and 
opposed  the  advance  of  the  enemy.  At  this  point  General 
Ramseur,  in  command  of  the  division,  finding  the  position 
untenable,  took  up  a  new  position  about  000  yards  to  the  rear. 
Then  ensued  a  very  desperate  and  bloody  fight.  Time  and 
again  the  enemy  assailed  the  line  and  time  and  again  they 
were  repulsed  with  great  loss.  This  continued  until  sun- 
down, the  fight  having  lasted  nearly  all  day,  when  the  Fed- 
eral troops  again  turned  onr  flank  and  compelled  our  some- 
what precipitate  retreat.  From  this  battlefield  and  under 
these  circumstances  Godwin's  Brigade,  after  an  all-day's  des- 
perate fight,  and  ^\ath  the  enemy  threatening  and  pressing  its 
fiank,  came  back  in  perfect  order  and  without  the  slightest 
sign  of  confusion. 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  421 


GENERAL  GODWIN  FALLS. 


It  bore  with  it,  however,  the  dead  body  of  its  beloved  com- 
mander, for  General  Godwin  had  fallen  dead  in  the  thickest 
of  the  fight.  Captain  Beard  tells  how,  after  one  of  the  many 
attacks  of  the  enemy  had  been  repulsed.  General  Godwin 
rode  np  to  him  and  with  his  hand  on  his  shoulder  said:  "I 
am  proud  of  the  conduct  of  my  old  regiment,  the  Fifty-sev- 
enth." Before  Captain  Beard  had  time  to  reply  a  shell  ex- 
ploded just  over  them  and  a  fragment  striking  him  in  the 
head,  he  fell  from  his  horse  into  Captain  Beard's  arms,  dead. 
The  writer  has  spoken  elsewhere  of  this  gallant  gentleman 
and  brave  soldier  and  would  be  glad,  if  space  permitted  him, 
to  say  more  here,  but  will  add  only  this,  that  he  was  univer- 
sally beloved  as  a  man  and  universally  admired  as  a  soldier 
by  all  his  comrades  throughout  his  entire  service.  A  Vir- 
ginian in  command  of  a  jl^orth  Carolina  regiment,  and  after- 
wards of  a  Xortli  Carolina  brigade,  he  was  as  much  beloved 
and  admired  by  those  under  him  as  if  he  had  been  a  [N^orth 
Carolinian  or  they  Virginians. 

There  died  on  that  battlefield  another  man  in  humble 
rank  and  far  less  famous,  but  none  the  less  loyal  and  true. 
He  was  a  color-bearer  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment^ — Geo. 
B.  Swink,  of  Company  C,  from  Rowan  county.  After  being 
wounded,  and  his  color-guard  almost  destroyed,  he  stuck  his 
colors  in  the  ground  and  seizing  a  rifle  fell  dead,  fighting  for 
the  maintenance  of  his  cause  and  his  flag. 

After  this  engagement  the  brigade  fell  back  to  Fisher's 
Hill.  Sheridan  having  followed  Early  up  the  Valley  the  two 
forces  again  confronted  each  other  at  Fisher's  Hill.  There 
was  considerable  and  heavy  skirmishing  for  twenty-four  hours 
at  that  place,  in  which  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  took  a 
prominent  part.  The  Federal  troops,  however,  succeeded  in 
turning  General  Early's  flank  and  getting  partly  in  his  rear, 
and  the  Confederate  forces  were  driven  in  confusion  still 
further  up  the  Valley,  with  Sheridan  still  at  their  heels,  till 
they  reached  Brown's  Gap,  where  another  stand  was  made. 

END  OF   THE  VALLEY  FIGHTING. 

About  the  middle  of  October,  Early  again  moved  down  the 


422  North  Carolina  Troops,    1861-'65. 

valley  as  far  as  Cedar  Creek.  On  the  night  of  the  18th  the 
Fifty-seventh  Regiment  formed  a  part  of  the  force  which 
crossed  the  monntains  and  fording  the  Shenandoah  river,  at- 
tacked General  Sheridan's  forces  in  the  rear.  Seldom  in  the 
annals  of  war  has  there  been  witnessed  such  vicissitudes  of 
fortune  as  befell  these  armies  that  day.  By  8  o'clock  the 
Confederate  forces  had  captured  the  entire  camp  equipage 
of  that  army,  twenty-four  pieces  of  artillery  and  a  large 
number  of  prisoners,  but  by  9  o'clock  that  night  the  tide  had 
so  completely  changed  that  the  Confederate  forces  were  again 
in  full  retreat  up  the  Valley.  It  has  been  many  times  re- 
corded that  General  Robert  D.  Johnston's  Brigade  of  North 
Carolinians  was  the  largest  body  of  Confederate  troops  that 
retired  from  its  position  on  that  field  of  battle  in  good  or- 
der. Beside  this  noble  brigade  stood  tlie  Fifty-seventh  Reg- 
iment, which  was  next  in  line,  and  this  regiment  came  off 
with  Johnston's  Brigade  in  like  good  order  and  with  great 
steadiness.  This  closed  the  fighting  in  the  Valley  and  the 
Fifty-seventh  Regiment  with  the  rest  of  the  brigade,  was 
sent  to  Petersburg  and  stationed  on  our  extreme  right  at 
Hatcher's  Run.  Here  it  participated  in  what  is  known  as 
the  "Fight  at  Hatcher's  Run,"  and  tliero  it  saw  much  hard 
service,  the  ground  being  covered  with  snow  and  ice.  After 
this  it  was  sent  to  a  position  immediately  in  front  of  Peters- 
burg. 

colonel  JONES  TAKES   COMMAND, 

At  this  point  before  Petersburg,  in  the  month  of  Febru- 
ary, 1865,  the  writer,  having  been  exchanged,  took  command 
of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment  as  Colonel.  He  found  the 
regiment  in  command  of  Captain  Philip  Carpenter,  of  Lin- 
coln county.  Captain  Beard  being  absent  on  some  detached 
seiwice.  The  brigade  was  under  command  of  General  Gas- 
ton Lewis,  who  had  been  temporarily  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  it.  On  25  March,  about  3  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
the  writer  was  summoned  to  General  Walker's  headquar- 
ters— or  to  General  Lewis'.  There  he  found  General 
Walker,  General  Robert  D.  Johnston,  General  Matt.  W.  Ran- 
som nnd,  lio  tliinks.  General  Gordon  also.      H(^  was  informed 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  423 

that  it  was  contemplated  to  make  an  attack  upon  the  enemy's 
line  before  daylight  and  the  writer  was  informed  that  he 
would  command  the  force  directed  against  Fort  Steadman,  a 
part  of  the  enemy's  line;  and  was  directed  to  indicate  two 
regiments  which  he  would  choose  to  make  the  attack  at  this 
point.  He  chose  his  own  regiment,  the  Fifty-seventh,  and 
the  gallant  Sixth,  one  that  had  never  flinched  on  any  of  the 
many  battlefields  in  which  it  had  borne  a  part  from  First 
Manassas  down  to  that  eventful  morning.  It  was  then  com- 
manded by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Samuel  McDowell  Tate. 

THE  OBSTRUCTION  REMOVED. 

In  front  of  Fort  Steadman  there  was  a  chevmix  de  fnse  of 
rails  sharpened,  stuck  deep  into  the  ground  and  pointing  out- 
ward. These  had  been  bound  together  by  a  strong  wire.  To 
cut  down  this  obstruction  in  front  of  the  advancing  line  vol- 
unteers were  called  for  from  the  two  regiments  and  were 
quickly  in  readiness.  At  the  writer's  request,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Sanuiel  McDowell  Tate  designated  an  officer  of  the 
Sixth  Regiment  to  command  this  apparently  forlorn  hope. 
He  chose  for  this  service  Lieutenant  W.  W.  Flemming,  of  the 
Sixth,  a  beardless  boy  not  more  than  19  years  old.  It  was 
desperate  work,  and  he  knew  it,  but  he  was  marvelously  cool 
and  at  parting  the  writer  said  to  him : 

"If  you  do  this  work  this  morning,  and  we  both  sunave, 
your  rank  will  unquestionably  be  considerably  advanced." 
He  replied : 

"I  do  not  say  that  I  do  not  regard  this,  but  I  assure  you  if 
these  men  follow  me,  we  will  cut  that  abatis  in  your  front." 

Then  in  the  dead  silence  of  the  night  he  moved  out  with 
his  detachment  armed  with  axes  and  they  spread  themselves 
along  the  front  of  Fort  Steadman,  and  the  two  regiments 
moved  out  and  lay  down  just  behind  this  party.  In  the 
meantime  the  obstructions  in  front  of  the  Confederate  line 
had  been  stealthily  removed.  General  Walker,  who  com- 
manded the  division  had  notified  us  that  the  signal  for  the 
assault  would  be  the  firing  of  a  pistol  immediately  in  our 
rear.     There  was  a  wait  in  perfect  silence  for  perhaps  20 


424  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

minutes  or  jjossihlv  halt'  ;in  Imur.  There  was  absolutely  no 
sign  of  life  along  the  enemy's  lines.  Their  pickets  lay  just 
in  front  of  their  aliatis  in  their  rifle  pits.  xVway  in  the  east 
there  was  a  hand  of  white  light  in  the  sky  which  marked  the 
approach  of  day. 

THE  CAPTURE  OF  FORT  STEAD:\rAX. 

Su<ldculy  there  rang  out  on  the  stillness  the  sharp  crack  of 
a  ])istol.  Instantly  the  enemy's  pickets  tired  and  there  was 
a  muffled  sound  of  feet  where  Lieutenant  Flemming's  party 
was  and  along  the  line  of  the  two  regiments.  Then  came  the 
rush  and  the  rapid  sound  of  axes  and  the  crash  of  falling 
timber  and  the  wild  cheer  from  the  axemen.  The  two  regi- 
ments were  at  their  heels  and  followed  rapidly.  Instantly 
there  came  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  and  rifles  from  Fort 
Steadman,  but  it  was  of  short  dui'ation,  for  in  another  minute 
the  assaulting  party  mounted  the  enemy's  works,  capturing 
their  guns  and  many  prisoners.  The  writer's  impression  is 
that  Lieutenant  Flemming  was  the  first  man  u])on  the  breast- 
works, for  he  stood  there  when  the  line  reached  it  and  around 
him  stood  some  of  his  men  with  their  axes  still  in  their  hands. 
The  enemy  were  pushed  back,  and  through  this  gap  the  Con- 
federate forces  pushed  in. 

THE  REGIMENT  FORCED  TO  RETIRE. 

On  the  right,  however,  at  Fort  Ileiskel  the  attack  had  been 
less  fortunate  and  thus  when  the  <lay  broke  the  enemy  com- 
menced a  furious  cross  fire  and  from  the  front  Lewis'  Bri- 
gade was  ordered  to  assault  an  earthwork  diagonally  to  the 
left,  ihe  name  of  which  is  unknown  to  the  writer.  It  was 
heavily  armed,  however,  and  after  a  desperate  struggle  the 
regiment  was  forced  back  after  suflering  very  heavy  loss. 
Idle  writer  was  among  the  wounded  and  the  command  of 
the  regiment  (h'VolvcMl  u])on  Ca])tain  Carpenter,  a  most  gal- 
lant and  etliciciit  dtlicer,  who  had  borne  a  ])art  in  nearly  every 
struggh'  in  wbich  the  i-cgiuicnt  had  been  engaged.  Ulti- 
mately the  whole  line  was  oiMlored  back  within  the  Confed- 
erate lines  and  Ca])taiu  <'ar])eiitcr  bi'dught  ofi'  the  regiment 
in  as  good  ordci'  as  jiossihle  under  the  uiunlerous  cross  fire. 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  425 

Next  day  Captain  Beard  returned  and  took  command  of  the 
regiment  and  was  in  command  of  it  during  the  eventful 
march  from  Petersburg  to  Appomattox. 

After  the  bloody  repulse  at  Hare's  Hill  on  25  March  the 
Confederate  line  retired  tO'  its  trenches  before  Petersburg 
and  lay  there  like  a  wounded  lion  at  bay.  Before  it  was  the 
magnificent  Federal  army  commanded  by  General  Grant — a 
great  captain  of  a  great  host.  That  army,  infantry,  artil- 
lery and  cavalry  was  armed,  equipped  and  supplied  wdth  all 
that  money  poured  out  in  lavish  abundance  could  supply. 
Its  ranks  were  fully  recruited,  its  horses  fresh,  its  caissons 
and  ordnance  wagons  loaded  down  with  tons  of  ammunition, 
its  commissary  trains  abundantly  suppplied — all  in  readiness 
to  receive  the  word  from  its  great  commander  that  would 
launch  it  on  its  hapless  foe.  And  that  foe !  It  was  but  the 
shadow  of  its  former  self,  a  remnant  after  the  carnage  of  a 
hundred  battlefields  and  of  four  years  of  ceaseless  marching 
and  fighting.  Its  ranks  were  thin,  its  guns  were  worn  with 
use,  its  ordnance  and  commissary  stores  but  scant.  The  men 
w^ere  but  half  clothed  and  were  pinched  from  want  and  con- 
stant exposure  in  the  trenches.  But  there  they  stood !  jSTo 
bugle  could  recall  to  their  aid  the  thousands  of  their  dead 
co-mrades  whom  they  had  buried  on  the  battlefield,  but  the 
spirit  of  their  noble  dead  abided  Avith  them  and  they  feared 
nothing  but  God  and  the  shame  of  fear  ;  and  so  they  waited. 

On  1  April  the  great  tragedy  began.  General  Sheridan 
attacked  our  extreme  right  at  Five  Forks  and  drove  back  our 
cavalry  and  infantry  supports.  By  this  movement  our  flank 
was  completely  turned  and  the  position  at  Petersburg  ren- 
dered untenable.  On  the  2d  the  Federals  opened  all  along 
the  line,  the  fire  was  kept  up  during  the  entire  day,  and 
repeated  assaults  were  made  at  different  points  in  overwhelm- 
ing numbers.  At  some  points  they  were  repulsed,  at  others 
they  w^ere  successful,  or  partially  so,  but  the  result  of  it 
all  w^as  that  the  immediate  evacuation  of  Petersburg  and 
Richmond  became  necessary.  By  the  morning  of  the  3d  the 
army  had  crossed  to  the  Chesterfield  side.  Tlien  commenced 
the  memorable  march  to  Appomattox ;  and  the  Fifty-seventh 
Regiment  was  in  the  midst  of  it  all,  still  patient,  obedient 


426  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

and  fearless.  Day  by  day  they  struggled  on  without  food 
and  with  incessant  fighting.  Almost  hourly  they  had  to 
turn  and  beat  off  the  attacking  Federals,  but  they  struggled 
on  with  spirits  still  undaunted  as  though  they  hoped  that  even 
at  the  last  fate  itself  would  relent  at  the  sight  of  their  devo- 
tion to  their  fast-falling  cause.  This  march  from  Petersburg 
to  Appomattox  M'as  not  simply  a  retreat  nor  yet  a  conflict;  it 
was  the  funeral  procession  of  the  Confederacy;  it  was  an 
oblation  of  blood  to  the  Manes  of  a  heroic  nation  that  had 
been  born  and  had  died  on  the  field  of  battle. 

But  the  struggle  went  on.  On  the  second  day  after  leav- 
ing Petersburg  General  Lewis  was  wounded  and  Captain 
Beard,  of  the  Fifty-seventh,  took  command  of  the  brigade  as 
senior  officer.  When  the  command  reached  Sailor's  creek  on 
7  April,  they  found  that  the  bridge  had  been  broken  down, 
and  General  Gordon,  in  whose  corps  our  brigade  was,  turned 
and  made  a  last  fight  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  till  the 
bridge  could  be  repaired  and  thus  enable  the  artillery  and 
trains  to  pass.  The  fighting  was  fierce.  The  brigade  occu- 
pied a  position  ju.st  where  the  crossing  of  the  road  by  a  de- 
pression in  the  bed  of  the  road  afforded  a  slight  protection. 
Here  the  enemy  were  repeatedly  repulsed.  The  Fifty-sev- 
enth Regiment  maintained  its  reputation  on  this  last  of  its 
battlefields  and  faced  its  foe  with  imdaunted  courage,  but  the 
end  of  it  was  that  the  constantly  increasing  numbers  of  the 
enemy  enabled  it  to  surround  this  brigade  and  capture  it 
almost  to  the  last  man.  This  was  the  last  of  the  many  bat- 
tles in  which  the  Fifty-seventh  played  its  part  so  well,  and 
here  the  curtain  falls  upon  its  story. 

The  writer  has  prepared  this  sketch  from  his  personal  rec- 
ollections of  the  events  where  he  was  present  and  for  the  rest 
he  has  used  the  notes  furnished  him  by  Captain  Beard. 
There  were  from  first  to  last  in  this  n^giment  men  and  officers 
who  richly  deserved  mention  and  encomium,  but  it  is  impos- 
sible in  the  allotted  space  to  mention  them.  Some  died 
valiantly  fighting  and  some  are  still  alive,  and  some  have 
passed  nway  in  the  peaceful  walks  of  life  since  that  Sunday 
at  Apponuittox.     But  there  are  some  names  in  addition  to 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  427 

those  already  mentioned  that  occur  to  the  writer  in  conclud- 
ing the  sketch,  which  for  special  courage  deserve  at  least  a 
passing  tribute,  and  this  without  detraction  from  others. 

SOME   BRAVE   MEN. 

Among  those  who  fell  while  fighting  with  this  regiment 
was  Lieutenant  Daniel  W.  Ringo.  His  home  was  in  Arkan- 
sas and  his  father  was  Judge  Ringo  of  that  State.  He  came 
to  the  regiment  a  mere  boy,  I  think  from  some  military 
school,  and  became  a  Second  Lieutenant.  On  every  occasion 
and  upon  almost  every  battlefield  that  the  Fifty-seventh  took 
part,  he  was  conspicuous  not  only  for  his  high  courage, 
but  for  his  remarkable  intelligence  and  aptitude  for  the  busi- 
ness of  a  soldier.  After  being  shot  in  the  knee  and  disabled, 
he  served  with  the  sharpshooters  upon  horseback  and  was 
killed  on  19  September,  1864,  near  Winchester. 

Captain  Joseph  G.  Morrison,  of  Lincoln  county,  served 
wdth  this  regiment,  first  as  Adjutant,  which  position  he  re- 
signed to  become  Aide-de-Camp  to  General  (Stonewall)  Jack- 
son, who  was  his  brother-in-law.  After  the  death  of  the  lat- 
ter he  became  Captain  of  Company  F.  Later  he  resigned  to 
take  a  place  on  General  Hoke's  staff,  in  which  position  he  lost 
a  foot  in  the  early  struggles  around  Petersburg.  He  was 
well  known  throughout  the  brigade  for  his  coolness  and  alert- 
ness in  the  face  of  the  enemy. 

Lieutenant  James  F.  Litaker,  of  Cabarrus  county,  was  a 
quiet,  unambitious  man,  but  possessed  of  a  courage  rarely 
equaled  and  never  excelled  by  any  one  the  writer  saw  on  the 
field  of  battle.  Lieutenant  L.  H.  Roney,  of  Alamance 
county,  was  distinguished  likewise  for  great  courage  and  ef- 
ficiency. He  was  killed  at  Gettysburg  and  fell  dead  on  the 
skirmish  line.  Lieutenant  A.  E.  Semple,  the  first  Adjutant, 
was  also  a  gallant  and  very  efficient  officer.  He  was  wounded 
on  4  May,  1863,  above  Fredericksburg  and  disabled  from  ac- 
tive service.  The  quartermaster,  Captain  Wm.  G.  McN"eely, 
of  Rowan,  is  entitled  to  mention  for  his  faithful  service  dur- 
ing the  entire  history  of  the  regiment.  The  surgeon.  Dr. 
Charles  S.  Morton,  and  the  Assistant  Surgeon,  A.  H.  Binion, 


428  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

were  able,  cool  and  very  efficient  officers  and  were  universally 
beloved  in  the  command. 

John  D.  Barrier,  anotlier  member  of  Company  F,  though 
a  mere  boy,  was  distin<2;uished  for  his  cool  courage  and  at 
the  battle  of  Hatcher's  Tfun  Captain  Beard  selected  him  to 
bear  the  colors  of  the  regiment,  whicli  he  did  through  most 
trying  circumstances  and  most  heroically. 

Sergeant  J.  F.  Pace,  of  Company  C,  from  Salisbury,  was 
only  16  years  of  age  at  the  organization  of  the  regiment,  and 
was  a  private  in  Company  C.  His  courage  was  so  conspicu- 
ous at  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  that  he  was  made  First 
Sergeant  of  his  company  and  in  many  of  the  later  battles  he 
commanded  his  company  with  great  courage  and  skill.  Ser- 
geant J.  M.  Muse,  of  Company  H,  of  Union  county,  was  a 
most  gallant  soldier.  In  the  retreat  from  Fisher's  Hill, 
Hoke's  Brigade  covered  the  rear,  marching  all  day  in  line  of 
battle.  On  this  retreat  Sergeant  Muse  commanded  his  com- 
pany and  in  one  of  the  many  attacks  made  upon  the  rear 
guard,  he  was  killed,  hat  in  hand  cheering  his  men. 

Richard  VanFaton,  of  Davie  county,  a  private  of  Company 
A,  was  also  a  most  gallant  soldier. 

Among  those  most  conspicuous  for  his  gallantry  and  who 
fell  at  the  head  of  his  company  at  Gettysburg,  was  Captain 
S.  W.  Gray,  of  Company  D,  from  Forsyth  county.  He  had 
been  in  all  the  battles  in  which  the  regiment  had  taken  part 
and  in  all  save  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  he  had  com- 
manded his  most  excellent  company. 

THE    FIFTY  SEVENTH    DID    ITS    DUTY    WET.L. 

In  conclusion,  tlie  writer  has  (uily  to  say  tliat  wlieii  in  the 
course  of  time  liistoi'v  of  tliis  groat  civil  struggle  comes  to  be 
written  by  able  and  impartial  historians,  it  is  not  to  be  ex- 
pected that  any  one  regiment  can  be  designated  among  so 
many  as  specially  distinguislied  for  courage  or  efficiency; 
but  in  justice  to  the  men  and  officers  of  the  Fifty-seventh  Reg- 
iment tlie  writer  can  conscientiously  say  that  few,  if  any, 
contributed  more  to  tlic  imperishable  renown  that  surrounds 
the  memory  of  tlie  Confederate  soldier.      They  did  their  duty 


Fifty-Seventh  Regiment.  429 

well  and  valorouslv,  and  in  fighting,  in  common  with  their 
comrades,  they  have  fixed  a  standard  for  the  American  sol- 
dier below  which  it  is  hoped  he  will  never  fall. 

Hamilton  C.  Jones. 
Chaklotte,  N.  C, 

9  April,  1901. 


FIFTY-EIGiri'II    I{F.(.niKNT. 


1.  John  B.  Piilmor,  Colonel. 

2.  Benjamin  F.  Bninl.  Captain,  Co.  D. 
a.     a.  W.  F.  llarpiT.  Major. 


4.    Isaac  II.  Bnilev.  Captain,  Co.  B. 
.').     F.  .\.  Tohcy.  Captain.  Co.  A. 
G.     Diniv  1).  Cotfcv.  StTL't'ant-Ma.ior. 


FIFTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 


By  G.   W.  F.  harper,  Major. 


In  preparing  the  following  sketch  as  a  contribution  to  the 
History  of  North  Carolina  Troops,  official  records  have  been 
consulted  where  accessible.  The  dates  and  other  memoranda 
in  many  cases  were  obtained  from  the  writer's  personal  jour- 
nal, in  which  daily  entries  were  made  during  the  war. 

The  part  referring  to  the  battle  of  Bentonville  was  writ- 
ten and  published  in  1887,  in  the  Raleigh  Observer  and  other 
papers  in  I^orth  Carolina  and  Tennessee.  It  is  much  to  be 
regretted  that  repeated  efforts  failed  to  secure  the  pictures  of 
more  of  the  rank  and  file,  and  particularly  of  those  devoted 
men,  officers  and  privates  who  laid  down  their  lives  for  their 
home-land  on  the  field  of  battle. 

The  writer  esteems  it  a  privilege  to  bear  witness  to  the 
courage,  patience  and  endurance  of  his  comrades,  and  he 
offers  this  imperfect  sketch  as  an  humble  tribute  to  the  high 
soldierly  qualities  which  they  uniformly  displayed. 

The  regiment  was  organized  in  Mitchell  county,  North 
Carolina,  2-i  July,  1862,  by  the  election  of — 

John  B.  Palmer,  Colonel,  of  Mitchell  county. 

Wm.  W.  Proffitt,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  of  Yancey  county, 
(resigned  in  1863). 

John  C.  Keener,  Major,  of  Yancey  county  (resigned  in 
1863). 

The  regiment  was  raised  as  a  part  of  a  Legion  of  the  three 
arms  of  the  service  to  be  commanded  by  Colonel  Palmer. 

The  other  field,  staff  and  company  officers  and  their  suc- 
cessors, as  appears  in  the  Roster  of  North  Carolina  Troops, 
Vol.  Ill,  p.  633,  and  Vol.  IV.,  p.  429,  with  some  additions 
and  corrections  made  by  the  writer  are  as  follows,  the  refer- 
ence last  named,  however,  through  error  of  copyist  or  com- 


432  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

positor,  (Icsiiiuatcs  the  rcgiiiiciit  after  llic  l■('(l^^•;mizati()n, 
Marcli,  18(i5,  as  the  Sixtieth,  whereas  it  should  liave  been 
given  as  the  Fift_v-eii>-litli  and  Sixlictli  Rciiiiiients  consolida- 
ted. 

LiEUTE.\A.\'r-( 'oi.OKELs — Echiiuud  Kii'hy,  of  \'ii'ij;-iiiia, 
kilk'd  at  Cliickaniauga  20  September,  1803;  Thomas  J.  Dula 
(resigned  "lU  August,  18G4)  ;  S.  M.  Silver,  promoted  from 
Major  September,  1864  (resigned  March,  1865)  ;  Thaddeus 
M.  Coleman,  commissioned  March,  1865. 

Majors — T.  J.  Dula,  wonnded  at  Chickamanga,  promoted 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel  14  August,  1864;  A.  T.  Stewart,  killed 
at  Jonesboro,  Ga.,  31  August,  1864;  S.  M.  Silver,  promoted 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel  14  August,  1864;  G.  W.  F.  Harper, 
promoted  November,  1864,  from  Captain  Company  II. 

Adjutants — Edmund  Kirby,  of  Virginia,  promoted  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel;  Benjamin  L.  Perry,  Beaufort,  jST.  C.  ; 
Orville  Ewing,  Nashville,  Tenn. 

Surgeons— W.  A.  Collett  (resigned  1863)  ;  W.  H.  Harris. 

Assistant  Surgeons — O.  M.  Lewis,  T.  J.  Mitchell, 
Alonzo  White. 

QuARTERMASTEii — M.  J.  Bcardcu,  Buncombe  co\inty. 

Sergeant  Majors — H.  Herndon ;  Jas.  Inglis,  killed  at 
Dalton,  Ga.,  25  February,  1864;  D.  D.  Coffey. 

Quartermaster  Sergeant — John  E.  Medearis,  Caldwell 
county. 

Ordnance  Sergeant — John  A.  Llensley,  Yancey  county. 

Drum  Majors — H.  Estes,  Caldwell  county ;  J.  Caldwell 
Blair,  Caldwell  county. 

Hospital  Steward — James  M.  Riddle,  ^Mitchell  county. 

Company  A — Mitchell  County — Captains:  ^lartin 
Wiseman  (resigned  1862),  F.  A.  Tobey.  Lieutenants:  F. 
A.  Tobey;  W.  11.  Wiseman,  killed  at  Chiekainanga  20  Se])- 
tember,  1863;  J.  J.  Wise,  W.  A.  Vance. 

Company  B — MitcJicU  County — Ca]itains:  Jacob  W. 
Bowman  (resigned  1862),  Isaac  IT.  Bailey,  severely  wounded 
and  permanently  disabled  at  C^hickamauga  20  Scptemlxu-, 
1863.  Lieutenants:  J.  C.  Conley,  J.  W.  Pitnuin,  I.  H. 
Bailey. 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  433 

Company  C — Yancey  County — Captains:  J.  P.  Horton, 
resigned  1862;  S.  B.  Briggs.  Lieutenants:  M.  P.  Hampton, 
W.  M.  Austin,  wounded  at  Chickamauga. 

Company  D — Watauga  County — Captains:  D.  C.  Har- 
mon (resigned  1862),  B.  F.  Baird.  Lieutenants:  B.  F. 
Baird,  W.  P.  Mast,  D.  F.  Baird,  A.  F.  Davis,  W.  M.  Har- 
rington. 

Company  E — Caldtrell  County — Captains:  A.  T.  Stew- 
art, promoted  to  Major  and  killed  31  August,  1864;  Thomas 
J.  Coffey.  Lieutenants:  J.  B.  Marler;  T.  J.  Coffey;  W.  E. 
Coffey  (dropped). 

Company  F — McDoivell  County — Captains :  W.  Conley, 
died  November,  1862 ;  C.  O.  Conley,  killed  June,  1864,  at 
iSTew  Hope  Church,  Ga.,  H.  C.  Long.  Lieutenants:  C.  O. 
Conley;  J.  D.  Morrison,  killed  at  Chickamauga  20  Septem- 
ber, 1863 ;  J.  A.  Fox,  T.  P.  Epps,  R.  H.  Sisk,  J.  B.  Morgan. 

Co]MPANY  G — Watauga  County — Captains:  J.  L.  Phillips, 
wounded  at  Chickamauga  and  permanently  disabled ;  John 
R.  Norris,  promoted  from  Lieutenant  September,  1863. 
Lieutenant :  C.  R.  Byrd,  wounded  at  Chickamauga. 

Company'  H — Caldwell  County — This  company  was 
raised  for  Z.  B.  Vance's  Legion,  enlarged  by  transfers  from 
Companies  F  and  I  of  the  Twenty-sixth  North  Carolina  Reg- 
iment, and  went  into  camp  of  instruction  at  Kittrell,  N.  C, 
May,  1862. 

The  effort  to  raise  and  organize  the  Vance  Legion  being 
unsuccessful,  this  company  was  assigned  to.  the  Fifty-eighth 
Regiment  which  it  joined  at  Johnson  City,  Tenn.,  August, 
1862. 

Captains:  T.  J.  Dula,  promoted  to  Major;  Gr.  W.  F. 
Harper,  wounded  at  Resaca,  Ga.,  15  May,  1864,  promoted 
to  Major  November,  1864;  L.  W.  Gilbert.  Lieutenants: 
W.  W.  Lenoir,  promoted  to  Captain  Thirty-seventh  Regiment 
July,  1862  ;  G.  W.  F.  Harper ;  E.  M.  Hedrick ;  A.  D.  Lingle ; 
L.  A.  Page,  killed  at  Dalton,  Ga.,  25  February,  1864;  L.  W. 
Gilbert,  promoted  to  Captain  November,  1864. 

Company  I — Watauga  County — Captains:  John  A.  Mil- 
28 


434  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

ler,  Wm.  R.  Hodges,  J.  C.  McGhee.  Lieutenants:  J.  C. 
McGhee,  W.  S.  Davis. 

Company  K — Mitchell  County — Captains:  S.  M.  Silver, 
promoted  to  Major;  D.  R.  Silver.  Lieutenants:  J,  W.  Dun- 
can, L.  D.  Silver. 

Company  L — Ashe  County — Captains:  W.  Gentry,  Cal- 
vin Eller,  L.  Hurley.  Lieutenants :  L.  Hurley,  E.  Hurley, 
P.  Blevins. 

Company  M — Watauga  and  Ashe  Counties — This  com- 
pany consolidated  with  Company  G  in  1863.  Lieutenants: 
Geo.  W.  Hopkins,  Thos.  Ray,  J.  R.  I^orris. 

The  regiment  was  moved  September,  1862,  to  Cumberland 
Gap  and  assigned  to  the  division  of  General  Stevenson,  then 
investing  that  post. 

On  the  retreat  of  the  Federal  Garrison,  Colonel  Palmer 
was  placed  in  command  at  the  "Gap"  with  his  regiment.  Ca- 
per's Georgia  Battalion  and  a  battery  of  artillery  until  the 
prisoners  coidd  be  paroled  and  the  captured  stores  secured, 
after  which  it  moved  into  Kentucky,  but  unexpectedly  met 
Bragg's  army  on  its  retreat. 

During  the  winter  of  1862  and  1863  it  was  stationed  at 
Big  Creek  Gap,  near  Jacksboro,  Tenn.,  with  the  Fifty-fifth 
Georgia,  Thornton's  Alabama  T^cgion,  Kolb's  Alabama'  Bat- 
tery and  Baird's  T^orth  Carolina  Cavalry  Battalion,  the  bri- 
gade under  the  command  of  Colonel  Palmer.  The  winter 
was  spent  in  outpost  duty,  picketing  this  and  neighboring 
passes  in  the  Cumberland  mountains,  and  making  several 
expeditions  into  Kentucky.  The  details  for  guard  duty  in 
this  service  were  excessive,  and  the  command  suffered 
greatly  from  privation  and  exposure.  The  loss  by  death 
from  disease  was  appalling,  camp  fever  and  an  epidemic  of 
measles  being  extremely  fatal,  the  natural  result  of  inexperi- 
ence and  a  deplorable  lack  of  hospital  accommodations  and 
facilities. 

In  the  summer  of  1863  the  brigade  was  placed  under  the 
command  of  General  J.  W.  Frazer,  and  the  troops  were  sta- 
tioned at  Clinton  and  various  other  points  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, the  regiment    eventually  joining    the  army  of    Ten- 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  435 

nessee  under  General  Bragg,  near  Chattanooga,  when  it  was 
assigned  to  Kelly's  Brigade  of  Preston's  Division  in  Buck- 
ner's  Corps. 

In  the  battles  of  Chickamauga,  18-20  September,  the  regi- 
rnent  bore  a  prominent  part,  and  in  the  charge  which  cap- 
tured the  stronghold  of  the  enemy  on  Snodgrass  Hill  at  the 
close  of  that  eventful  Sunday,  the  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
was  over  one-half  of  those  carried  into  action.  The  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel, Edmund  Kirby,  of  Virginia,  was  killed,  and 
Colonel  Palmer  and  Major  Dula  wounded ;  Captains  Bailey 
and  Phillips  severely  wounded,  Lieutenants  Wiseman  and 
Morrison  killed,  and  Lieutenants  Austin,  Byrd  and  others 
wounded.  In  the  capture  of  the  prisoners,  eight  Colt's  army 
rifles  were  taken,  of  which,  by  the  order  of  General  Preston, 
four  were  turned  over  to  the  color  guard  of  the  Fifty-eighth 
North  Carolina,  and  two  each  to  the  Fifth  Kentucky  and 
Sixty-third  Virginia  Regiments,  also  of  Kelly's  Brigade. 

The  report  of  Colonel  Palmer,  made  on  the  succeeding  day, 
gives  the  names  of  the  killed  and  wounded,  and  makes  the 
loss  in  his  regiment:  Killed,  46  ;  wounded,  114;  missing,  1 ; 
total,  161;  over  50  per  cent,  of  the  number  carried  into 
action. 

It  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  official  reports  that  the 
casualties  in  the  regiment  exceeded  the  combined  loss  of  the 
other  regiments  of  the  brigade.  A  steel  tablet  erected  by 
the  Chickamauga  jSTational  Park  Commission  marks  the  posi- 
tion on  the  crest  reached  by  the  regiment  at  sunset,  when  the 
prisoners  were  captured  and  the  battle  ended,  and  bears  the 
following  inscription,  to-wit. : 

"Kelly's  Beigade. 

"Preston's  Division — Buckner's  Corps. 

"Col.  John  H,  Kelly. 

"September  20,  1863,  7  P.  M.     Last  Position. 

"65th  Georgia — Col.  R.  H.  Moore. 

"5Tn  Kentucky — Col.  Hiram  Hawkins. 

"58th  j^orth  Carolina — Col.  John  B.  Palmer. 

"63d  Virginia — Maj.  James  M.  French. 

"The  Brigade,  the  Sixty-fifth  Georgia  being  attached  to 


436  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'6o. 

"support  a  battery,  reinforced  about  6  p.  m.  by  a  regiment 
"from  Anderson's  Brigade  of  Hindman's  Division,  after  an 
"hour's  severe  figliting  on  the  slope  in  front  of  the  knoll  next 
"left  of  this  position,  participated  there  at  dusk,  with  Trigg's 
"Brigade,  in  the  capture  of  the  Union  troops  occupying  that 
"knoll.     Of  these  251  were  captured  by  Xelly's  Brigade. 

"This  was  accomplished  by  Kelly's  Brigade  charging  their 
"front,  while  Trigg's  Brigade  swung  across  to  the  ridge 
"further  to  the  left  and  closed  up  the  Union  line  from  the 
"rear.  While  the  Union  troops  were  surrendering,  the  right 
"of  Kelly's  Brigade  received  a  volley  from  the  front  of  Van 
"Derveer's  Brigade  of  Brannan's  Division.  This  was  about 
"7  p.  m.,  and  was  the  last  firing  in  the  battle. 

"Strength  in  action  876.  Casualties:  killed,  62  ;  wounded^ 
"238  ;  missing,  29  ;  total,  329.     Percentage  of  loss,  37.55." 

Shortly  after  the  battle  Colonel  Palmer  was  detached  from 
the  regiment  and  placed  in  command  of  the  Department  of 
Western  ISTorth  Carolina,  with  headquarters  at  AshevillCy 
where  he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war,  the  regiment 
thereafter  being  under  the  command  of  a  Lieutenant-Colonel 
or  Major.  General  Kelly  was  transferred  to  the  cavalry, 
and  General  A.  W.  Reynolds  ("Old  Gauley"),  of  Virginia, 
placed  in  command  of  the  brigade,  now  consisting  of  the 
Fifty-eighth  and  Sixtieth  North  Carolina,  the  Fifty-fifth 
and  Sixty-third  Virginia  and  the  Fifth  Kentucky  Regiments, 
in  Bushrod  Johnson's  Division  of  Longstreet's  Corps,  with 
which  it  began  its  march  to  Knoxville.  Before  proceeding 
far,  however,  the  brigade  was  recalled,  22  November,  to  take 
part  in  the  battles  then  opening  around  Chattanooga,  and 
deployed  in  a  thin  line,  was  placed  in  the  trenches  at  the  foot 
of  Missionary"  Ridge.  Here  it  was  annoyed  by  the  prema- 
ture explosion  of  the  shells  from  our  batteries  on  the  ridge  in 
rear,  firing  upon  the  enemy  in  front.  A  veteran  of  Com- 
pany H,  with  a  grim  sense  of  humor,  suggested  to  his  Cap- 
tain that  the  command  occupy  the  other  side  of  the  breast- 
w^ork — a  brisk  musketry  fire  then  coming  from  the  enemy. 
The  suggestion  was  not  adopted. 

After  three  days  in  this  position,  with  the  larger  part  of 


I 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  437 

the  troops  on  duty  day  and  night,  the  regiment  (one  com- 
pany at  a  time  deployed  in  a  skirmish  line)  was  recalled  to 
the  top  of  the  ridge,  the  charge  of  the  enemy  being  made  as 
the  last  company  moved  out.  The  Confederate  line  on  the 
ridge,  a  very  thin  one,  with  no  reserve  line,  was  broken — it 
seemed  almost  without  a  fight — at  a  gap  in  the  ridge  some 
distance  north  of  the  position  occupied  by  the  Fifty-eighth, 
and  the  troops  on  this  part  of  the  line  moved  by  orders  to  the 
rear  and  formed  a  line  of  battle  across  the  road  near  the  base 
of  the  ridge.  Here  occurred  the  only  stubborn  fight  the  reg- 
iment was  engaged  in  during  this  battle.  The  opposing 
force,  led  by  General  Sheridan  in  several  charges  was  hand- 
somely repulsed,  the  battle  continuing  under  the  light  of  a 
full  moon  until  long  after  dark.  General  John  C.  Breck- 
inridge, in  command  at  this  point,  when  the  troops  were 
withdrawn  about  midnight  enquired  for  the  regiment  then 
filing  into  the  road,  and  being  told,  raised  his  hat  and  com- 
plimented the  '^Tar  Heels"  very  highly  on  their  part  in  the 
fight. 

The  army  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Dalton,  Ga.,  under 
the  command  of  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  in  whom  the 
army  reposed  unlimited  confidence. 

On  25  February,  1864,  Sherman  pushed  forward  a  por- 
tion of  his  army  to  the  front  of  Dalton,  and  several  partial 
engagements  ensued  before  he  retired.  A  number  of  casual- 
ties occurred  in  the  Fifty-eighth.  Among  the  killed  was 
James  Inglis,  Sergeant-Ma j or,  a  Scotchman  by  birth,  whose 
death  was  deeply  regretted  by  his  comrades. 

On  7  May,  Sherman  again  appeared  before  Dalton,  and 
after  several  ineffectual  assaults  on  Johnston's  line  moved 
by  his  right  flank,  and  threatened  Resaca,  to  which  place  the 
Army  of  Tennessee  was  withdrawn.  On  the  14th  and  15th, 
in  the  general  engagements  at  Resaca,  the  regiment  bore  its 
full  part  and  sustained  serious  loss  in  killed  and  wounded. 
The  writer  being  here  Avounded,  and  disabled  for  service 
until  the  latter  part  of  the  summer,  cannot  give  details  of  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  in  all  the  battles  of  which  the  Regiment  in 
Reynold's  Brigade,  Stevenson's  Division  of  Hood's  Corps, 
participated.      The   loss  in   the  numerous   battles  was    con- 


438  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

siderable,  and  the  published  records  are  very  incomplete. 

After  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  the  brigade  was  consolidated 
with  Brown's  Tennessee  brigade,  under  General  Jos.  B.  Pal- 
mer, of  Murfreesboro,  Tenn.,  a  gallant  officer,  in  whose  bri- 
gade the  regiment  served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  The 
name  of  this  officer  must  not  be  confounded  with  that 
of  Colonel  John  B.  Palmer,  who  raised  the  Fifty-eighth  Reg- 
iment and  was  its  first  commander.  It  is  a  singular  coinci- 
dence that  two  officers  bearing  the  same  name  and  initials, 
and  from  different  States,  commanded  the  same  brigade. 
They  were  both  most  gallant  and  efficient  officers,  without 
fear  and  without  reproach. 

In  the  march  to  jSTashville  the  garrison  at  Dalton  was  cap- 
tured, and  the  railroad  north  of  Atlanta  destroyed  in  many 
places.  The  army  crossed  the  Tennessee  river  at  Florence, 
Ala.,  2  November,  but  unfortunately  for  the  success  of  the 
expedition,  was  there  held  inactive  until  the  20th  waiting 
for  supplies. 

At  Columbia,  Tenn.,  28  November,  the  regiment  led  the 
advance  of  S.  D.  Lee's  Corps  on  the  Mount  Pleasant  pike, 
pushing  vigorously  the  retiring  enemy,  and  on  entering  the 
town,  was  ordered  to  seize  the  fort  overlooking  it,  the  block 
house  enclosed  being  on  fire,  and  the  small  arms  ammunition 
therein  keeping  up  a  rattling  explosion.  The  men,  without 
orders  and  with  the  indifference  to  danger  that  so  often  char- 
acterized them,  carried  out  the  boxes  of  ammunition,  some  of 
them  blazing,  and  the  fire  was  soon  subdued. 

The  town  had  been  in  the  possession  of  the  enemy  for 
nearly  two  years,  and  the  ladies  were  overjoyed  to  see  the 
Southern  Army,  to  which  they  were  so  loyal,  and  in  which 
served  so  many  of  their  relatives  and  friends.  Our  Tennes- 
see brigadier  rode  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  the  writer 
seeing  him  dismounted  and  affectionately  embraced  by 
females  of  all  ages,  congratulated  him  on  meeting  so  many 
"kinfolks."  He  said  it  was  his  misfortune  not  to  be  ac- 
quainted with  any  of  them.  The  scattering  shots  of  the  skir- 
mishers did  not  check  the  ovation. 

The  regiment  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Silver,  with  the 
prisoners  it  had  captured  and  others  sent  to  it  (altogether 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  439 

about  1,700),  was  left  as  garrison  for  the  fort  and  town,  and 
thus  missed  the  bloody  battles  at  Franklin  and  Nashville, 
and  later  on  Hood's  disastrous  retreat,  by  being  ordered  14 
December  to  Corinth,  ]\Iiss.,  with  the  prisoners. 

At  Corinth,  relieved  of  the  prisoners,  it  was  sent  26  De- 
cember to  Okalona  to  drive  off  a  cavalry  raid  which  had  cut 
the  railroad  near  that  point. 

On  the  return  of  the  remnant  of  Hood's  army  to  Tupelo, 
Miss.,  the  regiment  rejoined  the  brigade,  now  very  small,  and 
with  it  moved  by  rail  to  Branchville,  S.  C,  and  4  February 
again  confronted  Sherman.  IvTumerous  skirmishes  occurred 
at  the  various  crossings  of  I^^orth  and  South  Edisto,  in  all 
cases  the  enemy  being  repulsed,  only  to  find  unoccupied  or 
undefended  points  above  or  below  at  which  they  crossed. 
The  brigade  reached  the  vicinity  of  Columbia  14  February, 
1865,  and  was  greatly  disappointed  in  finding  there  no  im- 
portant reinforcements.  The  regiment  had  the  post  of  honor 
as  rear  guard,  and  held  the  south  bank  of  the  Congaree  until 
the  morning  of  the  16th,  when  it  was  withdrawn  and  the 
bridge  burned.  On  the  16th  the  brigade  picketed  the  river 
bank,  with  its  reserves  in  the  nearest  streets,  receiving  the 
fire  of  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  which  it  was  not  permitted  to 
return.  The  enemy,  nevertheless,  threw  shells  into  the  town, 
several  of  them  striking  the  capitol,  wliere  their  marks  may 
still  be  seen.  The  following  night  the  brigade  moved  to  near 
the  forks  of  the  Broad  and  Saluda  to  prevent  the  crossing  of 
the  enemy  until  trains  could  be  taken  out  of  the  city,  and  on 
the  17th  began  its  march.  Leaving  the  railroad  at  Black- 
stocks  and  fording  the  Catawba  at  Landsford,  the  brigade 
reached  Charlotte  on  23  February,  from  which  point  a  week 
later  it  moved  by  rail  to  Smithfield  Station  (now  Selma), 
where  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston,  reinstated  in  command, 
was  endeavoring  to  concentrate  his  small  army. 

The  men  thinly  clad,  carrying  each  a  single  blanket,  with- 
out tents,  and  most  of  the  time  with  scant  rations,  passed 
the  severe  Avinter  of  ]864-'65  in  active  field  service.  In  the 
prime  of  life,  active,  cheerful  and  full  of  fun,  living  in  the 
open  air  the  year  round,  a  great  part  of  the  time  on  the  march, 
the  men  became  inured  to  hardships  and  the  winter's  cold. 


440  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

and  complaints  of  suffering  from  exposure  to  the  weather 
were  rarely  lieard.  The  question  of  rations  gave  them  more 
concern.  All  of  this  applies  also  to  the  field  and  company 
officers,  who  were  equally  exposed  with  the  private  soldiers. 

In  the  transfer  of  the  brigade  to  the  East,  the  horses  of  the 
field  and  staff  officers  were  left  with  the  wagon  trains  in 
Mississippi,  and  only  rejoined  the  command,  then  near 
Smithfield,  about  the  first  of  April — all  officers,  the  General 
and  one  or  two  members  of  his  staff  excepted,  marching 
through  South  Carolina,  and  to  and  from  Bentonville  on  foot. 
Wading  the  broad  Catawba  in  February  did  not  dampen  or 
cool  the  ardor  of  the  men,  and  no  officer  of  the  regiment  dis- 
graced himself  by  attempting  to  shun  the  swift,  icy  current. 

A  portion  of  the  Army  of  Tennessee  in  detached  commands 
arrived,  and  on  18  Mai-ch,  1865,  General  Johnston  made  a 
forced  march  to  Bentonville,  where  a  concentration  was  ef- 
fected with  Hardee's  Corps  from  Charleston,  Hoke's  Division 
and  other  troops  from  Eastern  North  Carolina.  The  pres- 
ence of  General  Johnston  again  in  command  of  veteran  troops 
ins]:)ircd  tlie  fullest  confidence  in  the  small  army,  which  en- 
gaged in  the  battles  of  the  succeeding  day  in  fine  spirits. 
The  Fifty-eighth,  in  this,  its  last  battle,  numbered  about  300 
effectives.  The  brigade  (Palmer's)  was  selected  as  the  direct- 
ing column  for  the  Army  of  Tennessee  in  the  assault  on  the 
enemy's  line.  The  charge  was  made  with  great  spirit  and 
dash,  and  I  lie  ciuMuy  entrenched  and  with  a  high  fence  built 
in  their  front,  gave  way  before  inflicting  great'  loss  on  their 
assailants.  Tn  the  pursuit  which  followed,  two  pieces  of 
artillery.  liiiil>criiig  \\itli  all  haste  to  tlu^  rear,  were  captured 
anil  driven  back  into  our  lines  with  their  teams  complete. 
In  running  down  and  taking  the  guns  some  of  the  artillery- 
men were  shot  wliilc  on  the  chests,  and  th(>  old  ]u'ue  field  Avas 
strewn  witli  blankets,  provisions  and  plunder  of  all  sorts 
thrown  away  by  the  flying  foe. 

The  rapid  pursuit  over  fences  and  a  deep  i-nvine  so  scatter- 
ed the  attacking  enliuini  that  n  halt  was  madi^  to  reform — 
this  a  half  a  mile  or  more  beyoml  the  entrenchments  charged, 
and  there  was  not  an  enemy  in  sight  nor  a  gim  nearby  being 
firecl.     Before  the  line  was  completely  adjusted  the  reserves 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  441 

came  up  in  splendid  order.  Pettns'  Brigade  before  in  sup- 
port of  Palmer  now  took  the  advance,  and  in  a  short  time 
struck  the  enemy  reinforced  in  a  new  position.  Our  lines 
having  become  too  short  for  the  circle  so  extended  by  pushing 
back  the  enemy,  most  of  the  regiments  of  Palmer's  Brigade 
were  prouiptly  moved  up  to  fill  the  gaps  in  the  front  line, 
which  was  now  in  the  thick  pine  woods. 

The  Fifty-eighth  ISForth  Carolina  on  the  left  of  the  brigade, 
under  the  direction  of  a  staff  officer,  was  moved  up  in  sup- 
port of  and  close  to  the  front  line,  here  facing  south,  and 
at  the  time  hotly  engaged.  Firing  was  also  going  on  on  the 
right,  extending  partly  to  the  rear,  but  not  so  near,  and  a  bat- 
tery of  artillery  kept  up  a  most  aggravating  enfilade  fire 
over  the  regiment,  which  would  have  made  the  position  ex- 
tremely uncomfortable  if  the  gunners  had  slightly  depressed 
their  pieces.  As  it  was,  very  little  could  be  seen  for  the 
smoke  which  filled  the  woods,  and  the  ground  gently  rising 
toward  the  battery,  their  shells  for  an  hour  flew  almost  harm- 
lessly through  the  timber  some  ten  feet  or  more  overhead,  and 
most  of  them  burst  in  rear.  The  incident  following  will 
give  some  idea  of  the  situation.  The  brigadier,  very  shortly 
after  the  regiment  had  reached  the  spot,  rode  up  and  asked, 
"Which  is  the  right  of  your  regiment  ?"  A  strange  question 
from  such  a  source  at  such  a  time  the  writer  thought,  but 
surprise  was  turned  into  amazement  when  the  reply  was 
quickly  followed  by  the  command:  "Major,  countermarch 
your  regiment."  It  seemed  just  a  little  unnecessary  to  re- 
mind him  that  the  regiment  was  already  facing  the  enemy, 
who  was  close  at  hand,  and  being  heard  to  that  effect  in  a 
most  convincing  sort  of  way.  The  Major,  however,  did  pre- 
sume to  say  as  much,  only  to  hear,  "Yes,  I  know,  but  I  want 
you  to  look  after  these  fellows  over  here,"  pointing  over  his 
shoulder  to  our  rear  and  right.  The  regiment  was  accord- 
ingly countermarched,  halted  on  the  spot  and  fronted — this 
time  facing  north,  or  opposite  to  the  direction  we  had  just 
before  faced — dressed  on  a  line  of  guides  a  little  oblique  to 
the  original  line  and  the  men  ordered  to  lie  down  for  shel- 
ter ;  General  Palmer  the  meanwhile  quietly  seated  on  his 
horse   apparently   unconscious   that   anything   unusual   was 


442  North  Carolina  Troops,   ]861-'65. 

going  on,  thongh  musket  balls  were  flying  pretty  thick,  and 
some  of  the  enemy's  shells  must  have  passed  near  his  head. 
After  witnessing  this  singular  manoeuver,  and  leaving  the 
Fifty-eighth  Regiment  "to  look  after  those  fellows"  as  or- 
dered, the  general  leisurely  rode  off  to  some  other  part  of  his 
brigade  on  the  front  line,  where  the  business  in  hand  was 
not  so  dull  and  uninteresting.     He  did  not  have  far  to  go. 

The  slender  line  without  earthworks  that  so  nearly  en- 
circled our  position,  held  its  ground  against  repeated  assaults 
of  the  enemy  in  heavy  force  until  8  o'clock  at  night,  when 
the  firing  ceased,  and  at  midniglit  tlic  array  resumed  the  posi- 
tion of  the  morning. 

A  more  remarkable  experience  befell  a  detachment  of 
Tennesseeans  of  the  brigade.  In  filling  a  gap  in  the  front 
line  as  stated.  Colonel  Searcey  in  command,  found  a  flank  of 
the  enemy  which  he  proceeded  at  once  to  turn  and  attack  in 
reverse.  Before  the  movement,  wliicli  was  being  success- 
fully acciomplished,  had  proceeded  very  far,  liowevcr,  a  Fed- 
eral reserve  ap])eared,  closed  the  gap  and  cut  off  the  return 
of  the  Colonel  with  a  part  of  his  command.  The  detachment 
thus  cut  oft'  made  its  way  successfully  through  Shemian's 
lines  and  near  his  trains,  capturing  as  they  went  an  officer 
and  forty  men,  to  whom  they  were  in  tlie  act  of  surrender- 
ing, but,  discovering  the  small  opposing  force,  the  Tennessee- 
ans seized  the  guns  which  had  been  thrown  down  and  com- 
pelled the  surrender  of  their  would-be  captors.  The  detach- 
ment marched  with  their  prisoners  through  the  woods  and 
over  obscure  roads  to  Raleigh,  and  rejoined  the  brigade  near 
Smithfield  ten  days  after  the  battle,  greatly  to  the  surprise 
and  delight  of  tlioii-  friends,  who  were  ready  to  give  them 
up  as  lost. 

The  restoration  of  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston  to  the  com- 
mand gave  great  confidence  to  the  Army  of  Tennessee,  and 
the  forward  movement,  as  was  generally  the  case,  put  the 
men  in  fine  spirits  and  willing  to  attempt  any  duty  that  he 
would  require  of  them.  In  illustration  of  the  faith  of  the 
men  in  their  chief:  two  days  after  the  principal  battle,  when 
Shenuan's  cavalry  came  so  near  seizing  ihc  bridge^  in  the 
rear,    tlie    firing   attracted    attention,    and    soini^    (uu^    asking 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  443 

"what  that  fire  in  rear  of  the  army  meant,"  the  reply  came 
promptly  from  the  ranks  of  the  Fifty-eighth  in  the  most  un- 
concerned manner,  "Don't  be  uneasy,  my  son.  Old  Joe  has 
a  wagon  train  back  there  some  where,  and  there  is  no  danger 
where  HIT  is."  The  general  had  well  earned  in  the  At- 
lanta campaign  a  reputation  for  taking  care  of  his  trains; 
but  for  the  opportune  arrival  here  of  Henderson's  little  bri- 
gade of  Stevenson's  Division,  en  route  for  the  army,  his  pres- 
tige in  that  particular,  and  perhaps  in  some  others,  might 
have  been  lost,  together  with  our  "spider  wagons"  and  ord- 
nance trains. 

Referring  to  the  published  account  of  this  incident  Gen- 
eral Johnston  wrote  11  January,  1888,  to  the  undersigned  : 

"The  newspaper  slip  containing  your  article  on  Palmer's 
Brigade  at  Bentonville  and  the  letter  accompanying  it  were 
duly  received,  but  at  a  time  when  press  of  business  compelled 
me  to  postpone  compliance  with  your  request. 

"I  do  not  think,  as  you  do,  that  the  part  taken  by  Cum- 

ming's  Brigade,  then  commanded  by  Colonel  Henderson,  was 

a  matter  of  luck.     That  Brigade  was  a  part  of  at  least  1,000 

men  that  joined  us  from  Charlotte  that  morning,  and  was 

made  one  of  four  little  reserves,  and  was  the  nearest  one  to  the 

point  of  attack  on  the  Federal  division,  in  which  part  of 

Hampton's  and  all  of  Wheeler's  cavalry  joined — defeating 

that  division  in  a  few  minutes — before  Taliaferro's  Division 

and  the  three  other  reserves  had  a  chance  to  join  in  the  action. 

They  were  on  the  way  to  the  place  when  it  occurred.     They 

and  all  of  our  cavalry  made  the  wagons  you  mention  quite 

safe,   for  they  were  fully   able  to  dispose  of  one  Federal 

division." 

********** 

The  letter  shows  that  the  General  was  neither  surprised 
nor  unprepared  in  this  encounter,  and  the  old  veteran's  com- 
placent feeling  of  trust  and  confidence  in  his  chief  was  not 
misplaced. 

Tn  the  list  of  the  killed  was  the  name  of  a  young  recimit, 
Augustin  Greeen,  from  Watauga  county,  who  came  from  his 
home  to  the  Fifty-eighth  Regiment  the  day  before  the  battle. 
In  the  ranks  near  this  unfortunate  man  marched  a  veteran  of 


444  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

the  Mexican  war  and  of  the  gi'eat  Civil  War.  The  one  was 
taken  and  the  other  left.  The  old  veteran  came  out  of  both 
wars  unscathed,  and  still  living  (1901),  draws  a  pension  for 
serAdce  in  Mexico. 

The  following  extract  is  from  General  Order  of  Major- 
General  Stevenson  23  March,  1865,  relating  to  the  part  taken 
by  the  regiment  in  the  battle  of  Bentonville : 

"Never  was  more  dash  and  gallantry  displayed  than  was 
exhibited  by  Palmer's  Brigade  in  their  successful  assaults 
upon  the  breastworks  of  the  enemy." 

General  Palmer,  who  is  since  dead,  in  a  letter  to  the  under- 
signed, in  1888,  says: 

"The  orders  published  by  me  at  the  time  will  show  and 
it  now  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  repeat  that  the  Fifty-eighth 
and  Sixtieth  North  Carolina  Regiments  in  this  engagement 
behaved  with  distinguished  gallantry,  and  won  for  them- 
Sfclves  a  merited  fame,  which  will  last  as  long  as  the  liistoric 
fields  of  Bentonville,  will  appear  on  the  pages  and  in  the 
annals  still  to  be  written  of  this  grand  old  State,  on  whose  soil 
her  native  sons  have  achieved  such  splendid  distinction." 

On  22  March  the  army  was  withdrawn  to  the  railroad  near 
Smithfield.  While  encamped  here  the  Anny  oi  Tennessee 
was  reorganized,  and  companies,  regiments  and  brigades,  all 
now  very  small,  were  consolidated.  The  Fifty-eighth  and 
Sixtieth  T\egiments  were  designated  as  the  Fifty-eighth  and 
Sixtieth  North  Carolina  battalion,  with  Lieut. -Col.  Thaddeus 
M.  Colcinan  and  Major  G.  W.  F.  Har[:)er  as  field  officers. 

The  army  under  General  Jolmston  marched  10  April  from 
Smithfield  via  Raleigh,  and  on  the  16th  encamped  at  Greens- 
boro. Here  the  regiment  was  selected  as  a  guard  for  the 
large  accumulation  of  North  Carolina  quartermaster's  stores, 
a  duty  that  was  faithfully  discharged,  the  men  being  practi- 
cally exempt  from  the  demoralization  which  the  pending  sur- 
render so  generally  developed.  At  Greensboro  tlie  regiment 
was  paid  in  Mexican  silver  dollars — one  dolLu'  nnd  fourten 
cents  to  each  officer  and  enlisted  man  present. 

There  being  no  means  of  making  change  for  the  cents,  the 
men,  in  groups  of  seven,  drew  for  the  surplus  dollar.  This 
pitiful  amount  was  the  only  payment  received  for  months, 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  445 

and  was  the  first  coin  seen  by  many  of  the  men  during  the 
war.  General  Johnston's  General  Order  ISTo.  18,  announc- 
ing the  surrender  of  the  army,  was  received  27  April. 
The  paroles  were  received  2  May  and  distributed  to  the 
regiment,  which  immediately,  as  an  organized  body,  marched 
to  Statesville,  where  it  disbanded — some  marching  to 
their  homes  in  Ashe  and  Watauga  counties,  the  greater  num- 
ber taking  the  cars  for  Hickory  and  Icard  Station,  the  latter 
then  the  terminus  of  the  railroad. 

In  the  march  from  Greensboro  one-third  or  more  of  the 
men,  by  order,  retained  their  arms  and  forty  rounds  in  the 
cartridge  boxes.  A  small  wagon  carried  a  chest  of  reserve 
ammunition,  a  few  rations,  and  after  caring  for  any  who 
might  be  sick,  the  blankets  of  the  men.  No  excesses  or  dep- 
redations were  committed,  and  the  men  cheerfully  responded 
to  the  orders  of  their  officers,  to  whom,  as  all  knew,  respect 
and  obedience  could  no  longer  be  enforced.  The  conduct  of 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  regiment  in  the  closing  days  of  the  war 
was  in  keeping  with  the  fine  soldierly  qualities  uniformly 
displayed  by  them  throughout  the  long  struggle,  and  reflects 
on  all  high  credit  and  honor.  On  returning  to  their  wasted 
homes,  with  rare  exceptions,  they  proved  themselves  to  be 
model  citizens. 

A  small  fraction  only  of  those  who  went  forth  in  the  sixties 
in  response  to  the  call  of  their  country  now  (1901)  survive — 
the  others  have  joined  the  mighty  and  daily  increasing  host 
beyond  the  dark  river,  and  there  answer  to  the  general  roll 
call  of  the  just  and  unjust. 

Truth  will  rise  in  triumph,  and  impartial  history  will 
surely  tell  to  an  admiring  world  the  story  of  the  heroic  strug- 
gle and  ''how  ye  fell." 

''Rest  on  embalmed  and  sainted  dead." 

"E^or  shall  your  glory  be  forgot 
While  fame  her  record  keeps, 
Or  honor  points  the  hallowed  spot 
Where  valor  proudly  sleeps." 

G.  W.  F.  Harpek. 
Lenoir,  N.  C, 

26  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORIC 

PUBUC  LIBRARY. 


A8T0R,  LENOX  AND 
TILDEN  FOUNDATIONS.      \ 


FIFTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 


*.     E(limin(lKirby.LitMit.-Colonel.(  Killed  4. 
at  CliickainauKa  )  5. 

1.  S.  m.  Silver,  Lieut.  Colonel. 

2.  L.  W.  Gilbert,  Captain,  Co.  n.  G. 

3.  E   H.  Crump,  Serireant,  Co.  H. 
(Severely  wouudeil  at  ChioUaniauga.) 


E.  L.  Moore,  Serpreant,  Co.  ¥.. 

J.  L.  Craijj.  Private,  Co.  H.    (Captured 

18G4,  and  died  in  prison.) 
A.  C.  Craig,  Sergeant,  Co.  II. 


ADDITIONAL    SKETCH    FIFTT-EICiHTH 
REOIHENT. 


By  ISAAC  H.  BAILEY,  Captain  Company  B. 


The  Fifty-eighth  Regiment,  Jno.  B.  Pahner,  Colonel  com- 
manding, was  composed  of  companies  from  the  counties  of 
Mitchell,  Yancej,  McDowell,  Ashe,  Caldwell  and  Watauga. 

Mitchell  County — Company  A,  Colonel  Palmer's  old 
company,  commanded  by  Captain  M.  D.  Wiseman ;  Com- 
pany B,  by  Captain  Isaac  H.  Bailey;  Company  K,  by  Cap- 
tain S.  M.  Silver. 

Yancey — Company  G,  by  Captain  S.  B.  Briggs;  Com- 
pany G,  by  Captain  J.  W.  Peck. 

McDowell — Company  F,  Captain  C.  O.  Conley. 

Caldwell — Company  E,  Captain  A.  T.  Stewart,  and 
Company  H,  Captain  G.  W.  F.  Harper. 

Watauga  and  Ashe — Captain  Geo.  W.  Hopkins,  Com- 
pany M. 

Watauga — ^Company  D,  Captain  B.  F.  Baird ;  and  Com- 
pany I,  Captain  Jno.  A.  Miller. 

Ashe — Company  L,  Captain  W.  Gentry. 

There  were  also  three  companies  of  cavalry.  Do  not  re- 
member where  they  were  from,  except  Captain  J.  Milton 
English's  company,  from  Mitchell.  However,  they  were  all 
from  Western  ISTorth  Carolina.  The  cavalry  companies  were 
transferred  when  the  idea  of  creating  a  legion  was  dropped. 

The  first  general  encampment  of  the  Fifty-eighth  N"orth 
Carolina  was  at  Johnson  City,  Tennessee,  in  the  Spring  of 
1862.  They  were  mustered  into  ser\dce  as  Partizan  Ran- 
gers, but  were  soon  attached  to  the  regular  army,  where  they 
gallantly  submitted  themselves  to  the  orders  of  superior  of- 
ficers of  the  Confederate  Army. 


448  North  Carolina  Troops,   1801-65. 

Their  itineracy  from  Johnson  City,  Tenn.,  \vas  as  fol- 
lows : 

First  to  Bean's  Station,  'I'enn.  ;  thence  to  Ciuiiberland  Gap, 
at  which  place  we  were  at  the  evacuation  of  tlie  Federals. 
From  the  above  place  we  followed  the  Federals  to  near  Per- 
ry ville,  Kentucky,  where  we  joined  General  Bragg.  Shortly 
after  we  returned  to  Tennessee  with  the  amiy.  After  this 
we  were  stationed  for  a  short  time  in  tlie  winter  of  1862  at 
Big  Creek  Gap,  ClintxDu,  London,  and  still  later  at  Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn. ;  and  were  in  Chattanooga  at  the  evacuation  of 
General  Bragg's  army  in  the  direction  of  Chicamauga,  Ga. 

In  Februaiw  and  March,  1863,  the  regiment  was  stationed 
at  Big  Creek  Gap,  Tenn.  In  April,  1863,  the  Fifty-eighth 
and  Sixty-fourth  North  Carolina,  together  with  the  Fifty- 
fifth  Georgia  and  a  battery  of  artillery  composed  a  brigade  at 
Clinton,  Tenn.,  commanded  by  Colonel  John  B.  Palmer.  On 
31  July,  1863,  tins  same  brigade  under  General  J.  W.  Fra- 
zer,  was  at  Bell's  Bridge,  Tenn. 

The  writer  had  been  ordered  to  Richmond  for  supplies  for 
the  Fifty-eighth  North  Carolina,  consequently  does  not  know 
all  of  the  moves  of  the  army  before  the  important  battle  of 
Chicamauga.  Leaving  the  main  army  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn., 
he  was  cut  off  from  his  return  by  way  of  East  Tennessee  by 
the  Federal  anuy  having  taken  possession  of  the  State.  So 
he  had  to  return  through  North  and  South  Carolina,  and 
found  his  command  at  LaFayette  18  September,  1863. 

It  was  here  that  General  Bragg  called  his  army  around 
him,  telling  them  how  he  had  retreated  from  Chattanooga, 
and  how  often  he  had  offered  the  enemy  battle,  and  that  they 
had  always  failed  to  make  the  attack,  and  now  had  retired  be- 
fore him  at  all  points.  "We  shall  now  turn  on  the  enemy  in 
the  direction  of  Chattanooga,  where  in  the  providence  of  God 
we  will  lead  the  army  to  victory,  and  some  to  death." 

The  long  dusty  columns  were  drawn  u)),  ready  to  uuirch. 
The  clothes  of  many  of  the  men  were  in  rags,  and  their  feet 
bare;  but  their  faces  were  bright  and  their  bayonets  glitter- 
ing. 

Orders  had  been  issued  that  the  men  were  not  to  cheer,  for 
fear  of  attracting  the  enemy's  attention,  and  the  troops  as 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  449 

they  passed  before  their  generals,  only  took  off  their  ragged 
old  hats  and  waved  them  around  their  heads.  This  silent 
greeting  seemed  to  touch  the  great  generals  greatly. 

The  long  shadows  made  by  the  declining  sun  that  evening 
I  shall  never  forget.  I  will  here  state  that  the  Fifty-eighth 
IS^orth  Carolina  Regiment  Volunteers  belonged  to  Kelley's 
Brigade,  Preston's  Division,  Buckner's  Corps. 

CHICAMAUGA. 

As  we  approached  the  creek  from  LaFayette,  the  enemy 
was  discovered  in  a  large  com  field  on  the  opposite  side.  Our 
regiment,  the  Fifty-eighth  i^orth  Carolina,  together  with 
the  balance  of  the  brigade,  was  put  in  position  immediately 
in  front  of  the  enemy,  and  the  division  formed  in  line  of  bat- 
tle to  the  left.  A  brisk  skirmish  was  kept  up  until  after 
dark,  in  which  a  portion  of  General  Grade's  Brigade  was 
engaged.  We,  the  Fifty-eighth  l^orth  Carolina,  bivouacked 
that  night  in  front  on  the  battlefield  (corn  field)  and  without 
fire. 

On  the  morning  of  the  19th,  at  a  very  early  hour,  just  as 
soon  as  you  could  distinguish  the  blue  from  the  gi^ay,  the 
whole  army  was  put  in  position  as  far  as  we  could  see. 

Our  brigade  was  formed  at  the  upper  side  of  a  wheat  field, 
forty  yards  below  the  fence  and  woods  that  ran  parallel  with 
our  division.  After  remaining  in  line  about  forty-five  min- 
utes the  command  was  given:  "Unfurl  your  banners."  At 
this  moment  the  sun  broke  forth,  dispelling  the  fog,  and  as 
our  banners  floated  out  on  the  breeze  the  Federals,  our  enemy, 
General  Boynton's  command  (with  w^hom  I  am  now  ac- 
quainted), commenced  playing  "Yankee  Doodle"  and  to 
move  out  eastward  on  an  almost  parallel  line  with  ours.  Al- 
most immediately  we  were  ordered  to  march  in  a  parallel 
direction,  the  enemy  inclining  to  the  right  and  to  the  left. 

Thirty  years,  one  month  and  four  days  after  this  move. 
General  Boynton,  of  the  Federal  army,  told  me  that  he  im- 
mediately dispatched  to  Lee  and  Gordon's  mills  for  twenty- 
tM'o  pieces  of  artillery,  to  be  turned  on  us  at  once. 

Wliether  it  was  twenty-two  or  thirty-two  there  was  soon  a 
29 


450  North  Carolina  Troops.   18P)1-'65. 

terrible  cannonading  around  us,  but  with  little  damage — 
none  to  the  Fifty-eighth  iS'orth  Carolina.  Very  soon  after 
this  we  captured  a  battery  of  artilleiy  on  a  round  eminence 
in  a  com  field,  and  greatly  hoped  to  get  to  guard  them,  but  by 
the  time  we  had  exchanged  a  few  chews  of  tobacco,  we  were 
ordered  away.  For  the  balance  of  the  day,  with  the  rest  of 
the  brigade,  we  were  held  in  reserve. 

At  about  7  o'clock  Sunday  morning,  the  20th,  the  two 
^flanking  companies,  A  and  B,  commanded  by  Captains  Bailey 
and  Toby,  of  the  Fifty-eighth  ISTorth  Carolina  Volunteers,  to- 
gether with  five  companies  from  the  other  regiments,  were 
put  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Kirby,  of  the 
Fifty-eighth,  and  ordered  in  the  direction  of  Alexander's 
l^ridge  across  the  west  prong  of  Chicamauga  river  as  skir- 
mishers to  feel  the  strength  of  the  enemy  in  that  direction. 

We  proceeded  about  one  and  a  fourth  miles  when  we  came 
to  an  open  field  lying  along  the  Chicamauga  river  some  three 
fourths  of  a  mile  in  length  and  about  the  same  in  breadth. 
AVlion  we  had  gone  nearly  half  way  down  through  tlie  field, 
Ave  could  see  fortifications  all  up  and  down  the  river  the  full 
length  of  the  field  and  about  twenty-five  yards  from  the  river 
bank. 

Notwithstanding  we  knoAv  that  the  enemy  was  behind  the 
breastworks,  we  had  to  advance  to  feel  his  strength.  So  we 
slowly  advanced  until  we  came  to  the  fortifications  of  fence 
rails  leaning  from  our  advance  in  the  direction  of  the  river 
to  where  the  enemy  had  fallen  back  to  and  under  the  bank 
of  the  river  to  draw  us  over,  then  to  fire  on  us  as  we  would 
have  to  retreat  over  the  fortifications  just  passed.  As  soon  as 
the  line  of  skirmishers  had  passed  over  the  fortifications,  the 
enemy  fired  from  their  ranks,  three  or  four  men  deep,  a  most 
galling  and  enfilading  fire  into  our  ranks.  We  had  now  as- 
certained by  sad  and  painful  experience  what  we  had  been 
sent  out  to  do. 

We  were  then  obliged  to  retreat  through  the  rail  fortifi- 
cation upon  the  woods  and  across  the  old  fields  of  broom 
straw  waving  in  the  melancholy  wind,  and  over  a  number  of 
our  most  loved  comrades  left  dead  on  the  field.  One  of 
them,  Thos.  G.  Tipton,  had  just  saved  the  ^vriter's  life. 


Fifty-Eighth   Regimknt.  451 

The  battle  was  raging  furiously  all  the  day  long  from  end 
to  end  of  the  field  and  for  five  or  six  miles  up  and  down  the 
river  of  death  (Chicamauga).  Charge  after  charge  was  made 
by  the  Confederate  and  Federal  lines,  each  in  turn,  while 
the  shells  from  the  opposing  batteries  lumbered  and  burst 
over  our  heads.  At  about  3  :30  p.  m.  we  regained  our  regi- 
ment. 

The  Fifty-eighth  jSTorth  Carolina  Vounteers,  the  Sixty- 
third  Virginia  and  the  Fifth  Kentucky,  in  order  named, 
moved  to  the  front  and  formed  in  line  of  battle,  the  left  rest- 
ing on  the  Chattanooga  road.  The  enemy  occupied  a  range 
of  ridges,  from  which  they  had  repulsed  no  less  than  seven  as- 
saults made  by  our  troops. 

The  approach  to  these  ridges  was  along  spurs  and  where 
ridges  intersected  ridges  and  through  intervening  depres- 
sions or  hollows,  all  more  or  less  wooded,  but  more  open  and 
exposed  opposite  the  right  of  the  brigade.  One  of  the  as- 
saults had  been  male  by  General  Anderson's  brigade.  Before 
we  could  reach  him  in  such  a  way  as  to  successfully  relieve, 
he  had  been  repulsed. 

The  line  being  again  formed,  the  Fifty-eighth  North  Car- 
olina, which  was  on  the  right,  moved  with  steadiness  through 
this  comparatively  open  space  till  the  extreme  right  arrived 
within  ten  or  twelve  feet  of  the  enemy.  The  line  of  the  bri- 
gade formed  with  the  line  of  the  enemy  an  angle  of  perhaps 
83  to  24  degrees,  the  right  of  the  Fifty-eighth  being  at  the 
angle. 

After  exchanging  fire  with  the  enemy  for  about  one  and 
three-fourth  of  an  hour,  we  attempted'  to  dislodge  him  by  as- 
sault, and  for  this  purpose  the  Fifty-eighth  ISTorth  Carolina 
was  transferred  from  the  right  to  the  left  of  the  line,  and 
moved  forward,  swinging  somewhat  to  the  right.  When  we 
arrived  at  the  base  of  the  hill,  the  enemy  was  heard  to  cry: 
"We  surrender!     We  surrender!" 

Coloned  John  H.  Kelly,  Eighth  Arkansas  Regiment,  was 
in  command  of  the  brigade.  He  immediately  stepped  to  the 
front,  two  horses  having  been  shot  from  under  him  within  the 
past  few  minutes,  and  called  upon  the  officer  who  seemed  to 


452  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

be  in  command  and  demanded  that  if  he  proposed  to  surren- 
der he  should  lay  down  his  arms. 

He  came  to  the  front  saying:  ''Wait  a  moment!" 
Kelly  replied :  "No,  sir !  lay  down  your  arms  instantly, 
or  I  will  fire  upon  you,"  and  turned  to  give  his  command,  but 
before  he  could  give  the  command  ready,  the  enemy  poured 
upon  us  a  terrific  fire,  with  a  loud  exclamation:  ''You  are 
firing  upon  your  friends."  Having  discovered  that  no  friends 
were  in  advance,  but  that  it  was  a  most  treacherous  act  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy,  firing  was  continued  with  vigor.  A  deadly 
fire  was,  and  had  been  ever  since  we  came  within  range, 
poured  into  our  ranks  by  the  foe. 

After  a  desperately  contested  fight  from  3 :30  p.  m.  to 
nearly  nightfall,  we  succeeded  in  gaining  the  hill  from  which 
the  enemy  made  three  or  four  unsuccessful  attempts  to  dis- 
lodge us  by  assault.  However,  owing  to  the  conformation  of 
the  ground,  the  Fifty-eighth  North  Carolina  was  exposed  to 
a  galling  fire  from  the  front  and  on  both  flanks,  the  left  flank- 
ing company  being  within  ten  or  twelve  feet  of  the  enemy.  In 
this  action  the  regiment  lost  about  half  of  its  numbers,  by 
official  report  of  Colonel  Kelly,  commanding  the  brigade. 
Company  A,  Captain  Toby,  started  on  the  charge  with  thirty- 
four  muskets  and"  reached  the  top  of  the  hill  with  only  twelve, 
losing  twenty-two.  In  conjunction  with  Colonel  K.  C.  Trigg, 
Fifty-fourth  Virginia,,  commanding  another  brigade,  we  cap- 
tured two  regiments  of  the  enemy,  which  surrendered  to  Col- 
onel Trigg  during  the  temporary  absence  of  Colonel  Kelly, 
commanding  our  brigade.  As  the  column  commenced 
moving  with  the  prisoners  a  volley  was  fired  into  our  ranks 
causing  a  good  deal  of  coufusion,  it  then  being  dark. 
Early  in  the  action  Lieutenant-Colonel  Edmund  Kirby, 
while  gallantly  cheering  his  men,  fell  pierced  by  four  bul- 
lets. Major  Dula  was  wounded  early  in  the  engagement. 
Vol.  .51,  Official  Records  Union  and  Confederate  Armii's, 
p.  Jf-Jfl  Colonel  Palmer,  the  only  field  officer  M-ith  tlie  reg- 
iment, was  here  wounded,  but  still  continued  in  com- 
mand, with  his  senior  Captain,  Isaac  H.  Bailey,  to  aid  him 
as  Major  and  Lieutenant-Colonel,  after  which  Captain 
Bailey  fell  almost  mortally  wounded,  left  leg  broken,  shot 


Fifty-Eighth  Regiment.  453 

through  the  right  side  and  one  ear  almost  severed  from 
his  head  Thirteen  commissioned  officers,  including  the 
Adjutant,  had  been  killed  and  wounded ;  two-thirds  of  the 
right  flanking  company,  Captain  Toby's,  having  been  killed 
and  wounded,  and  about  seven-tenths  of  the  left  flanking 
company,  Captain  Bailey's. 

Arrangements  having  been  made  to  replenish  our  supply 
of  ammunition,  we  went  into  bivouac  and  rested  for  the  night, 
on  the  hill  which  the  Fifty-eighth,  together  with  the  remain- 
der of  the  brigade,  had  so  gallantly  won,  fighting  against  a 
superior  force,  posted  in  an  apparently  impreg-nable  position. 
We  moved  steadily  forward,  beat  and  captured  many  of  the 
enemy,  and  slept  in  his  "stronghold."  Whether  you  may  call 
it  whipping  them  or  not,  there  was  not  a  Federal  to  be  found 
within  thirteen  miles  of  us  by  next  morning  who  was  at  all 
able  to  get  away. 

The  roll  of  honor  of  the  regiment  at  this  battle  published 
in  general  orders,  was  as  follows: 

Company  A,  Sergeant  Wm.  A.  Vance;  Company  B,  Pri- 
vate William  F.  Bradshaw ;  Company  C,  Sergeant  John 
Hughes ;  Company  D,  Private  Braxton  Cox ;  Company  E, 
Private,  W.  N.  Pender  (killed)  ;  Company  G,  Private  C. 
Gentry ;  Company  F,  Private  George  Jarrett ;  Company  H, 
Private  W.  P.  Bumgarner ;  Company  I,  Sergeant  John  Egg- 
ers  (killed)  ;  Company  K,  Sergeant  P.  H.  Duncan;  Company 
L,  Private  M.  Harrel. 

As  all  of  the  Fifty-eighth  N^orth  Carolina  did  their  duty  so 
well  it  seems  useless  to  make  particular  mention  of  any  one; 
yet,  I  cannot  refrain  mentioning  in  a  special  manner  Ebbin 
Childs,  Colonel  Palmer's  orderly,  whose  smooth  girlish  face 
I  see  before  me  now,  and  whose  bright  sword  flashed  for  the 
last  time  in  the  rays  of  the  setting  sun,  as  he  fell  within 
twenty  steps  of  the  enemy's  line.  His  beardless  face  ablaze 
with  the  animation  of  battle,  and  his  youthful  figure  trans- 
formed into  a  hero's  statue.  The  dry  parched  earth  of  Snod- 
grass  Hill  was  never  reddened  with  nobler  blood,  and  a  braver 
man  or  boy  never  died.  The  regiment  marched  with  the 
army  from  Chicamauga  to  Missionary  Ridge. 

From  April  to  July,  1864,  the  regiment  was  in  A.  W.  Rey- 


454  North  Carolina  Troops,  1801-65. 

nold's  Brigade,  which  in  August  was  temporarily  commanded 
by  Colonel  Wash.  M.  Plardy,  of  the  Sixtieth  North  Carolina ; 
then  with  Hood  on  his  march  to  Nashville  and  return.  Then 
at  the  battles  of  Cassville,  Savannah,  and  the  hard-fought  bat- 
tle of  Averasboro,  N.  C,  on  16  March,  1865.  On  19-21 
March  at  Bentonville,  the  last  battle  ever  fought  by  our  war- 
worn soldiers,  it  was  a  part  of  General  Jos.  B.  Palmer's  Bri- 
gade and  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Silver,  fought 
with  its  accustomed  valor.  On  9  April,  1865,  the  Fifty- 
eighth  and  Sixtieth  consolidated  into  one  regiment,  Avere 
commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thad.  Coleuian,  and 
belonged  to  Brantley's  Brigade,  D.  H.  Hill's  Division,  S. 
D.  Lee's  Corps,  in  the  Army  of  the  West,  then  stationed  near 
Smithfield,  N.  C.  This  is  their  last  report  (Official  Records 
Uiiion  and  Confederate  Ar-mies,  Vol.  98,  p.  106 Jf.)  and  as 
General  Johnston  began  his  last  retreat  10  April,  they  were 
probably  thus  surrendered.  The  army  passed  through  Ral- 
eigh 12  April  and  were  near  High  Point  when  surrendered 
26  April.  They  were  paroled  2  May,  1865,  the  fragment  of 
an  ever  glorious  regiment  and  true  to  the  last.  Gallant, 
noble,  battle-scarred  veterans  who  had  breasted  the  storm  in 
each  of  these  battles,  and  the  intervening  skirmishes.  Now 
and  hereafter  the  question  may  be  asked,  why  we  did  not  suc- 
ceed ?  The  answer  is :  They  who  justly  deserve  success, 
do  not  always  win  it.  Braver  men  never  fought  or  died, 
but  overpowering  numbers  and  munitions  of  war  were 
against  us. 

Isaac  H.  Bailey. 

Bakersville,  N.  C, 

26  April,  1901. 


IFUEUC  LlBRi^RY- 

A8T0R.  LENOK   AND 


FIFTY-NINTH  KEOIMKNT. 

1.     Jos.  B.  Cherry,  Captain,  Co.  F.  3.     D.  W.  Lewis,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  D. 

'i.     Lewis  B.  SultoB,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  F.  4.     .1.  M.  Wright,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  A. 


FIFTY-NINTH  REGIMENT. 

(fourth  cavalry.) 


By  W.  p.   SHAW,  Second  Lieutenant  Company  D. 


It  may  be  questioned  if  in  the  entire  range  of  our 
thought,  there  can  be  found  any  object  more  deserving  of  the 
highest  admiration,  and  more  worthy  of  the  lasting  gratitude, 
of  the  people  of  the  South  than  the  true  Confederate  soldier, 
or  if  there  can  be  found  any  cause  more  worthy  of  the  his- 
torian's patient  labor  than  an  honest  and  earnest  effort  to 
keep  fresh  and  green  the  memory  of  his  patriotic  devotion 
to  his  country  and  home,  together  with  his  invincible  valor 
so  eminently  displayed  through  the  four  long  years  of  self 
sacrificing  hardships  and  bloody  strife  of  the  Civil  War. 
"Truly  no  dark  ingratitude  should  ever  overshadow  the  cher- 
ished memory  of  our  gallant  dead,  whose  manly  forms  rent 
and  mangled  by  shot  and  shell,  pierced  by  the  bayonet's 
thrust,  or  borne  down  by  the  sabre  stroke,  fell  upon  the  bloody 
battlefield,  or  wasted  and  died,  in  the  hospital  and  the  camp, 
of  gaping  wovmds  or  burning  fever."  Yet  little  has  been 
done  to  preserve  from  oblivion  and  forgetfulness  the  gal- 
lant deeds,  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  duty  of  those  true 
sons  of  jS^orth  Carolina,  who  so  bravely  stood  for  "the  Lost 
Cause,"  and  how  rapidly  the  glorious  deeds  of  our  heroes  are 
fading  from  our  memory  is  made  more  apparent  as  we  look 
about  us  for  published  data  and  the  record  of  the  glorious 
deeds  done  by  the  soldiers  of  our  State.  Especially  is  this 
true,  as  we  look  for  historic  records  of  separate  regiments  and 
commands.  And  now  since  time  has  kept  his  steady,  restless 
and  unbroken  march,  year  after  year,  until  more  than  an  en- 
tire age  has  passed  between  us  and  the  events  we  would  put 
on  record,  we  find  many  of  the  scenes  and  incidents  once  so 
clear  to  our  memory,  so  vivid  in  our  minds,  "fast  becoming 
a  tangled  web  and  in  some  instances  they  have  already  be- 
come a  confusing  maze." 


456  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Ti'ulv  this  is  so  as  regards  the  writer  and  the  part  borne 
in  the  bloody  strife,  by  the  Fifty-ninth  Regiment  of  North 
Carolina  Troops  (the  Fourth  Cavalry)  with  reference  tx) 
which  he  would  write. 

This  regiment  was  organized  at  Garysburg,  X.  C,  in  the 
summer  of  1862.  Colonel  Dennis  D.  Ferebee,  of  Camden 
county,  whose  commission  as  Colonel  bore  date  10  August, 

1862,  was  its  first  commander.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  edu- 
cation and  polish,  having  graduated  at  our  State  University 
in  188!).  He  read  law  under  Judge  Gaston  at  New  Bern, 
but  never  entered  actively  in  the  practice,  preferring  the  life 
of  a  planter.  He  frequently  held  civil  office  and  several 
times  represented  his  county  in  State  legislation.  Though 
not  possessing  military  training,  yet  he  was  in  many  respects 
a  good  organizer  of  men.'  He  w^as  careful  and  neat  in  dress 
and  had  great  respect  for  law  and  order.  It  is  related  that 
Governor  Swain  once  said  of  him,  when  at  college,  that  he 
was  more  regular  than  the  college  bell.  As  an  officer  he  was 
faitliful  and  bi'ave.  After  the  war  lie  lived  many  years  at 
his  honu'  in  the  cdunty  of  Camden,  and  died  greatly  respected 
and  a(hnived  by  his  friends  and  countrymen. 

Lieut(mant-Colonel  (^'antwell,  of  the  city  of  Wilmington, 
was  the  second  officer  in  command.  He  had  seen  service  in 
the  war  with  ]\Iexico,  and  seldom  has  the  flag  of  any  army 
waved  over  a  braver  soldier.      At  ]\li(ldlel)urg  on  18  June, 

1863,  at  llie  head  of  a  detachment  of  his  regnment,  after 
fiercely  contesting  every  inch  of  gTound  witli  a  force  several 
times  larger  than  his  own,  he  stood  up  urging  his  men  not  to 
yield,  until  surrouncU^d  and  overpow^ered,  his  sword  was 
snatched  from  his  hand  and  he  was  made  a  ])risoner. 

J.  M.  Mayo,  of  Edgecombe  county,  wlio  luul  been  severely 
Avounde<l  and  promoted  for  gallantry  in  the  ariillery  service, 
was  assigned  to  tlie  i-egiment  as  its  ]\lajor.  He  was  a  young 
officer  of  great  bra\('ry  and  dash,  and  while  leading  a  charge 
of  a  squadron  of  liis  regiment  through  the  streets  of  Upper- 
vill(\  on  21  June,  1863,  was  captured  and  ii('\(m-  returned  to 
his  regiment,  liaving  been  held  a  prisoner  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  The  Adjutant  of  the  regiment  was  T.  J.  Moore,  of 
Mecklenburg.      Aftci-  the  war  he  siiulicd  nic(]i('ine  and  prac- 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  457 

ticed  his  profession  in  Kichmond,  where  he  died  a  few  years 
since  highly  respected  and  honored  by  his  many  friends. 

The  surgical  department  of  the  regiment  at  its  organization 
was  well  and  ably  represented  by  Dr.  John  W.  Hutchins,  of 
Hertford  county,  and  Dr.  J.  W.  Sessoms,  of  the  adjoining 
county  of  Bertie.  Later  Dr.  James  Mitchie  was  surgeon, 
with  Drs.  Eaves  and  Barnes  assistants.  Captain  W.  D.  Hol- 
loinan,  of  Hertford  county,  was  Assistant  Quartermaster  and 
but  few  regiments  had  a  better  officer  in  this  department  of 
the  service,  while  Captain  R.  B.  Gaddy,  who  was  selected  to 
write  a  sketch  of  the  regiment,  but  who  passed  away  and 
joined  his  comrades  beyond  the  river  without  completing  his 
work,  was  its  efficient  Commissary.  With  this  reference  to 
the  field  and  staff  officers,  it  occurs  to  the  writer  that  notice 
of  the  different  companies  composing  the  regiment  will  be 
next  in  order  and  he  will  name  them  in  their  regular  alpha- 
betical order: 

(Company  A — L.  A.  Johnson,  Captain;  G.  D.  Sibley,  First 
Lieutenant;  J.  M.  Wall,  J.  P.  Kincall,  J.  M.  Wright,  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants ;  all  of  Anson  county. 

Company  B — James  T.  Mitchell,  Captain ;  E.  Brock  Hol- 
den.  First  Lieutenant ;  Henry  S.  Thaxton,  Robert  T.  Jones, 
Second  Lieutenants ;  all  of  Caswell  county. 

Company  C — R.  M.  Mclntyre,  Captain;  J.  H.  Blood- 
worth,  First  Lieutenant ;  Jesse  Wilder,  R.  B.  Rhodes,  Second 
Lieutenants ;  all  of  New  Hanover  county. 

Company  D — ^William  Sharp,  Captain,  Hertford  county; 
Thos.  Ruffin,  First  liieutenant,  Bertie  county ;  D.  W.  Lewis, 
and  W.  P.  Shaw,  Second  Lieutenants,  Hertford  county. 

Company"  E — John  Y.  Bryce,  Captain,  Mecklenburg 
county ;  Robert  Gadd,  First  Lieutenant,  and  William  Bryce 
Second  Lieutenant,  both  of  Cabarrus  county. 

Company  F — ^Joseph  B.  Cherry,  Captain ;  George  0. 
Cherry,  First  Lieutenant;  Louis  B.  Sutton  and  Charles  W. 
Speller,  Junior  Second  Lieutenants ;  all  of  Bertie  county. 

Company  G — Demosthenes  Bell,  Captain ;  Stephen  P. 
Wilson,  First  Lieutenant;  Isaac  N.  Tillett  and  J.  B.  Lee, 
Second  Lieutenants ;  all  of  Currituck  county. 

Company  H — Arthur  Barnes,  Captain ;  S.  P.  Clark,  Cap- 


458  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

tain;  M.  M.  Williams,  First  Lieutenant;  Wm.  C.  Terrell, 
Second  l^ieutenant,  all  of  Wilson  county. 

Company  T — J.  O.  Cherry,  Captain ;  G.  D.  Ward,  Cap- 
tain, both  of  Bertie  county ;  C.  C.  Lovejoy,  First  Lieu- 
tenant, Wake  county ;  M.  Bond,  Second  Lieutenant,  Cleve- 
land county. 

Company  K — James  V.  Sauls,  Captain;  Wm.  Vann,  First 
Lieutenant;  Dallas  M.  Beal,  Second  Licntonant;  all  of 
Northampton  county. 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  war  Company  I  was  commanded 
by  Captain  G.  D.  Ward,  a  gallant  officer,  who  was  severely 
wounded  near  Petersburg,  and  who  Avas  in  command  of  the 
regiment  at  Gettysburg. 

Companies  I  and  K  were  transferred  to  the  regiment  from 
the  Twelfth  Battalion  of  Cavalry  which,  under  command  of 
Major  S.  J.  Wheeler,  had  rendered  service  along  the  Chowan, 
and  had  met  the  enemy  in  their  advance  on  Jackson,  N.  C. 

on  the  blackwater. 

Shortly  after  the  organization  of  the  regiment  it  was  or- 
dered to  Franklin,  ^"irginia,  and  saw  its  first  actual  service 
along  the  Blackwater  and  upper  Chowan  rivers,  making  fre- 
quent reconnoissance  in  the  country  beyond  the  river  in  the 
direction  of  Suffolk,  then  strongly  garrisoned  by  Federal 
troops  and  almost  daily  picket  firing  and  skirmish  fighting 
with  detachments  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  were  kept  up  with 
occasional  losses  in  killed  and  wounded  on  either  side.  In 
the  skirmishes  Companies  A  and  B  took  an  active  part.  At 
this  time,  the  Federal  grmboats  which  had  frequented  our 
waters  since  the  fall  of  Koanoke  Island,  had  become  bold  and 
defiant  and  were  making  occasional  trips  up  our  smaller 
streams,  throwing  shot  and  shell  on  either  side  as  they  ad- 
vanced. With  a  view  of  shelling  our  camps  and  driving 
away  the  troops  located  near  Franklin,  several  boats  made  a 
trip  up  the  Blackwater  river,  near  the  town,  when  Lieutenant 
Tbomas  Ruffin  marched  his  company  down  to  the  edge  of  the 
narrow  river  and  then  stationing  his  men  behind  trees  and 
bushes  awaited  the  coming  of  the  foremost  steamer,  which 
was  soon  abreast  of  them,  when  a  sharp  volley  of  rifle  shot. 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.     .  459 

poinded  into  the  pilot  house  and  other  exposed  parts  of  the 
steamer,  quickly  drove  the  pilot  from  the  wheel  and  the  men 
from  the  deck,  rendering  the  steamer  powerless  to  move,  or 
her  men  to  work  the  guns  and  her  capture  seemed  to  be  as- 
sured until  other  steamers  coming  up  near  began  to  drop  shot 
and  sliell  by  her  side  where  Lieutenant  Ruffin  and  his  men 
were  stationed,  forcing  them  to  retire  with  a  loss  of  a  few 
men  wounded.  The  reported  loss  of  killed  and  wounded  on 
board  the  steamer  was  quite  heavy.  However  this  may  have 
been,  the  gunboats  from  this  time  ceased  to  make  their  runs 
up  our  narrow  rivers. 

FOSTEK''s   RAID. 

Early  in  the  month  of  December,  1862,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  make  a  forced  march  to  Goldsboro  to  meet  an  ex- 
pected attack  of  the  Federal  forces,  under  General  Foster, 
on  that  town.  The  object  of  General  Foster's  advance  being 
to  cut  the  line  of  communication  between  Richmond  and  the 
States  south  of  this  point.  Foster's  forces  consisted  of  five 
brigades  of  infantry  with  reinforcements  of  artillery  and  cav- 
alry, and  was  much  greater  than  any  force  which  could  have 
been  readily  placed  in  his  front,  yet  after  reaching  the  ISTeuse 
river  and  burning  the  bridge  which  crossed  it,  he  at  once  re- 
treated in  the  direction  of  Kinston,  closely  followed  by  our 
cavalry,  which  kept  up  the  pursuit  until  the  Federal  troops 
finally  fell  back  around  New  Bern. 

About  the  first  of  March  following  the  regiment  was  or- 
dered to  join  D.  H.  Hill's  forces,  then  operating  against 
Washington  and  New  Bern.  On  arriving  at  the  former  place 
our  men  were  dismounted  and  for  several  days  occupied  posi- 
tions under  the  shelling  of  the  enemy's  gunboats  with  con- 
stant skirmish  fighting  with  detachments  of  troops  from 
the  town.  Finally  our  troops  were  quietly  withdrawn,  the 
enterprise  seemingly  having  failed  to  be  characterized  by 
any  profitable  results. 

ORDERED  TO  VIRGINIA. 

The  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regi- 
ments (Fourth  and  Fifth  Cavalry),  having  been  attached  to 
General  Robertson's  Brigade,  for  some  weeks  following  had  a 


460  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

rest  in  camp,  and  then  received  orders  to  take  up  a  line  of 
march  for  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  and  unite  their 
future  destiny  with  the  brave  heroes  who  rode  with  that  true 
representative  of  Southern  dash,  chivalry  and  courage,  Gen- 
eral J.  E.  B.  Stuart.  "It  is  now  1  June,  1863,  and  the  be- 
ginning of  serious  and  perilous  times.  General  Lee  is  look- 
ing northward  and  plans  for  the  Gettysburg  campaign  have 
already  been  commenced." 

The  cavalry  command  under  General  Stuart,  consisting  of 
twenty-one  regiments  assigned  to  five  brigades,  commanded 
by  Generals  Hampton,  Fitzhugh  Lee,  W.  H.  F.  Lee,  Robert- 
son and  Jones,  encamped  upon  a  broad  plain  near  Culpep- 
per Court  House.  All  that  could  be  accomplished  in  arm- 
ing, equipping  and  organizing  this  arm  of  the  service  had 
been  effected  in  every  possible  detail  and  manner. 

CAVALKY  KEVIEW. 

On  5  June  General  Stuart,  surrounded  by  a  coterie  of  of- 
ficers, both  civil  and  military,  with  a  large  number  of  ladies 
and  other  spectators,  from  a  stand  on  a  gentle  elevation,  had 
the  cavalry  brigades  consisting  of  about  8,000  men,  to  pass 
in  review  before  him  and  his  attendants.  Truly  this  was  a 
grand  pageant,  such  as  modern  times  has  but  seldom  wit- 
nessed in  this  or  any  other  country.  The  mounted  troops  at 
first  moving  in  column  of  squadrons  at  a  slow  pace,  passed  be- 
fore their  gallant  commander,  then  at  a  charge,  while  the 
guns  of  the  horse  artillery  poured  forth  volley  after  volley  of 
thunder  and  smoke,  Avhich  together  wath  the  yelling  of  the 
men  and  rising  clouds  of  dust  gave  every  appearance  of 
real  battle,  rather  than  a  harmless  military  display,  to  be  so 
very  soon  followed  by  a  terrible  encountx?r  of  blood  and  car- 
nage on  the  same  field.  Three  days  later  General  Lee,  ^^'hose 
long  column  of  infantrv^  were  then  pressing  their  way  toward 
Maryland,  reviewed  the  cavalry  with  much  less  of  the  pomp 
and  display,  however,  than  that  which  had  so  signally  marked 
the  previous  review.  The  review  being  over,  the  troops  went 
into  camp,  the  Fifty-ninth  taking  up  quarters  near  the 
fanu  of  John  Minor  Eotts,  with  pickets  guarding  the  lower 
fords  of  the  Rappaliannock  river. 


I 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  461 

BRANDY  station. 

On  the  same  evening  General  Pleasanton,  commanding 
the  Federal  cavalry,  approached  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river  and  concentrated  his  forces  preparatory  to  an  early 
crossing  the  following  morning  to  make  a  reconnoissance 
which,  if  possible,  might  disclose  the  movements  of  General 
Lee's  army.  With  the  advance  of  his  forces  our  pickets 
were  driven  in  and  there  on  the  broad  plain  near  Brandy  Sta- 
tion occurred  the  most  extensive  cavalry  engagement  of  the 
Civil  War.  According  to  the  report  of  General  Pleasanton^ 
the  Federal  troops  engaged  in  this  contest  numbered  10,981 
eifective  men,  while  on  the  Confederate  side,  including  the 
horse  artillery,  the  effective  total  numbered  about  8,500  men. 
Though  the  light  continued  nearly  throughout  this  long  day 
of  9  June,  yet  not  all  of  the  Confederate  cavalry  force  was 
engaged.  General  Robertson's  Brigade,  to  which  our  reg- 
iment belonged,  though  often  under  artillery  fire,  was  held 
mostly  in  reserve  and  its  casualties  were  small.  But  soon 
now  the  fortune  of  this  command  must  change. 

MIDDLEBURG  AND  UPPERVILLE. 

Taking  up  its  line  of  march  as  ordered  in  rear  of  General 
Lee's  moving  army  eight  days  thereafter  it  reached  the  town 
of  Middleburg,  which  had  been  previously  occupied  by  the 
enemy's  cavalry,  and  here  a  fierce  contest  ensued  just  out- 
side of  the  town,  resulting  in  the  rout  and  capture  of  nearly 
the  entire  force  in  our  front,  which  proved  to  be  the  First 
Rhode  Island  Cavalry. 

Then  commenced  a  series  of  cavalry  battles,  continuing 
through  several  days,  in  which  the  Fifty-ninth  was  an 
active  participant,  suffering  great  loss  in  killed,  wounded 
and  captured.  On  21  June  the  Federal  cavalry  having  been 
strongly  reinforced,  made  a  general  advance,  pressing  our 
forces  heavily  and  forcing  us  to  retire  in  the  direction  of 
Upperville,  "our  artillery  in  the  meantime  doing  good  ex- 
ecution from  every  position  of  advantage  and  the  cavalry 
meeting  every  charge  and  recharging  whenever  opportunity 
and  conditions  afforded."  As  we  neared  the  town  the  fight- 
ing became  desperate — often  hand-to-hand  with  severe  loss 


462  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

on  both  sides ;  especially  is  this  true  of  Robertson's  Brigade. 
Here  the  brave  Colonel  Evans,  of  the  Sixty-third  fell  fear- 
fully wounded,  and  Major  J.  M.  Mayo  chafgipi^  in  tlie  town 
at  I  lie  head  of  a  squadron  of  the  Fifty -nintli,  met  a  severe 
fire  from  l)(4iind  rock  fences  and  barricades  and  a  strong 
mounted  force  in  front  as  well,  and  together  with  the  men 
who  followed  him,  not  previously  killed  or  wounded^  wa? 
captured. 

In  this  charge  our  loss  was  great  and  included  a  number 
of  the  best  men  of  the  regiment.  Company  D  lost  seven- 
teen men,  killed,  wounded  and  captured,  together  with  Cap- 
tain William  Sharp,  captured,  and  the  gallant  Thomas  Ruf- 
fin,  wdio  was  wounded  and  died  in  the  hands  of  his  captors. 
In  this  engagement  Captain  J.  B.  Cherry's  company  sus- 
tained heavy  loss  and  other  companies  as  well.  Indeed  all 
the  companies  of  the  regiment  were  engaged  in  this  fight  and 
sustained  losses. 

The  next  day  the  opposing  forces  fell  back  toward  Middle- 
burg.  The  moving  column  of  General  Lee's  army  at  this 
time  are  mostly  north  of  the  Potomac.  General  Stuart,  with 
three  brigades  of  cavalry,  had  gone  to  the  right  of  the  army  to 
make  a  crossing  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge  while  Robertson's  and 
Jones'  brigades  were  ordered  to  cover  the  rear  and  left  flank 
of  the  infantry. 

TO    GETTYSBURG   AND    BACK. 

Our  brigade  entered  Maryland,  crossing  the  Potomac  at 
Williamsport  and  thence  made  our  way  to  Hagerstown, 
which  we  reached  on  the  evening  of  the  30th,  and  went  into 
camp  at  night  near  Green  Castle.  On  the  following  day,  1 
July,  we  marched  to  Chambersburg,  reaching  the  town  about 
six  o'clock  in  the  evening.  Here  we  found  the  citizens  qui- 
etly sitting  about  the  public  grounds  or  moving  about  their 
homes  wath  anxious  looks  and  wondering  expectancy  as  to 
what  might  next  occur. 

An  orderly  march  characterized  the  movement  of  our 
troops  and  no  body  of  men  could  have  been  more  observant  of 
the  orders  previously  given  by  the  commanding  general  of 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  with  regard  to  private  prop- 


I 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  463 

erty  and  non-combatants.  Remaining  here  until  late  at  night 
we  moved,  at  first  in  the  direction  of  Carlisle,  then  turning 
to  the  right  hurried  on  to  Gettysburg,  arriving  there  tired 
and  hungry  on  the  morning  of  3  July.  We  had  only  a  short 
pause  for  rest  when  Jones'  Brigade  suddenly  became  en- 
gaged with  the  enemy's  cavalry  near  Fairfield,  which  was 
stubbonily  resisting  his  advance  until  being  reinforced  by 
Robertson's  Brigade,  which  charged  and  routed  the  opposing 
force. 

The  charge  up  the  bloody  heights  of  Cemetery  Hill  had 
now  been  made  and  tlie  battles  of  Gettysburg  practically 
ended.  During  the  night  of  3  July,  1863,  the  main  army 
was  withdrawn  to  a  crest  of  hills  westward  of  the  town  and 
plans  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  army  were  under  considera- 
tion. Our  men,  careworn,  tired  and  hungry,  drenched  by 
the  rain  storms,  are  anxiously  awaiting  orders. 

On  the  following  day  Robertson's  Brigade  with  Jones'  Bri- 
gade, was  directed  to  follow  and  guard  the  Avagon  trains  then 
moving  over  a  mountainous  road  in  the  direction  of  Wil- 
liamsport.  Tlie  route  was  crowded  for  miles  witli  wagons, 
ambulances  and  thousands  of  wounded  and  disabled  sol- 
diers, and  the  narrow  pass  was  not  infrequently  obstructed 
as  they  moved  along  this  rough  way  in  the  heavy  falling 
rains.  On  our  reaching  the  Jack  Mountain  passes  about 
nine  o'clock  at  night,  there  ensued  one  of  the  most  eventful 
night  battles  of  the  war. 

JACK  MOUNTAIN. 

Kilpatrick's  cavalry  having  come  up  by  an  unguarded 
road,  made  an  attack  on  the  train  and  the  men  in  front.  It 
was  so  very  dark  that  it  was  impossible  to  locate  our  own  or 
the  enemy's  troops  except  by  the  flash  of  the  rifles.  Here 
until  late  in  the  night  we  fought  against  heavy  odds  and  our 
loss  in  this  engagement  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners  was 
large.  From  this  place  Robertson's  Brigade  made  its  way 
onward  towards  Williamsport.  As  we  approached  Hagers- 
town,  we  encountered  the  enemy's  skirmish  line,  which  was 
driven  in  and,  reinforcements  coming  up  at  this  time,  the 
enemy  was  driven  through  the  town  and  a  general  pursuit 


464  North  Carolina  Troops,   1 801 -'05. 

began  with  our  command  a  part  of  the  time  in  front  and  the 
enemy  occasionally  stopping  to  give  battle  and  though  forced 
to  fall  back,  inflicting  loss.  As  we  approached  Williamsport 
the  Federal  troops  turned  in  the  direction  of  Sharpsburg 
and  we  moved  on  to  Williamsport  and  established  our  pickets 
on  the  extreme  wing  of  the  army  where  we  I'emained  from 
the  7th  to  the  1.3th  of  July.  ''Days  which  will  ever  be  re^- 
membered  by  those  present  as  days  of  unprecedented  hard- 
ship and  anxiety,  as  with  scant  rations  amid  a  country  swept 
bare  of  provisions,  with  the  enemy  hanging  round  in  every 
direction  and  the  swollen  waters  of  the  Potomac  at  our  backs." 
On  the  night  of  the  13th  the  army  commenced  recrossing  the 
river;  the  arduous  and  difficult  task  of  protecting  the  rear, 
was  assigTied  to  the  cavalry  which  followed  next  day. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  sketch  that  while  these  events 
were  transpiring  with  the  main  army,  Captain  L.  A.  John- 
son, of  Company  A,  of  our  regiment,  a  gallant  officer  who, 
with  Lieutenant  D.  W.  Lewis,  of  Company  D,  was  left  with 
a  strong  picket  force  to  guard  the  pass  at  Ashby's  Gap,  had 
handsomely  repulsed  a  large  body  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  in 
an  attempt  to  force  a  passage  at  this  point. 

NORTH    CAKOI.TNA    CAVALRY    BKIGADK. 

In  this  campaign,  lasting  about  fifty  days,  our  regiment 
had  lost  about  half  of  its  officers  and  men,  and  even  many 
of  those  now  answering  to  the  roll  call  being  dismounted  or 
disabled  for  duty.  After  this  the  infantry  was  Avithdra\VTi 
to  the  south  side  of  the  Rapidan  and  the  cavalry  to  the  line 
of  the  Rappahannock,  and  for  some  weeks  the  anny  enjoyed 
comparative  rest,  during  which  time  a  reorganization  of  the 
cavalry  had  been  effected.  The  Fifty-ninth  was  assigned  to 
General  L.  S.  Baker's  command  which  then  comprised  the 
Ninth,  Nineteenth,  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  North  Car- 
olina Regiments  (First,  Second,  Fourth  and  Fifth  Cavalry), 
and  was  known  as  the  North  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade.  The 
period  of  rest  following  the  Gettysburg  campaign  was  broken 
in  September  by  an  advance  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  into  Cul- 
pepper county,  and  on  the  22d  of  the  month  we  had  an  en- 
gagement near  Jack's   Shop  in  which   the  Fifty-ninth  did 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  465 

good  service.  Here  tlie  brave  General  L.  S.  Baker  Avas 
severely  wounded  and  permanently  disabled  for  the  field,  and 
afterwards  transferred  to  another  branch  of  the  service,  and 
General  James  B.  Gordon,  having  been  promoted,  was  as- 
signed to  the  command  of  the  North  Carolina  Brigade. 

THE  BRISTOE  CAMPAIGN. 

On  9  October  following.  General  Lee  connnenced  a  move- 
ment of  his  army  around  General  ]\[eade's  right,  which  move- 
ment is  known  as  the  Bristoe  Cajnpaign  and  in  which  the 
cavalry  bore  a  conspicuous  part..  On  11  October  our  regi- 
ment being  rapidly  advanced  on  the  Speri*yville  Turnpike 
toward  Culpepper  Court  House,  encountered  a  detachment  of 
Xilp  a  trick's  cavalry  which  after  a  stubborn  resistance,  was 
driven  back  with  considerable  loss.  In  this  fight  our  gal- 
lant Colonel  Ferebee  was  wounded,  and  Lieutenant  Benton, 
of  Company  A,  with  others  of  the  Fifty-ninth,  were  killed  and 
Adjutant  Morehead,  of  the  Sixty-third,  was  severely  wounded 
in  the  face.  There  are  many  incidents  connected  with  the 
campaign  worthy  of  note  in  which  the  Fifty-ninth  bore  its 
due  part,  but  which  must  needs  be  omitted  in  this  short 
sketch. 

With  the  opening  of  the  spring  campaign,  the  Fifty- 
ninth  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  commanded  by  General 
James  Dearing,  and  bore  an  active  part  in  the  numerous  cav- 
alry engagements  between  Petersburg  and  Jfichmond.  On  9 
May  General  Kautz,  with  a  large  force  of  cavalry  and  some 
artillery,  made  an  attack  upon  the  city  of  Petersburg  from 
the  south  side.  At  this  time  the  city  was  defended  by  the 
home  guard  or  militia,  and  the  attack  came  so  sudden  that  the 
enemy  was  near  the  corporate  limits  before  his  presence  was 
manifest.  At  this  time  our  regiment  w^as  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  and  by  a  hurried  running  march  reached 
the  point  of  attack,  which  was  being  bravely  defended  by 
the  citizen  soldiery,  in  time  to  reinforce  them  and  prevent 
further  advance  upon  the  town  and  save  it  from  capture. 
The  gallantry  of  the  brave  men  of  Petersburg  as  displayed 
30 


466  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

on  tliis  occasion  is  worthy  of  the  highest  commendation,  sev- 
eral of  them  having-  been  there  killed  or  wounded. 

On  4  May  commenced  the  campaign  of  the  Wilderness. 
Five  days  later  General  Stuart  fell  mortally  wounded  near 
Yellow  Tavern,  in  his  effort  to  save  the  Confederate  capital 
from  capture.  He  lived  a  short  while  thereafter  and  expired 
on  12  May  in  the  city  of  Richmond.  As  the  shadows  of  life's 
sunset  ^vere  gathering  about  him,  he  said,  "I  am  willing  to 
die  if  God  and  my  country  think  I  have  fulfilled  my  destiny 
and  done  my  duty,  God's  will  be  done."  With  these  last 
utterances  the  great  Southern  cavalier's  light  of  life  went 
out  and  his  soul  passed  into  the  vast  beyond. 

PETEESBUEG. 

About  this  time  we  were  ordered  below  Petersburg  and 
experienced  much  hard  service  on  that  part  of  the  line,  the 
extreme  right  of  the  army,  and  during  the  entire  summer  as 
Grant  extended  his  left  we  had  almost  daily  picket  firing 
with  now  and  then  a  man  picked  off  the  outpost,  or  killed  in 
brisk  skirmish  fights — losses  which  never  found  their  way 
into  the  general  report  as  did  the  casualties  of  great  battles, 
and  our  command,  being  constantly  diminished  with  no  addi- 
tional recruits,  was  almost  daily  growing  smaller.  On  27 
October  Grant  threw  a  heavy  infantry  force  from  across 
Hatcher's  Run  near  Burgess'  Mill,  where  we  had  terrific  fight- 
ing, and  considering  the  number  engaged  the  loss  to  our  regi- 
ment was  heavy.  Here  the  brave  Sergeant  Vickers,  of  Com- 
pany E,  was  killed,  and  a  number  of  other  true  and  tried 
men  were  slain  or  wounded. 

There  were  frequent  changes  being  made  in  the  cavalry 
command.  In  the  month  of  February,  1865,  General  Bear- 
ing was  ordered  to  the  command  of  Rosser's  Brigade  in  the 
Valley,  and  General  W.  P.  Roberts,  who  had  already  Avon 
marked  reputation,  not  only  for  unswerving  gallantry,  but 
great  organizing  force  as  well,  was  promoted  21  February, 
1865,  from  Colonel  of  the  ISTineteenth  ISTorth  Carolina  and  as- 
signed to  the  command  just  vacated  by  General  Bearing.  On 
taking  charge  of  the  brigade  General  Roberts  found  its  ranks 
not  only  depleted  but  in  need  of  many  things  to  make  organi- 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  467 

zation  complete.  Some  of  the  commands  were  suffering  for 
want  of  field  officers.  Especially  was  this  true  of  the  Fifty- 
ninth  at  this  time. 

Its  gallant  Colonel  Ferebee,  suffering  from  his  wound  and 
gTowing  old,  had  retired.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Cantwell  had 
long  before  this  been  assigned  to  other  ser\'ice  and  Major 
Mayo  was  a  prisoner  at  Johnston's  Island,  but  by  vigorous 
work  with  active  energy  and  untiring  zeal,  on  the  part  of  its 
young  commander,  the  brigade  was  during  the  month  wliich 
succeeded,  advanced  to  a  more  efficient  condition  for  the 
stirring  events  now  at  hand. 

LAST  DAYS  OF  MABCH;,   1865. 

Encamped  on  the  White  Oak  road  about  six  miles  from 
Dinwiddle  Court  House,  the  brigade  had  enjoyed  some  weeks 
of  comparative  rest  and  quiet  recuperation  until  29  March, 
1865,  when  commenced  that  series  of  movements  which  re- 
sulted in  the  fall  of  Petersburg,  the  evacuation  of  Riclimond, 
and  the  events  following  which  knew  no  cessation  until  the 
final  end  came  and  the  dropping  of  the  curtain  closed  the  last 
scene  of  the  bloody  drama  at  Appomattox.  On  the  morning 
just  above  referred  to  commenced  the  long  expected  advance 
on  Petersburg.  General  Roberts'  Brigade,  with  the  Fifty- 
ninth  in  front  supporting  our  pickets,  first  met  the  advance 
movement  of  the  enemy.  It  was  very  soon  made  appar- 
ent that  the  force  in  our  front  was  such  as  to  render  it  im- 
possible for  so  small  a  number  to  stop  or  even  much  impede 
the  progress  of  the  heavy  columns  opposing  us.  "Yet  we  did 
what  we  could  and  no  troops  ever  offered  a  more  stubborn  re- 
sistance or  fought  better  in  the  face  of  such  apparent  disad- 
vantage and  great  odds  than  did  General  Roberts'  Brigade  on 
this  day,  and  more  than  once  we  checked  their  advance." 

Soon  after  meeting  the  enemy  the  greater  part  of  the  regi- 
ment had  been  dismounted  and  formed  in  line  on  either  side 
of  the  road,  while  the  writer,  in  charge  of  a  squadron  of 
mounted  men,  was  directed  by  General  Roberts,  to  remain  in 
the  road  and  watch  closely  any  movement  of  the  Federal 
cavalry  in  front  and  in  case  of  a  charge,  to  meet  the  charge, 
but  with  orders  to  retire  before  the  fire  of  the  advancing  in- 


468  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

fantry  as  we  came  in  range  of  their  guns.  Tliis  squadron 
having  been  forced  back  to  a  place  on  the  military  road  near 
where  there  had  once  been  a  saw  mill  and  where  our  dis- 
mounted men  were  making  a  stand,  General  Roberts  rode  up 
and  occupied  a  position  on  the  right,  while  Captain  Bell,  the 
regimental  commander,  stopped  on  tlie  left  of  the  officer  in 
charge. 

About  this  time  the  enemy  having  reached  a  house  in  range 
of  our  position,  fired  upon  us  a  terrible  volley  of  rifle  shot 
with  great  effect,  emptying  a  number  of  saddles.  Captain 
L.  A.  Johnson's  company  suffered  severely.  Here  Captain 
Bell  was  fearfully  wounded  in  the  face  and  taken  to  the  rear. 
As  we  were  slowly  retiring  from  this  point  of  attack  there 
came  a  message  from  Captain  J.  B.  Cherry,  the  next  officer  in 
command,  to  send  him  a  horse  to  bear  him  from  the  field. 
This  gallant  young  officer,  who  seemed  to  know  no  fear  and 
who  had  an  hour  before  to  the  writer,  expressed  a  presenti- 
ment that  this  would  be  his  last  fight,  had  received  a  fatal 
shot.  From  the  field  he  was  taken  to  Petersburg  where  he 
expired  just  as  the  enemy  were  entering  the  town. 

Closely  following  the  fight  to  which  reference  has  just 
been  made,  on  a  line  only  a  short  distance  removed,  there  ap- 
peared in  an  open  field  in  our  front  a  heavy  line  of  infantry 
skirmishers  advancing  at  a  steady  march.  General  Boberts 
recognizing  the  importance  of  checking  this  advance  and 
holding  the  ground  until  expected  reinforcements  could  ar- 
rive, placing  a  mounted  squadron  of  the  Fifty-ninth  (Fourth 
Cavalry)  behind  a  slight  hill,  covered  by  small  pines  which 
concealed  us  from  the  view  of  the  enemy,  directed  the  officer 
in  command  that  so  soon  as  the  skirmishers  crossed  a  ditch 
in  our  front  to  charge  them.  A  moment  or  two  of  waiting  and 
the  ditch  is  crossed.  In  another  moment  the  mounted  squad- 
ron. General  Roberts  in  the  lead,  ^\^th  dra^^Ti  sabres  and  a 
fierce  yell  charge  down  upon  them,  and  they  being  surprised 
and  disconcei'ted  by  this  sudden  and  uncxj)ected  attack,  at 
once  began  to  throw  down  their  arms  and  surrender,  but 
soon  observing  the  smallness  of  our  number  and  being  encour- 
aged by  their  own  men  on  either  side  of  them,  who  had  not 
felt  the  force  of  this  surprising  shock,  hurriedly  picked  up 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  469 

their  guns  and  fired  on  us  at  close  range,  forcing  us  to  take 
shelter  again  behind  the  hill.  In  this  charge  the  writer's 
horse  was  shot  under  him,  leaving  him  on  foot  with  the  en- 
emy together  with  others  of  this  command  who  had  been 
killed  or  wounded,  but  making  his  escape  he  soon  made  his 
way  back  behind  the  pines,  Avhere  the  squadron  had  reformed, 
and  was  ready  i^or  the  second  charge,  which  was  executed  with 
unsurpassed  gallantry,  and  being  supported  by  a  detachment 
of  infantry  coming  up  at  this  time  dislodged  the  skirmishers, 
driving  them  back  on  the  main  line. 

On  30  and  31  March,  our  regiment  was  contiually  in  the 
immediate  front  of  Sheridan's  cavalry  and  had  a  number  of 
shai^p  encounters  with  the  enemy  at  Boisseau's  and  other 
points  along  the  line  of  the  White  Oak  road. 

FIVE    FOEKS. 

On  the  morning  of  1  April,  Sheridan,  who  had  been  held 
in  check  up  to  this  time,  having  been  heavily  reinforced  by 
the  arrival  of  Warren's  Corps,  made  a  general  advance.  Our 
regiment  now  reduced  to  a  handful  of  effective  men,  was  dis- 
mounted and  placed  in  the  road  near  Five  Forks,  behind  a 
barricade  of  rails  and  brush,  with  an  open  field  in  front, 
where  soon  appeared  a  large  force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry, 
which  in  a  broad  colilmn  charged  down  upon  our  position 
which  was  gallantly  held  until  the  mounted  troops  in  large 
numbers  had  leaped  their  horses  over  the  rail  piles  and  gotten 
in  the  rear  of  us.  Fortunately  for  us  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  road  was  a  well  timbered  wood  which  offered  protection 
to  our  men  who  had  been  run  over  and  ordered  to  surrender, 
and  most  of  them  made  their  way  back  to  their  horses  with 
comparative^  small  loss,  the  opposing  cavalry  having  be- 
come too  gTeatly  demoralized  and  anxious  for  their  own 
safety  to  care  for  prisoners.  The  gallantry  displayed  here  by 
Lieutenant  E.  B.  Ilolden,  of  Company  B,  is  worthy  of  high 
commendation.  The  cavalry  fighting  on  this  day  along 
-other  parts  of  our  line  was  terrific  and  bloody,  and  at 
nightfall  we  foil  back  from  the  line  of  the  White  Oak  road 
and  Five  Forks,  and  went  into  camp  to  be  constantly  awak- 
ened from  our  slumbers  by  the  deafening  roar  of  cannon 


470  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

along  the  line  to  our  left  in  front  of  the  long-besieged  city  of 
Petersburg. 

THE   KETREAT  TO  APPOMATTOX. 

Early  on  Sunday  morning,  2  April,  1865,  came  the  intel- 
ligence of  the  evacuation  of  Petersburg,  with  orders  for  us 
to  take  up  our  line  of  retreat  by  the  Southside  Railroad.  The 
enemy  not  following  us  closely  on  this  road,  we  moved  along 
quietly  until  near  night,  when  reaching  a  point  near  Namo- 
zine  church  we  found  a  line  of  our  cavalry  skirmishers  which 
had  preceded  us  engaged  with  the  enemy's  cavalry,  which 
after  a  brisk  fire,  retired  and  the  shades  of  night  ended  what 
seemed  to  threaten  a  fierce  conflict.  Soon  next  morning  the 
rear  of  the  Confederate  forces  inade  a  crossing  of  Namozine 
creek.  Roberts'  Brigade  and  a  Virginia  regiment  were  left 
to  guard  the  ford  and  bring  up  the  rear. 

Not  long  thereafter  it  was  ascertained  that  the  enemy's 
cavalry  had  turned  our  position  and  made  a  crossing  of  the 
narrow  stream  at  another  point,  causing  great  disorder  and  a 
threatened  panic.  It  was  then  by  marked  gallantry  and  ob- 
stinate courage  eminently  displayed  by  General  Roberts  ^\dth 
other  officers  and  men  of  this  command,  that  the  on-coming 
rush  of  Slieridan's  troopers  was  averted,  giving  time  to  rally 
the  disorganized  men  and  stop  what  gave  indication  of  a  gen- 
eral stampede. 

Following  along  in  rear  of  our  retreating  army,  on  reach- 
ing .Vniclia  Court  House  we  found  a  detachment  of  some  reg- 
iment of  Virginia  cavalry  in  a  sharp  skirmish  battle  with  the 
enemy,  and  in  this  engagement  the  Fifty-ninth  gave  efficient 
aid  in  stopping  Sheridan's  advance  until  the  coming  up  of 
Longstreet's  Corps.  From  this  place  we  move  along  from 
day  to  day  passing  High  Bridge,  Farmville  and  many 
other  points  marked  by  skirmish  battles,  frequently  under  ar- 
tillery fire,  and  enduring  the  most  severe  fatigue  and  hard- 
ship. C^aptain  Garnett,  a  gallant  officer  of  the  brigade  staff, 
referring  to  this  period,  writes:  "T  will  not  now  attempt  to 
depict  the  severe  toils  and  privations  to  which  we  had  been 
exposed   for  ten   days.      Night   brought  no   relief  from   the 


Fifty-Ninth  Regiment.  471 

fatigue  of  the  day  and  the  result  was  the  sure  wasting  away 
of  the  energies  of  both  men  and  horses." 

On  Saturday,  8  April,  our  march  was  almost  unmolested 
and  it  was  the  most  quiet  day  of  this  memorable  retreat,  and 
at  nightfall  we  halted  and  went  into  camp  about  six  miles 
from  Appomattox  Court  House.  From  here  the  writer  with 
a  detachment  of  his  regiment,  was  sent  to  the  home  of  Hon. 
Thos.  S.  Bocock,  who  was  then  Speaker  of  the  Confederate 
House  of  Representatives,  to  obtain  corn  for  the  regiment. 
Here  we  were  most  generously  entertained.  The  barns  were 
opened  to  us,  and  supper  prepared  for  the  tired  and  hungry 
men,  and  in  his  parlor  Mr.  Bocock  stated  to  the  writer  that 
the  great  struggle  was  fast  nearing  the  end,  and  that  with 
our  departure  he  would  leave  his  home  to  escape  capture. 
This  was  the  first  time  that  it  had  seriously  dawned  on  us 
that  our  trusted  leader  would  be  forced  to  yield  to  the  great 
weight  of  numbers  confronting  him  and  that  he,  together 
with  his  gallant  followers,  would  fall  captive  in  the  hands 
of  those  with  whom  they  had  so  bravely  contended  for  four 
long  years  of  blood  and  carnage. 

The  earliest  dawn  of  the  following  morning,  Sunday,  9 
April,  found  us  drawn  up  in  battle  line  on  the  memorable 
and  historic  field  of  Appomattox,  ready  to  take  a  part  in  the 
last  contest  to  be  made  by  the  Army  of  jSTorthem  Virginia. 
In  his  last  gage  of  battle  the  few  surviving  war-scarred  vet- 
erans moved  forward  with  the  same  steady  step  and  un- 
daunted purpose  to  win  which  had  characterized  the  army 
in  the  day  of  its  strength  on  fields  of  brilliant  victory.  The 
Federals  are  driven  back,  but  soon  we  reach  a  point  where 
they  no  longer  present  the  appearance  of  battle  lines,  but 
woods  and  fields  were  full  as  it  were.  The  advance  is  stopped. 
Physical  valor  and  human  endurance  can  go  no  further.  The 
last  act  in  the  tragic  drama  is  closed.  The  rattle  of  mus- 
ketry and  the  roar  of  artillery  cease.  The  curtain  drops. 
The  Array  of  ]^orthern  Virginia  has  surrendered. 

In  the  preparation  of  this  sketch,  the  writer  desires  to  ac- 
knowledge his  indebtedness  for  aid  rendered  by  Mr.  M.  A. 
Allen,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  who  was  a  faithful  and  gallant 


472  North  Carolina  Troops,   l861-'65. 

soldici'  of  tlic  ro<>-iiii('nt,  niid  at  the  same  time  to  express  his 
heartfelt  regret  at  his  inability  to  render  to  many  officers  and 
soldiers  of  the  regiment  the  special  reference  due  for  faith- 
ful service  and  gallant  deeds  so  valiantlj^  displayed  on  scores 
of  battlefields,  for  memory  fails  now  to  recite  their  numy 
deeds  of  chivalric  courage  and  invincible  endurance. 

Here  in  our  home  State  the  Fifty-ninth  (Fourth  Cavalry) 
took  part  in  the  fight  at  White  Hall,  near  Kinston,  and  Wash- 
ington, and  after  joining  the  Araiy  of  Northern  Virginia, 
was  an  active  participant  in  the  battles  of  Culpepper  Court 
House,  Brandy  Station,  Upperville,  ]\Iiddleburg,  Aldie,  Get- 
tysburg, South  Mountain,  Hagerstown,  Jack's  Shops,  Burgess 
Mills,  Boisseau's,  Wilson's  Farm  and  numerous  other  con- 
flicts, including  the  engagements  along  the  line  of  the  \Vliite 
Oak  road  and  Five  Forks.  Thence  at  the  command  of  the  head 
of  the  army,  taking  its  place  in  the  line  of  the  memorable  re- 
treat, it  reached  Appomattox  with  its  ranks  thinned,  yet  in 
good  morale  and  its  organization  complete,  and  well  sus- 
tained its  part  in  the  last  contests  made  on  that  historic  re- 
treat. 

W.  P.  Shaw. 

WiNTON,    N.    C, 

9  April,  1901. 


SIXTIETH  REGIMENT. 


James  M.  Ray,  I„ient. -Colonel.  4. 

James  T.  Weaver,  Lieut. Colonel.  5. 

(Killed  at  Columbia,  Teiin.,  De-  6 

eeiiilier  7.  lHti-1  )  7. 

Thail  Coleman,  Lieut. -Colonel. 


James  T.  Huff.  Major. 

M.  (".  Toms.  Cai)tam.  Co.  A. 

Robert  L.  Coleman,  Captain,  A.  C.  S. 

John  (i.  Chambers,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  C. 


SIXTIETH  REQIMENT, 


By  JAMES  M.  RAY,  Lieutenant  Colonel. 


The  Sixtieth  Eegiment,  North  Carolina  Infantry,  Confed- 
erate States  Army,  more  largely  representative  of  Asheville 
and  Buncombe  than  any  other  regiment  going  out  from  this 
State,  had  its  nucleus  in  a  battalion  of  State  troops.  The  or- 
ganization of  said  battalion  having  been  authorized  by  the 
Governor  of  North  Carolina  early  in  1862,  Dr.  Joseph  A. 
McDowell,  of  Wann  Springs,  Madison  county,  a  member  at 
that  time  of  the  Legislature,  was  invested  with  power  to  raise 
it.  He  called  to  his  aid  a  number  of  well  known  gentlemen 
who  raised  the  companies,  and  in  May,  1862,  the  organization 
of  said  companies  into  a  battalion  was  temporarily  effected, 
with  Dr.  Josepli  A.  McDowell,  ]\Iajor  commanding;  Edward 
M.  Clayton,  Adjutant;  Augustus  W.  Patton,  Quartermaster, 
and  Robert  L.  Coleman,  Commissary. 

The  battalion  was  designated  as  the  Sixth,  and  was  com- 
posed of  six  companies,  as  follows: 

First  Compa^^y — Hardy's  Light  Artillery,  made  up  in 
Asheville  and  near  vicinity ;  Wash  M.  Hardy, .  Captain ; 
HaiTV  Deaver,  First  Lieutenant ;  Pleas.  Israel,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant; J.  Thomas  Weaver,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

Second  Company — McDowell's  Madison  county  com- 
pany ;  Joseph  A.  McDowell,  Captain ;  Belton  Ducket,  First 
Lieutenant ;  B.  F.  Patton,  Second  Lieutenant ;  W.  P.  Cook, 
Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

TiiiED  CojMpany — Reynold's  company,  made  up  in  Ashe- 
ville and  vicinity ;  F.  S.  H.  Reynolds,  Captain ;  Thomas  W. 
Patton,  First  Lieutenant;  John  Gregg  Chambers,  Second 
Lieutenant;  Thomas  H.  Riddle,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

FoiTKTH  Company — McDowell's  Buncombe  company; 
Wm.  W.  McDowell,  Captain ;  Thomas  J.  Candler,  First  Lieu- 


474  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

tenant  (taking  the  place  of  his  brother,  Wm.  G.,  resigning  on 
account  of  his  father's  death)  ;  Samuel  C.  Wright,  Second 
Lieutenant ;  J.  B.  Hyatt,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

Fifth  Company — ^West's  company,  composed  largely  of 
Haw  creek  and  Swannanoa  river  men ;  W.  Kiley  West,  Cap- 
tain ;  Elie  West,  First  Lieutenant ;  Dr.  J.  S.  T.  Baird,  Second 
Lieutenant;  John  Sales,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

Sixth  Company — Stevens'  company  (this  company  was 
made  up  by  James  M.  Ray  and  Goodson  M.  Roberts,  but 
both  declined  the  Captaincy  and  recommended  Dr.  Stevens, 
who  was  elected ;  it  was  composed  principally  of  Turkey 
creek.  Flat  creek  and  Reems  creek  men)  ;  Dr.  J.  M.  Stevens, 
Captain;  James  M.  Ray,  First  Lieutenant;  Goodson  M. 
Roberts,  Second  Lieutenant ;  John  H.  Reynolds,  Junior  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant. 

The  first  movement  of  the  battalion  was  a  march  down  the 
French  Broad  river,  making  the  first  day  ten  miles,  stopping 
at  Alexander's,  a  noted  country  hotel  and  stock  stand ;  thence 
to  ^Marshall  and  Warm  Springs,  going  into  a  camp  of  instruc- 
tion, drill,  etc.,  on  a  beautiful  island  in  the  French  Broad, 
a  fcAv  miles  below  Warm  Springs.  Here  there  were  addi- 
tions to  the  command  of  two  more  companies : 

Fletcher's,  of  Henderson  county — Charles  M.  Fletcher, 
Captain;  Rufus  Do^\^ling,  First  Lieutenant;  Thomas  Ship- 
man,  Second  Lieutenant :  James  Brittain,  Junior  Second 
Lieutenant. 

Huff's  company,  of  East  Tennessee,  from  vicinity  of  Big 
creek,  Cocke  county,  Jas.  T.  Huff,  Captain ;  James  Nelson, 
First  Lieutenant ;  M.  M.  Jones,  Second  Lieutenant ;  W.  R. 
Stokely,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant.  James  Nelson  died  at 
Mui*freesboro  and  Lieutenant  Stokely  resigned.  They  were 
succeeded  by  Leonard  C.  Huff  and  Royal  Brooks. 

In  the  organization  of  battalion  nud  the  promotion  of  Cap- 
tain ^FcDowell  to  ^fajor.  First  Lieutenant  Belt-on  Duckett 
became  Captain,  Second  Lieutenant  B.  F.  Pattnn  was  made 
First  Lieutenant,  Riley  Chambers  Second  Lieutenant,  and 
Robert  M.  Clayton  Junior  Second  Lieutenant.  This  addi- 
tion of  two  coTiipanies,  making  eight,  entitled  the  battalion 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  475 

to  two  field  officers,  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  Major.  Major 
McDowell  was  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  and  First 
Lieutenant  Harry  Deaver,  of  Hardy's  company,  was  chosen 
Major,  the  vacancy  in  his  company  being  filled  by  the  promo- 
tion of  Junior  Second  Lieutenant  J.  Thomas  Weaver  to  the 
First  Lieutenancy  and  the  election  of  Marion  C.  Toms  Junior 
Second  Lieutenant. 

Captain  J.  M.  Stevens  being  assigned  to  duty  as  Assistant 
Surgeon,  First  Lieutenant  James  M.  Ray  was  elected  to  the 
Captaincy  made  vacant  by  his  resignation ;  Second  Lieuten- 
ant Goodson  M.  Roberts  was  made  First  Lieutenant;  Junior 
Second  Lieutenant  John  H.  Reynolds  was  made  Second,  and 
Ervin  West  was  elected  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 

After  a  stay  of  two  or  three  months  on  the  island,  the  bat- 
talion was  by  the  Governor,  through  General  E.  Kirby  Smith, 
having  headquarters  then  in  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  tendered  to 
the  Confederate  Government,  was  accepted  and  ordered  to 
Greenville,  Tenn.,  to  guard  certain  stores,  railroads  and  rail- 
road bridges  while  Bragg  was  on  his  Kentucky  campaign. 

Very  soon  after  reaching  Greenville  it  was  decided  to 
change  the  battalion,  by  the  addition  of  two  companies,  to  a 
regiment.  Ward's  Polk  county  (N.  C.)  company,  J.  L. 
Ward,  Captain ;  Lawson  B.  Davis,  First  Lieutenant ;  Eli 
Jackson,  Second  Lieutenant;  C.  S.  Monroe,  Junior  Second 
Lieutenant- — coming  in,  made  one  of  the  number,  and  the 
otlier  was  made  by  volunteers  and  details  from  companies  un- 
necessarily large.  This  was  officered  by  the  election  of  Lien- 
tenant  G.  M.  Roberts  as  Captain;  McGnider  (W.  R.)  Alex- 
ander, First  Lieutenant ;  Josiah  M.  Jones,  Second  Lieuten- 
ant ;  S.  P.  Luther,  Junior  Second  I-deutenant. 

These  additions  making  ten  companies,  the  complement 
for  a  regiment,  another  field  officer  became  necessary.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel McDowell  was  promoted  tO'  full  Colonel ; 
Major  Deaver  was  made  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Captain 
Wm.  W.  McDowell  was  chosen  Major.  The  vacancy  made 
in  his  company  by  the  promotion  of  the  latter  was  filled  by 
the  advancement  of  First  Lieutenant  Thomas  J.  Candler  to 
Captain,  Second  Lieutenant  Sam.  C.  Wright  to  First,  Junior 


476  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Second  Lieutenant  -I.  IJ.  Hyatt  to  Second,  and  the  election  of 
J.  M.  Cole  to  the  Junior  Second  Lieutenancy. 

By  the  promotion  and  transfer  of  First  Lieutenant  Rob- 
erts, of  Ray's  company,  Second  Lieutenant  Reynolds  ad- 
vanced to  First,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant  West  to  Second, 
and  Robert  White  was  elected  to  the  vacancy  of  Junior  Sec- 
ond Licnitt'uant. 

The  ori>iinization  of  the  rcg'iment  was  further  perfected  by 
lettering  and  i2,"ivinii;  })la('(>  in  Jiuc  to  the  companies.  Hardy's 
company  was  given  first  jiositioii  on  tlie  right  and  lettered  A; 
Puckott's  company  second  position  on  the  right  and  lettered 
B ;  Reynolds'  company  third  position  on  the  right  and  let- 
tered C ;  Fletcher's  company  fourth  ])osition  on  the  right  and 
lettered  D ;  Candler's  company  right  centre  and  lettered  E, 
and  made  the  color  company ;  Ray's  company  left  centre  and 
lettered  F ;  Ward's  company  second  from  centre  on  left  and 
lettered  G ;  Huff's  com]iany  third  from  center  on  left  and 
lettered  H  ;  Robert's  com]iany  second  from  left  wing  and  let- 
tered I  ;  West's  company  exireiiie  left  wing  and  lettered  K.* 

Towards  the  last  of  September,  or  about  the  first  of  Octe- 
ber.  1802,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Murfreesboro,  Tenn., 
and  on  reaching  there  encamped  to  the  left  of  the  railroad  and 
very  near  the  city.  Here  the  ]\\ou  were  engaged  in  drilling 
and  guard  ditties  of  one  sort  and  another  until  late  in  De- 
cember. I''or  a  time  the  regiment  was  assigned  to  Reynold's 
Brigade,  then  to  Preston's  and  to  John  C.  Breckinridge's 
Division.  Tn  the  latter  it  continued  until  after  the  battle  of 
Chickannniga. 

MlKl'K'KKSIiOKO. 

In  tlie  last  days  of  December  the  regiment  broke  eanip  at 
i\lurfrees])oro  and  was  advanced  to  meet  the  Federals  under 
Rosecrans,  coming  out  from  Nashville,  and  meet  them  it  did, 
on  Stone  river,  a  few  miles  west  from  Murfreesboro.     On 


*Thip  was  a  d('j)artiire  from  military  rt'^nlatioiis  wliicli  plaivd  the  com- 
panies in  the  folldwiii^  order  from  right  to  left  A,  F,  1>  I,  (\  H  E,  K, 
G.  B,  the  ot)ject  being  that  wlien  the  regiment  was  divided  into  5  divis- 
ions, they  would  be  commanded  by  the  5  senior  captains.  Besides  in 
this  wayi  \  was  on  the  right,  B  on  the  left  and  C  in  the  centre.— Ed. 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  477 

Wednesday,  31  December,  1862,  the  battle  was  well  on,  and 
the  Sixtieth,  eager  for  the  fray,  having  tired  of  long  inactiv- 
ity, was  ordered  across  the  river  at  a  ford  on  the  Nashville 
pike,  the  men  crossing  by  wading  and  jumping  from  rock  to 
rock,  something  of  a  ledge  extending  quite  a  distance  into  the 
water.  On  reaching  the  west  side  of  the  river  the  troops  were 
immediately  under  fire,  and  yet  they  kept  alignment  and 
moved  forward  with  the  martial  tread  of  veterans,  notwith- 
standing the  discouragements  met  with  on  every  hand,  for 
even  while  in  the  ford  they  were  met  by  the  litter  corps,  carry- 
ing to  the  rear  the  wounded,  the  blood  running  almost  in 
streams  from  some  of  the  litters.  This,  and  the  gToans  of  the 
poor  maimed  men,  and  worse  still  the  woeful  tales  of  the  de- 
moralized retreating  soldiers  who  had  been  engaged  and  re- 
pulsed just  before  this  advance,  were  not  calculated  to  steady 
the  nerves  of  men  under  fire  for  the  first  time.  Some  were 
indiscreet  enough  to  exclaim  that  it  was  "useless  to  go  any 
further,  for  all  hell  couldn't  dislodge  the  blue  coats"  from 
their  strongly  fortified  position.  The  line,  however,  moved 
forward  until  it  encountered  obstacles  which  covered  the  en- 
tire front,  these  obstacles  being  the  Cowan  house,  a  large 
brick  building,  with  stables,  other  out-buildings,  gardens, 
lots,  etc.,  all  enclosed  by  cedar  picket  fences. 

The  regiment  was  necessarily  thrown  into  considerable 
confusion  and  some  of  the  companies  fell  back,  while  others 
pressed  forward  under  the  most  terrific  fire  of  musketry  and 
artillery  in  their  front  and  a  most  annoying  enfilading  mus- 
ketry fire  from  a  cedar  grove  to  the  front  and  left.  The  ad- 
vancing companies  got  around  the  obstructions  mentioned 
one  way  and  another.  Company  F,  commanded  by  Captain 
Ray,  struck  the  obstacles  at  the  garden  and  finding  two  or 
three  pickets  removed  and  a  pathway  through  the  garden, 
he  threw  his  men  in  single  file  and,  with  three  of  the  color 
guards  belonging  to  Company  E,  J.  L.  Morgan,  from  Hom- 
iny creek,  bearing  the  flag,  marched  through  the  garden  and 
einerged  into  a  cotten  field  to  find  themselves  alone  and  under 
the  most  galling  fire. 

The  men  were  ordered  "down,"  the  only  command  known 
in  tactics  appropriate  to  the  occasion.     Here  they  hugged  the 


478  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

ground  for  a  few  minutes,  when  away  to  the  loft  it  was  seen  a 
charge  was  being  made  upon  the  cedar  grove  that  was  then 
giving  the  most  destructive  lire,  wdien  the  command  ''Up, 
left  oblique,  double-quick,  charge!"  was  given  and  the  com- 
pany soon  reached  and  formed  on  this  attacking  force,  which 
proved  a  part  of  our  own  brigade,  containing  some  of  our  com- 
panies that  had  passed  around  to  the  left  of  the  obstacles, 
breaking  the  line  and  then  had  come  for\vard.  Of  these 
were  Company  E,  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Hyatt;  Com- 
pany H,  commanded  by  Captain  Huff,  and  Company  K,  com- 
manded by  Captain  West,  other  companies  of  the  regiment 
being  engaged  further  up  the  line. 

The  Federals  were  in  strong  force  in  the  cedars  and  were 
well  protected  by  uplifting  ledges  of  limestone  rock  and  the 
larger  cedars,  but  the  cliarging  Confederates  had  reached  a 
point  that  there  was  less  danger,  possibly,  in  going  forward 
than  remaining  standing,  or  than  in  retreating.  Having 
just  crossed  the  open  field  and  reached  the  edge  of  the  cedars, 
to  stop  short  was  to  be  shot  down,  having  no  protection  what- 
ever, and  to  retreat  over  the  open,  exposed  ground  even  worse, 
for  in  this  they  would  receive  the  fire  not  only  from  the  small 
amis,  but  make  themselves  targets  for  the  heavily  masked 
batteries  on  an  eminence  near  the  river. 

To  go  forward  seemed  the  only  alternative  and  to  this  the 
Federals  offered  a  stubborn  resistance,  encouraged  by  having 
repelled  former  charges  to  dislodge  them.  They  fought  with 
a  heroism  only  excelled  by  the  advancing  Confederates.  At 
a  critical  moment  in  the  struggle,  when  the  lines  were  see- 
sawing and  it  seemed  questionable  which  was  to  prove  the 
victor.  General  Preston,  with  the  gallantry  of  a  true  Ken- 
tuckian,  seized  the  colors  of  one  of  his  regiments  and,  sink- 
ing deep  his  spurs  into  the  sides  of  his  noble  horse,  cried  out, 
in  tones  sounding  above  the  roar  and  crash  of  the  battle,  "Fol- 
low me,  my  brave  men  I" 

The  act  and  the  words  were  electrical,  and,  with  a  shonJb 
that  will  go  down  the  ages  as  the  "southem  rebel  yell,"  the 
men  sprang  forw^ard  as  if  but  freshly  reinforced,  and  the 
Federals  were  forced  to  fall  back,  though  in  justice  to  them  it 
must  l)e  said,  foot  by  foot,  contending  most  stubbornly  over 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  479 

every  inch  of  the  ground.  They  were,  however,  finally 
forced  to  give  up  the  stronghold,  and  the  "boys  in  gray"  slept 
that  memorable  night  in  the  cedars,  upon  the  bloody  ground, 
in  the  midst  of  heaps  upon  heaps  of  dead  men.  It  was  ac- 
tually "a  sleep  with  the  dead,"  for  they  were  in  arm's  length 
that  night  of  almost  every  man.  The  horror  of  it  was  not  felt 
in  its  ghastly  hideousness  until  the  morning  dawned,  when 
the  fatigue  and  excitement  incident  to  the  battle  had  worn 
away.  Ever  to  be  remembered  will  be  that  morning  of  1 
January,  1863,  by  the  participants  in  that  battle. 

Just  at  tlie  moment  of  General  Preston's  seizing  the  flag 
the  Federal  batteries,  as  if  to  counteract  his  move,  sent  crash- 
ing into  the  ranks  a  most  teri-iflc  fire  of  grape  and  canister, 
taking  off  the  head  of  one  of  the  general's  staff  officers  and 
killing  and  wounding  many  others  of  the  brave  band  that 
surrounded  him.  Here  Lieutenant-Colonel  Harry  Deaver, 
of  the  Sixtieth,  was  dashed  to  the  ground  by  his  frantic  horse 
and  so  stunned  that  Captain  Eay,  in  front  of  whose  command 
the  accident  occurred,  sent  Merritt  Stevens,  a  stalwart  man, 
to  carry  him  from  the  field.  Colonel  Deaver,  brave,  gallant 
fellow,  was  never  after  able  to  do  a  day's  service,  having  been 
an  invalid  really  for  months  before  the  battle. 

At  nightfall  the  tragic  scene  described  had  a  respite,  at 
least  as  to  the  small  arms;  the  artillery  never  holding  up 
during  the  night.  At  the  order  to  "halt,  cease  firing,  lie 
down,"  General  Preston  slowly  rode  down  the  line,  having 
something  commendatory  to  say  to  each  command.  On  reach- 
ing the  Sixtieth  he  asked :  "What  command  ?"  On  being 
answered,  "A  portion  of  the  Sixtieth  ISTorth  Carolina,"  he 
said:  "This  is  your  first  battle  of  any  consequence,  I  be^ 
lieve.  Indeed  you  Tar  Heels  have  done  well.  I  must  say 
you  advanced  further  than  I  intended  you  should,  but  I 
thought  I  would  see  how  far  you  would  go.  Now,  a  little 
later,  if  any  of  you  see  fit  to  venture  out  and  gather  up  aban- 
doned gims,  I  will  make  honorable  mention  of  it.  It  will  be 
attended  with  some  danger  and  I  thus  make  it  voluntary. 
ITow,  take  your  rest  as  best  you  can,  but  whatever  you  do, 
build  no  fires  and  make  no  noise  which  will  indicate  your  posi- 


480  North  Carolina  Troops,   1SG1-'65. 

tion  to  the  enemy,  for  they  have  the  range  of  all  these  points 
and  will  shell  you  out." 

In  response  to  the  request  to  gather  in  al)andoned  guns, 
William  liutson,  from  the  vicinity  of  Sliufordsville,  a  mem- 
ber of  Ray's  company,  brought  off  the  field  thirty-five,  more 
than  enough  to  arm  his  company,  after  its  depletion  by 
the  killed  and  wounded  in  the  battle  through  which  it  had 
just  passed.  This  man  Hutson  was  conspicuous  for  his  cool 
bravery  under  fire.  The  daring  fellow  succumbed,  however, 
to  disease  and  died  a  few  niontlis  later  in  the  hospital  at  Tul- 
lahonia. 

On  New  Year's  day  the  regiment  was  comparatively  inac- 
tive. The  next  day,  2  January,  1863,  it,  together  with  the 
balance  of  the  division,  was  ordered  to  recross  the  river  and  at 
4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  went  into  that  ever  to  be  remem- 
bered "Breckinridge's  Friday  evening  charge.  Rosecrans  had 
massed  a  heavy  force  in  a  skirt  of  timber  on  the  east  bank  of 
the  river,  under  the  shadow  of  his  "batteries  of  an  lumdred 
guns,"  and  Bragg  ordered  Breckenridge  with  his  division  to 
dislodge  them.  To  do  so  he  was  forced  to  cross  an  open  field 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  in  width,  witli  the  enemy  lying 
stretched  upon  the  ground  in  the  edge  of  rli(>  woods  with 
deadly  aim  on  the  advancing  line. 

To  say  that  the  fire  was  terrific  but  mildly  expresses  it. 
How  any  escaped  has  ever  been  a  matter  of  wonder.  Nothing 
but  a  Divine  Providence  could  carry  men  through  such  an 
ordeal.  About  half  way  into  the  field  the  Sergeant-^Major 
of  the  Sixtieth,  young  Stanhope  Erwin,  from  Burke  county, 
was  killed  ;  an  early  martyr  in  his  country's  cause,  a  noble, 
gallant  boy,  not  out  of  his  teens. 

Here,  as  on  Wednesday,  the  contest  was  a  stubborn  one, 
the  Federals  seemingly  determined  at  all  liazards  to  liold  their 
position  under  the  protecting  care  of  tlieir  heavy  artillery, 
while  the  Confederates  were  equally  as  determined  that  they 
should  not,  and  on  they  surged,  little  recking  the  thinning  of 
their  ranks,  or  the  disadvantages  that  they  fully  recognized 
they  were  laboring  under.  Harder  and  harder  they  pressed, 
driving,  at  first  it  seemed,  the  opposing  line  inch  by  inch, 
finally  moving  it  more  easily,  at  last  to  the  river,  into  and 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  481 

across  it.  Soon  they  rallied  and  came  forward  again  to  find 
Breckinridge's  sturdy  men  as  immovable,  by  any  confronting 
demonstrations,  as  the  great  oaks  about  them. 

An  unexpected  flank  movement,  however,  accomplished  by 
crossing  a  force  up  the  river  and  climbing  a  precipitous  bluff, 
made  necessary  by  reason  of  inadequate  numbers  to  meet 
both  lines,  a  falling  back.  This,  while  not  as  orderly  as 
might  b.ave  been  A\ishcd,  was  without  panic  and  Patton  An- 
derson's Brigade  had  no  part  in  protecting  Breckinridge's 
men  from  annihilation,  as  was  falsely  reported  and  strongly 
intimated,  at  least,  in  General  Bragg's  official  report,  his 
troops  not  coming  up  until  darkness  closed  the  action. 

This  Friday's  battle  has  always  seemed  a  most  useless  one, 
and  one  too  showing  most  ineflicient  generalship  on  the  part 
of  General  Bragg.  Without  a  simultaneous  move  on  the  part 
of  the  army  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  against  the  enemy's 
strongly  fortified  position,  the  attempt  to  do  more  than  Breck- 
inridge did  was  one  of  the  impossibilities,  as  any  one  at  all 
versed  in  military  affairs  could  readily  have  foreseen. 

Saturday,  following  the  gi'and  work  of  a  few  men  the  day 
before,  was  spent  in  marching  and  countermarching,  through 
an  almost  incessant  rainstorm,  the  whole  appearing  to  be 
purposeless.  Later  in  the  day,  or  rather  at  night,  the  re- 
treat of  the  entire  army  commenced  ;  indeed,  it  might  be  said 
both  armies,  for  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  Federals  had 
determined  to  fall  back  and  that  both  armies  were  retreating 
at  the  same  time,  a  case  several  times  repeated  in  subsequent 
battles  by  reason  of  our  generals  not  following  up  their  vic- 
tories. 

The  losses  of  the  Sixtieth  in  the  two  battles  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows: 

In  Company  A,  Lieutenant  Weaver  commanding:  Ser- 
geant-Major  Stanhope  Er\vin,  killed ;  Sergeants  M.  C.  Toms, 
D.  H.  Waggoner  and  L).  W.  Owen,  wounded ;  Captain  J.  T. 
Garison,  w^ounded ;  Privates  J.  E.  James,  Robert  Paris,  H. 
jST.  Bridgers,  wounded,  and  J.  L.  Alexander  missing. 

Company  B,  Captain  Duckett  commanding:     Sergeant  J. 

31 


482  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'(55. 

A.  Hij^ps,  missing;  Privates  Win.  Shetley,  lvillc(l;  Cliarles 
Stokclj,  W.  K.  Cook,  seriously  wounded;  .lames  Wowly  Elk- 
anah  Ilicks,  John  Slietly,  John  E.  Waddell,  \Vm.  Plenimons 
and  B.  F.  Lawson,  slightly  wounded. 

Company  C,  Captain  lievnolds  commanding:  Wednesday, 
Lieutenant  Alexander;  Friday,  Sergeant  W.  A.  McBrayer, 
wounded  :  i*rivat.es  J.  W.  Dillingham,  A.  W.  Searcy,  W.  S. 
Penhuid,  W.  G.  Dillingham,  Jackson  Whitlock,  wounded. 

Company  D,  Lieutenant 'Shipraan  commanding:  Privates 
Noah  Hudson  and  F.  J.  Israel  wounded. 

Company  E,  Lieutenant  Hyatt  commanding:  Wednesday, 
Lieutenant  Wright;  Friday,  Lieutenant  Hyatt,  wounded; 
Sergeants  W.  W.  Slate  and  T.  J.  Harkins,  wounded ;  Cor- 
poral W.  P.  Green,  wounded ;  Privates  E.  G.  Howell,  Thomas 
Brookshire  and  John  Morgan,  wounded. 

Company  F,  Captain  Ray  commanding:  Privates  M.  Fos- 
ter, J.  Foster,  J,  Wilson,  F.  P.  Wilson,  N.  Hudson,  James 
H.  Tweed,  Wm.  White,  J.  H.  Penland,  D.  L.  Mann,  Solomon 
Frisby,  wounded ;  F.  M.  Parham  and  Wm.  Pritchett,  miss- 
ing. 

Company  G,  Captain  Ward  commanding:  Privates  Lean- 
der  Peck,  Alexander  Edwards,  J.  B.  Swain,  M.  M.  Edwards, 
Davidson  Edwai'ds,  Wm.  Pcgg,  wounded  ;  George  Ellison, 
W.  P.  Cai'uth  and  James  Wilson,  missing. 

Company  H,  Captain  HufT  commanding:  Ijieutenant  W. 
M.  Jones  and'  Sergeant  C.  C.  Jones,  wounded ;  Privates  W. 
H.  Headrick,  Nicliolas  Ellison,  George  Marrow,  W.  P. 
Moore,  G.  W.  Manstook  and  Corporal  Willie  Chapman, 
wounded. 

Company  T,  Captain  Roberts  commanding:  Corporal  Wil- 
son and  Privates  R.  Gray  and  Peter  Gray,  wounded ;  Privates 
Wm.  S.  Alexander  and  Alfred  Fisher,  missing. 

Company  K,  Captain  West  commanding:  J.  G.  Ledbetter, 
killed;  Privates  ]\roses  Hall,  R.  W.  Alexander,  M.  A.  Rober- 
son,  Ephraim  Glass,  J.  W.  Clark.  W.  R.  Bartlett,  A.  L.  Bird, 
S.  P.  Young,  Jonathan  Allison,  D.  M.  Wells,  J.  A.  Clark, 
wounded,  and  IL  C.  Gossett  and  Thonuis  H.  Wilson,  missing. 

Breckinridge's  Division,  of  which  the  Sixtieth  Avas  a  part, 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  483 

fell  l)ac'k  to  Tullalioina  and  went  into  winter  quarters.  Tlie 
weather  following  was  of  the  meanest — raining,  sleeting  and 
snowing,  and  slush  and  mud  seemed  to  be  the  normal  condi- 
tion of  things  in  that  dreary  and  desolate  region.  The  suf- 
fering was  great.  The  men  sickened  and  many  died,  both 
of  officers  and  privates,  Quartermaster-Captain  Augustus  W. 
Patton  among  the  former,  entailing  a  loss  irreparable  to  the 
regiment,  he  being  a  most  efficient  officer  and  the  highest  type 
of  a  man  in  every  way. 

CHAJiGES    IJN^    OFFICEKS. 

Here,  too,  commenced  an  investigation  of  the  conduct  of 
certain  officers  and  companies  in  the  fights  in  front  of  Mur- 
freesboro,  and  while  most,  if  not  all,  were  from  the  peculiar 
state  of  things  not  gTeatly  censurable  for  any  neglect  of  duty, 
a  j)ressure  was  brought  to  bear  on  them  and  several  resigna- 
tions were  tendered,  and  quite  a  revolution  was  wrought  in 
the  officials ;  an  entire  change  in  the  field  officers  and  many 
changes  in  company  officers.  Captain  Hardy,  of  Company 
A,  was  made  Colonel  and  Captain  Ray,  of  Company  F,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel. The  position  of  Major  for  some  reason,  was 
left  vacant.  The  promotion  of  Captain  Hardy  making  a  va- 
cancy in  his  company  (A),  First  Lieutenant  Weaver  w^as  pro- 
moted to  Captain,  the  Second  Lieutenant  and  Junior  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants  advancing  res]Dectively,  and  John  W.  Lind- 
say was  elected  to  the  vacancy  of  Junior  Second  Lieutenant. 
The  vacancy  of  Captain  in  Company  F,  caused  by  the  pro- 
motion of  Captain  Ray,  was  not  filled,  but  First  Lieutenant 
Reynolds  allowed  to  command.  Captain  Belton  Duckett,  of 
Company  B,  resigning.  First  Lieutenant  B.  F.  Patton  was 
advanced  to  the  Captaincy ;  the  Second  and  Junior  Second 
Lieutenants  advanced  respectively,  and  the  vacancy  of  Junior 
Second  Lieutenant  was  not  filled.  Captain  F.  S.  H.  Rey- 
nolds, of  Company  C,  resigning.  First  Lieutenant  Thomas  W. 
Patton  was  promoted  to  Captain,  and  Second  and  Junior 
Second  Lieutenants  advanced  respectively.  Samuel  W.  Da- 
vidson was  elected  Junior  Second  Lieutenant.  After  the 
death  of  Lieutenant  Riddle,  I^ieutenant  Davidson  advanced 
to  Second  and  Henry  K.   Rhea  elected  to  the  vacancy  of 


484  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Junior  Second  Lieutenant.  Captain  Fletcher,  of  Company 
D,  and  his  Lieutenants  leaving  the  company,  Lieutenant 
John  Gregg  Chambers,  of  Company  C,  was  temporarily  put 
in  command.  Later  H.  Clay  Lorance  was  appointed  First 
Lieutenant,  James  M.  Ford  Second,  and  Robert  C.  Evans 
Junior  Second  Lieutenants.  Lieutenant  Lorance  taking 
commaiid,  relieved  Lieutenant  Chambers,  who  returned  to 
his  company  on  17  jSTovember,  1863,  Jesse  R.  Gilliland  was 
appointed  Captain  and  comnuinded  the  company  until 
wounded  in  front  of  Atlanta,  from  which  he  never  recovered, 
Lieutenant  Lorance  again  taking  command.  Captain  West 
of  Company  K,  resigning.  Adjutant  E.  M.  Clayton  was  made 
Captain  and  William  T.  White  elected  Junior  Second  Lieu- 
tenant. 

The  vacancy  of  Adjutant  by  the  promotion  of  E.  M.  Clay- 
ton, was  filled  by  the  appointment  of  Orville  Ewing,  Jr.,  of 
Nashville,  Tenn.  The  position  of  Sergeant-Major  made  va- 
cant by  the  killing  of  Stanhope  Erwin,  was  filled  by  the  ap- 
pointment of  Frank  M.  Miller.  Captain  G.  M.  Roberts,  of 
company  I  resigning.  First  Lieutenant  W.  R.  Alexander  was 
promoted  to  the  Captaincy,  the  Second  and  Junior  Second 
Lieutenants  advanced  respectively,  and  the  Junior  Second 
Lieutenancy  was  not  filled. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Stevens  resigning  as  Surgeon,  Dr.  Griffin,  of 
Louisville,  Ky.,  was  assigned  to  duty  in  his  stead,  assisted  by 
Lieutenant  Robert  Cooper.  Dr.  Griffin  was  superseded  by 
Dr.  Mackay  about  the  time  the  regiment  left  for  Mississippi. 
The  latter  was  a  surgeon  of  considerable  note,  having  served 
quite  a  time  in  the  English  army  with  the  Scottish  Highland- 
ers before  coming  to  America.  Phifer  Erwin  was  made  Quar- 
termaster in  place  of  W.  Augustus  Patton,  deceased,  B.  J. 
Alexander  being  retained  as  Quarternmster-Sergeant. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1863  the  regiment,  as  also  the  divis- 
ion, broke  camp  at  Tullalioma  and  moved  to  Wartrace.  It 
was  then  in  Preston's  Brigade,  Breckinridge's  Division,  Har- 
dee's Corps.  In  early  summer  it  went  to  Faii'field,  and 
later  was  ordered  to  Jackson,  ]\Iiss.  On  reaching  there 
it  went  into  camp  upon  the  banks  of  Pearl  river,  here 
reonaining  until  about  1   Jnly,  Joseph  E.   Johnston  in  the 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  485 

meantime  hurriedly  getting  together  transportation  for  a 
movement  on  Vicksburg  to  relieve  Pemberton,  who  was  being 
besieged  by  General  Grant.  Four  days'  marching  via  Can- 
ton, under  the  broiling  sun  of  that,  then,  almost  tropical  clime 
in  dust  shoemouth  deep,  drinking  water  from  any  place  it 
could  be  found,  and  this,  much  of  the  time,  being  stagnant, 
muddy,  stockponds  and  even  from  hog-wallows  along  the 
line  of  march,  the  command  reached  the  waters  of  the  Big 
Black  on  the  night  of  4  July,  the  commander  of  the  Sixtieth, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray,  being  the  general  field  officer  of  the 
day.  About  midnight  the  word  passed  from  brigade  to  bri- 
gade and  from  regiment  to  regiment  that  Vicksburg  had  ca- 
pitulated. A  retrograde  movement  was  at  once  ordered  and 
the  retreat  commenced  and  continued  until  Jackson  was 
reached.  The  troops  fared  better  on  the  retreat  than  on  the 
advance,  so  far  as  water  Avas  concerned,  for  the  wells  and  cis- 
terns along  the  route  that  had  been  stripped  of  buckets  and 
drawing  arrangements  by  the  owners  had  been  replaced  after 
the  passage  of  the  troops  and,  of  course,  not  anticipating  so 
speedy  a  return,  they  were  found  in  place  and  there  was  com- 
paratively little  suffering  for  water.  The  citizens  of  Can- 
ton, it  must  be  said,  however,  did  everything  possible  for  the 
comfort  of  the  soldiers,  both  advancing  and  retreating,  lining 
the  sidewalks  with  buckets  and  pitchers  of  water. 

Johnston  made  a  stand  at  Jackson  and  set  himself  in  bat- 
tle array.  Very  soon  he  was  confronted  by  the  Federals  in 
force  and  the  contest  commenced,  first  skirmishing  along  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  line.  Finally,  on  16  July,  a  strong  demon- 
stration was  made  upon  that  part  where  the  Sixtieth  had  posi- 
tion and  for  a  time  the  battle  was  fierce,  but  the  defense  was 
stronger  than  the  enemy  seemed  to  have  anticipated,  the  re- 
treat was  sounded  and  the  attacking  forces  withdrew. 

The  Sixtieth's  casualties  were  but  slight,  a  few  men  only 
being  wounded.  Among  that  number  was  James  Parker,  of 
Company  E,  whose  w^ound  necessitated  the  amputation  of  one 
arm.  This  was  done  most  skilfully  by  Dr.  McKay,  surgeon 
of  the  regiment. 

General  Johnston  did  not  see  fit  to  offer  resistance  for  any 
considerable  time  to  the  occupancy  of  the  city  and  withdrew 


486  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

his  forces,  the  Sixtieth  going  to  Brandon  and  encamping  on 
a  ridge  not  a  great  way  from  the  station,  in  the  track  of  a  cy- 
clone tliat  had  passed  through  that  section  of  the  country  some 
time  before,  and  hence  the  name  "Camp  Hun'icane,"  by 
which  the  rendezvous  was  known.  PIcre  Colonel  Hardy, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Eay  and  several  officers  of  the  line  passed 
their  examinations  for  promotion,  although  they  had  been 
on  duty  in  their  respective  assignments,  most  of  them,  from 
the  time  of  leaving  Fairfield,  Tenn.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray 
commanding  the  regiment  on  the  advance  from  Jackson  to 
Big  Black  and  on  the  retreat  as  well. 

It  was  here,  too,  that  Dr.  McKay,  by  his  extra  rigid  regular 
army  discipline,  incurred  anew  the  anger  of  many  of  the  regi- 
ment, Avho  claimed  that  they  w^ere  out  to  fight  tyranny  in 
every  form,  and  while  engaged  fighting  back  an  invading 
army,  they  would  at  the  same  time  resist  being  domineered 
by,  as  they  claimed,  a  military  martinet  in  the  person  of  the 
regimental  surgeon.  They  commenced  the  exhibition  of 
their  determination  to  get  rid  of  the  doctor  by  a  night  attack 
upon  him  as  ho  swung  in  his  hamuKK-k  in  his  mar(iuee,  cutting 
down  the  hammock  and  then  casting  some  stones,  more  to 
frighten,  possil)ly,  than  to  hurt,  for  they  were  not  really  bad 
men.  The  doctor  appealed  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Kay,  again 
in  command  of  the  regiment,  for  redress  and  reported  an  en- 
tire company  as  being  the  offenders,  but  as  lie  could  name 
none,  either  as  leaders  or  participants,  no  action  could  well  be 
taken.  Colonel  liay,  esteeming  him  for  his  skill  in  surgery 
and  his  general  learning,  was  anxious  to  save  him  any  injury, 
or  any  repeated  indignity  and  begged  the  doctor  to  allow  him 
to  effect  his  transfer,  which  was  done  and  old  Dr.  Straight,  a 
Mississippian,  was  put  in  his  place,  a  most  lovable  character, 
who  soon  endeared  himself  to  the  men  very  greatly. 

In  Septem1)er  Breckinridge  was  ordered  to  Georgia  to  re- 
inforce General  Bragg,  who  was  again  to  join  issue  with 
General  Rosecrans.  It  so  happened  that  some  of  the  higher 
officers  being  away  on  leave,  and  oth(u-s  desiring  to  go  via 
Mobile,  Ala.,  the  comnmnd  of  the  brigade  devolved  upon 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray,  who  had  it  in  charge  until  reaching 
tlic  point  of  destination. 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  487 


CHICKAMATJGA. 


On  reaching  Chickamauga  (the  Indian  name  "Chicka- 
manga"  means  river  of  death)  the  two  armies  were  found  in 
battle  array  and  skirmishing  more  or  less  severe  occurred 
from  day  to  day,  commencing  on  about  the  10th.  The  Sixti- 
eth had  position  on  the  left  of  the  army  and  upon  that  part 
of  the  field  in  which  vicinity  were  Glass'  and  Lee  and  Gor- 
don's flouring  mills. 

The  line  of  battle  was  constantly  undergoing  changes,  not 
very  considerable  until  the  18th  and  19th.  Then  the 
changes  were  radical,  the  left,  or  a  great  part  of  it,  embrac- 
ing the  Sixtieth,  was  moved  to  the  extreme  right  wing.  On 
the  18th  everything  indicated  fighting  and  a  regailar  engage- 
ment was  unquestionably  at  hand.  The  ominous  cloufls  of 
war  hung  like  a  pall  over  the  anny ;  the  atmosphere  was  full 
of  it;  the  warrior,  as  well  as  the  war  horse,  could  ''smell  it 
from  afar."  Curses  were  changed  to  prayers,  cards  in  the 
pockets  were  replaced  by  Testaments  and  a  quiet  determina- 
tion took  the  place  of  jests  and  ribaldry. 

Sure  enough  on  Saturday,  the  19th,  the  struggle  began  in 
earnest.  As  the  day  waned  the  contest  became  hotter  and 
hotter,  and  at  dark  it  seemed  only  just  begun,  and  raged  furi- 
ously until  way  into  the  night.  When  the  ranks  could  no 
longer  see  each  other  they  would  fire  at  the  flash  and  report 
of  their  opponents'  guns.  The  Sixtieth,  up  to  this  time,  had 
not  been  hotly  engaged.  The  night  of  the  19th  it  marched 
hour  upon  hour,  crossing  the  river  at  Alexander's  bridge, 
when  it  seemed  almost  time  for  cock  crow,  if  one  had  dared 
to  be  so  bold  in  hearing  of  men  hungry  enough  to  have  eaten 
him,  feathers  and  all !  Tired  and  worn,  a  final  halt  was 
called  and  the  men  threw  themselves  upon  the  gi'ound  and  in 
almost  a  twinkling  were  wrapped  in  sound  slumber,  such  as 
is  known  only  to  soldiers.  But  O  !  of  such  short  duration 
was  that  sleep.  Not  waiting  until  day  dawn,  the  long  roll 
sounded — a  sound  that  like  the  rattlesnake's  warning  notes, 
never  failed  to  put  all  hearers  on  the  alert.  Hastily  every 
man,  knowing  intuitively  what  the  call  boded,  was  up  in  busy 
preparation,  and  at  daybreak  was  in  line  ready  for  any  fate. 


488  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Written  unmistakably  in  almost  every  face  was  "we  go  to 
victory  or  death."     Alas !  all  to  victory,  many  to  death. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray  was  in  command,  and  being  called 
upon  for  a  speech,  the  commanding  officers  of  other  regiments 
on  the  right  and  left,  already  haranguing  their  men,  he  said: 
"I  hardly  think  it  just  the  time  for  a  speech.  Later  it  may 
be  necessary.  We  know  full  well  what  is  before  us.  I  am 
no  more  anxious  for  the  conflict  than  the  rest  of  you,  but  I 
mean  to  do  my  full  duty  and  have  confidence  that  you  will  do 
the  same." 

Up  to  near  this  time,  probably  within  two  days.  Captain 
Candler,  senior  Captain,  had  been  acting  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
as  has  lieen  stated,  the  regiment  having  no  Major,  but  upon 
an  order  from  General  Breckinridge  to  Acting  Colonel  Ray 
to  send  a  mounted  officer  to  the  rear  to  see  what  was  the  trou- 
ble that  rations  for  three  days  had  not  been  sent  forward,  he 
detailed  Captain  Candler  for  this  work  and  had  Captain  J. 
T.  Weaver  assigned  to  duty  as  second  in  command,  and  the 
regiment  commenced  the  day's  work  so  officered,  young 
George  Leavel,  of  Mississippi,  acting  as  voluntary  aid  to 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray.  At  this  battle  the  Sixtieth  was  in 
Stovall's  Brigade,  Breckinridge's  Division,  D.  H.  Hill's 
Corps. 

Notwith.stancling  tlie  early  preparations,  it  was  near  9 
o'clock  before  the  troops  were  actually  engaged.  The  skir- 
mishers at  once  uncovered  the  Federal  line  of  l)attle  and  the 
work  began,  the  Confederates  continually  advancing,  at  many 
points,  however,  meeting  strong  resistance.  The  casualties 
for  a  time  were  inconsiderable.  T^ieutenant  Wm.  White  and 
Sergeant  J.  L.  Cathey  were  among  the  first  seriously  wound- 
ed, both  losing  a  leg.  Lieutenant  White's  proving  fatal.  Tliese 
were  both  men  of  distinguished  bravery. 

It  was  not  infrequent  that  ludicrous  and  laughalile  scenes 
came  up  even  during  the  battles.  In  the  first  charge  made 
here,  the  men  had  been  strongly  admonished  against  throw- 
ing away  shots  and  ordered  to  hold  their  fire  until  ordered 
b}'  commanding  officers.  A  Federal  sharpshooter  had  from 
some  cause  fallen  behind  his  comrades  as  they  had  been  driven 
back  and  the  follow  was  running  for  dear    life    diagonally 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  489 

across  the  front  of  the  Sixtieth.  When  first  seen  he  was 
probably  250  yards  away.  Redden  James  a  Sergeant  in 
Company  F,  asked  permission  to  fire  at  him.  It  being  given, 
he  turned  loose  his  carbine,  whereupon  the  fleeing  soldier 
tumbled,  but  in  a  moment  was  up  and  off  again.  Another 
shot  was  fired  at  him  and  again  he  fell,  but  as  quickly  as  be- 
fore he  was  up  and  on  the  run.  Then  the  third  man  fired 
and  another  tumbling  down.  By  this  time  the  line  had 
reached  him  and  when  ordered  up,  it  was  found  the  fellow 
had  not  been  touched,  but  had  adopted  this  ruse,  as  he  said, 
to  prevent  a  volley  being  fired  at  him,  and  hoping  every  lit- 
tle run  to  pass  from  the  front  of  the  charging  line. 

The  direction  of  advancing  columns  up  to  about  11  o'clock 
had  been  a  little  west  of  south,  but  reaching  the  Lafayette 
pike,  leading  out  from  Chattanooga,  near  where  stood  Jones' 
and  McDonald's  houses,  the  direction  was  changed  due  south, 
at  least  as  to  Stoval's  Brigade,  of  which  the  Sixtieth  was  a 
part.  Soon  after  this  charge  came  the  tug  of  war.  As  the 
Federal  line  was  driven  back  it  seemed  to  be  strengthened 
in  numbers,  probably  by  reinforcements  or  the  falling  back 
on  reserves,  and  to  grow  in  desperation,  and  the  advance  of 
the  Confederates  as  the  sun  approached  the  meridian  became 
more  and  more  difficult.  From  11  until  12  o'clock  it  was  a 
life  and  death  struggle. 

The  Federal  line  of  battle  was  of  an  unheard  of  shape,  run- 
ning east  and  west  through  Kelley's  field,  then  bending  round 
to  due  north  and  extending  probably  500  yards,  bending 
around  again  in  a  westward  direction,  some  distance  parallel 
to  the  line  through  Kelley's  G.e]^,  but  stopping  short  before 
reaching  Lafayette  pike,  or  touching  the  line  west  of  said 
pike,  thus  leaving  an  opening  or  gap  in  their  line.  And  it 
was  here  the  Sixtieth  got  in  its  nice  work ;  passing  the  right 
of  this  west  line,  it  forced  its  way  into  this  gap,  receiving  an 
enfilading  fire  for  a  short  time  in  passing  said  line,  and 
drove  the  opposing  forces  back  into  Kelley's  field  into  their 
breastworks. 


490  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

FAKTIIEST   TO   THE   FKONT    AT   CHICKAMAUGA. 

By  forcing  their  way  into  this  gap  the  gallant  men  of  the 
Sixtieth  onahled  the  State  and  United  States  commissoners^ 
in  reviewing  the  battlefield  in  order  to  locate  the  exact  posi- 
tion of  the  various  commands,  to  say: 

"This  ]ioint  [marked  by  a  tablet]  reached  by  the  Sixtieth 
North  ("arolina  liegiment  of  Infantry,  at  noon,  on  Sunday  20 
September,  1863,  was  the  fwrihcsl  ohtained  hy  any  Confeder- 
ate troops  in  this  famous  charge.'' 

The  casualties  in  the  last  hour  of  this  charge  were  heavy. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Ray  was  severely  wounded  and  forced  to 
leave  the  field,  after  calling  Acting  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Weaver,  notifying  him  of  his  being  disabled,  and  turning 
over  to  him  the  command  of  the  regiment.  The  regiment  in 
its  last  action  here  was  confronted  by  the  Second  Minnesota, 
which  reported  a  loss  of  33  per  cent,  of  its  members,  fighting, 
too,  a  part  of  the  time,  behind  breastworks.  Indicating 
somewhat  further  the  severity  of  tlu^  struggle  here,  three 
generals  were  killed  almost  in  a  stone's  throw  of  the  position 
of  the  Sixtieth  in  Kelley's  field — Generals  Helm  and  Deshler, 
of  the  Confederates,  and  General  King,  of  the  Federals. 

Soon  after  Acting  Lieutenant-Colonel  Weaver  took  com- 
mand of  the  regiment  the  line  was  withdrawn  and  reformed 
north  and  somewhat  west  of  Kelley's  field  and  held  inactive 
for  a  time,  then  advanced  upon  another  part  of  the  Federal 
line,  and  near  siuidown  was  drawn  up  in  support  of  Forrest's 
cavalry.  It  was  here  held  in  reserve  a  sliort  time,  and  then 
ordered  into  the  charge  being  made  on  the  enemy's  breast- 
works, which  were  taken  nlTist  gallantly,  the  Federals  being 
driven  pcn-mell,  tlie  Coiifc'dorates  searcoly  lialtiug  at  the 
breastworks,  but  pursuing  the  panic-stricken,  retreating 
forces  in  the  direction  (if  Chattanooga.  And  so  ended  the 
day's  work,  and  wifli  similai'  work  on  0'th(>r  parts  of  the  bat- 
tlefield, the  great  and  bloody  battle  of  (^hickamauga. 

The  hurried  and  brief  reports  of  commanding  officers  make 
it  absolutely  inijiossiblc  to  give  tlie  casualties  of  the  Sixtieth 
in  these  different  engagements,  but  they  were  great,  some  of 
the  companies  having  only  five  or  six  men  to  answer  to  their 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  491 

names  at  roll  call  on  the  night  of  the  20th.  Among  the  officers 
wounded,  not  already  mentioned,  were  Lieutenant  John  H. 
Reynolds,  seriously,  losing  an  arm ;  Lieutenants  Leonard 
Huff  and  Sam  W.  Davidson  and  Captain  W.  R.  Alexander, 
slightly.  Of  the  color  guard,  every  man  save  one,  George 
Lindsey,  was  killed  or  wounded.  The  bearer  of  the  flag, 
Sergeant  Bailey,  though  mortally  wounded,  called  Sergeant 
Lindsey  to  him,  told  him  he  was  shot,  showed  him  the  wound 
and  said :     'T  turn  over  to  your  keeping  the  colors." 

Here  again  is  another  instance  of  gTeat  victory,  at  an  ex- 
pense of  almost  a  deluge  of  the  best  blood  of  the  country  and 
apparently  nothing  achieved.  The  failure  to  press  Rose- 
crans  while  on  the  run  and  take  Chattanooga,  and  thus  re- 
claim a  large  part  of  Tennessee,  was  a  blunder  that  could  not 
be  understood  by  the  rank  and  file  of  the  army  and  was  never 
satisfactorily  explained.  Llad  this  been  done,  and  none 
doubted  the  possibility  of  it,  the  Federals  could  never  have 
boasted  of  victories  at  Lookout  Mountain  and  Missionary 
Ridge,  for  those  battles  would  never  have  taken  place. 

General  Breckinridge,  through  Lieutenant  Clay,  of  his 
staff  (grandson  of  Henry  Clay)  sent  expressions  of  his  sym- 
pathies to  Colonel  Ray  at  field  hospital  on  the  morning  after 
the  battle  on  the  20th  and  was  unstinted  in  his  praise  of  the 
conduct  of  the  Sixtieth. 

MISSIONARY   RIDGE. 

The  following  up  the  retreating  Federals,  after  the  hard 
fighting  on  the  20th,  was  very  leisurely  and  in  a  half-hearted 
way,  giving  them  time  to  rally,  reorganize  and  offer  battle 
again,  on  plans  very  advantageous  to  them.  The  Sixtieth 
was  inactive  for  a  day  or  two,  and  then  by  slow  marches  took 
position  on  Missionary  Ridge,  overlooking  Chattanooga. 
Here  on  25  JSTovember  it  was  brought  into  action,  but  was  so 
situated  as  to  be  able  to  do  but  little  effective  work,  having 
the  enemy  too  far  away  at  the  beginning  of  the  conflict  to 
reach  them  except  by  plunging  shots  from  the  artillery  and 
the  longest  range  guns,  and  when  getting  nearer  they  were 
almost  completely  sheltered  by  the  natural  curvature  of  the 
mountain.     On  the  Federals  reaching  the  top  of  the  bluff,  a 


492  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

sliai-p  engagement  took  place,  but  the  disparity  in  numbers 
was  so  great  the  Confederates  were  forced  to  retreat,  the  Six- 
tieth falling  back  to  Dalton,  Ga.,  and  there  taking  up  winter 
quarters.  Omng  to  the  great  depletion  in  the  ranks  of  both 
the  Sixtieth  and  Fifty-eighth  Hegiments,  the  two  were  con- 
solidated while  on  Missionary  Kidge,  the  field  officers  of  the 
Sixtieth  k(.'pt  in  commiiiid  and  those  of  the  Fifty-eighth  trans- 
ferred. 

The  campaign  of  1864  opened  with  a  clash  between  the 
opposing  forces  in  front  of  Dalton,  the  Sixtieth  and  Fifty- 
eighth  participating  in  the  battle.  This  resulted  in  a  victory 
to  the  Confederates,  the  Federals  again  falling  back  in  the 
direction  of  Chattanooga.  The  casualties  as  to  the  North 
Carolinians  were  slight  in  this  action,  save  in  the  killing  of 
Lieutenant  Thomas  H.  Riddle,  of  Company  C,  an  efficient 
and  popular  young  officer.  This  battle  was  known  as  "Stoney 
Ridge."  In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1864,  the  Fifty- 
eighth  and  Sixtieth  ISTorth  Carolina  belonged  to  A.  W.  Rey- 
nolds' Brigade,  Stevenson's  Division,  Hood's  Corps.  In  Au- 
gust, Colonel  Wash.  M.  Hardy,  of  the  Sixtieth,  was  in  com- 
mand, temporarily,  of  the  Brigade. 

FROM    DALTON    TO    ATLAN'TA. 

The  Sixtieth  returned  to  Dalton  and  went  into  their  old 
quarters.  Sergeant-Major  Frank  IMiller  was  here  made  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  in  Company  A,  Thomas  F.  Davidson  was 
made  Junior  Second  Lieutenant  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by 
the  resignation  of  Lieutenant  Reynolds,  and  Calvin  Shack- 
elford to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Lieut.  Wm. 
T.  White.  Llere  it  remained  until  the  beginning  of  what  is 
known  in  history  as  the  'Mohnston-Sherman  Atlanta  cam- 
paign." This  Avas  a  succession  of  battles  and  retreats  upon 
the  part  of  Johnston,  inflicting  heavy  losses  upon  Shennan. 
By  his  peculiar  tactics,  of  selecting  his  positions  and  drawing 
Sherman  back  on  him,  he  was  seriously  crippling  him  and  yet 
apparently  giving  him  victories  by  his  retreating  and  the  oth- 
er advancing.  'Twas  said  in  this  campaign  that  from  first 
to  last  Johnston  disabled  and  killed  of  Sherman's  anuy  in 
numbers  aggi'egating  nearly  50,000,  a  force  almost  equal  to 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  493 

that  witli  which  he  fought  him.  The  Sixtieth  was  frequently 
engaged  in  this  campaign,  a  dozen  or  more  times,  the  most 
important  battles  being  at  Resaca,  Cassville,  jSTew  Hope 
Church,  Kennesaw  Mountain,  Jonesboro  and  Atlanta,  and 
never  to  its  discredit.  Its  losses  were  considerable,  particu- 
larly in  wounded,  many  of  the  very  best  officers  and  men 
being  disabled.  Specially  deserving  mention  are  Captains 
Ed.  M.  Clayton  and  Jesse  R.  Gilliland,  Lieutenants  Frank 
M.  Miller  and  Robert  Cooper. 

CHANGE  OF  GENERALS. 

The  War  Department  at  Richmond,  under  influences,  not 
creditable  to  either  side,  assumed  to  dictate  to  Joseph  E. 
Johnston  as  to  the  further  conducting  of  this  "Atlanta  Cam- 
paign," and  this  greatest  of  strategists,  declining  to  be  so 
handicapped,  allowed  himself  to  be  superseded  and  the  Con- 
federate Government  committed  the  greatest  blunder  of  its 
short  life  in  bringing  about  such  a  condition  of  things.  Some 
of  the  older  generals  who  were  asked  to  take  command,  saw 
the  unwisdom  of  a  change  at  that  particular  crisis,  and  declin- 
ing to  become  a  party  to  it,  it  was  left  to  the  dashing  and  dar- 
ing Texan,  General  John  B.  Hood,  to  take  charge  of  that  gal- 
lant body  of  men  that  almost  worshipped  their  great  displaced 
leader.  A  sad  day  indeed  was  it,  in  and  around  Atlanta, 
when  the  change  in  commanders  was  made  known.  No  half 
dozen  defeats  in  battle  could  have  had  so  depressing  an  effect 
upon  the  troops.  In  the  Federal  ranks  the  contrary  feeling 
prevailed ;  the  elation  on  one  side  was  equal  to  the  depression 
on  the  other.  General  Sherman  said :  "]^ow  we'll  have  some- 
thing to  say  when  and  where  we  fight.  Up  to  this  time  it 
has  been  when  and  where  Mr.  Johnston  said." 

Of  course  General  Hood  had  to  esLrrj  out  the  behests  of 
the  war  department,  with,  it  was  presumed,  Cleneral  Bragg  as 
adviser,  and  an  entire  change  in  plans  was  brought  about, 
he  taking  the  offensive  and  making  desperate  onslaughts  upon 
Sherman's  lines,  and  while  victorious  in  a  way,  and  fully  sus- 
taining his  well  earned  reputation  as  a  daring,  successful 
fighter,  they  were  at  such  a  sacrifice  of  his  men,  as  to  make 
suicidal  a  continuance  of  it  and  hence  it  was  determined  to 


494  North  Carolina  Tkooi's,   18f;i-'65. 

adopt  other  tactics.  So  the  army  swung  ar(»uii(l,  recrossed 
the  (^hattahoocli(>e  river  and  opened  the  way  to  an  ahnost  un- 
interrn])ted  rnarcli  of  Sherman  to  the  sea;  while,  in  the  short- 
sighted ])olicy  of  the  powers  at  Richmond,  the  movement  was 
supposed  to  cut  tlieir  supplies  from  Nashville,  little  thinking 
of  the  communications  Sherman  was  opening  up  ahead  of 
him. 

THE   MARCH   ON   NASHVILLE. 

Passing  through  North  Georgia,  North  Alabama,  crossing 
the  Tennessee  river  at  Florence,  where  a  small  force  of  Fed- 
erals offered  slight  resistance,  but  were  easily  overcome  by 
the  troops  of  which  the  Sixtieth  was  a  part,  the  march  was 
continued  into  and  through  a  section  of  the  State  very  ap- 
propriately called  ''The  Wilderness,"  where  it  might  have 
been  justly  said,  in  the  language  of  Sheridan,  "that  a  crow 
in  flying  over  it  would  have  to  carry  his  rations  with  him." 
The  men  subsisted  principally  upon  scant  supplies  of  "corn 
dodger"  and  "sorghum  molasses." 

The  transition  from  t:his  barren  land  into  that  fertile  re- 
gion known  as  the  Blue  Grass  section  of  middle  Tennessee, 
can  hardly  be  imagined.  Here,  at  Columbia,  on  Duck  river, 
another  body  of  Federals  was  encountered,  and  a  sharp  lit- 
tle engagement  took  place,  the  Sixtieth  suifering  somewhat, 
particularly  in  the  loss  of  a  brave  young  officer,  Lieutenant 
Moreno,  who  had  been  assigned  to  duty  with  the  regiment, 
having  refugeed  a  short  time  before  from   Pensacola,  Fla. 

FRANKLIN. 

Instead  of  pressing  the  retreating  foe  and  forcing  a  battle 
upon  the  ground  where  each  contestant  would  have  been  on  an 
equal  footing,  or,  what  would  have  been  better,  outflank- 
ing him,  a  thing  seeming  altogether  practicable,  he  was 
allowed,  unintemiptedly  it  might  be  said,  to  fall  back  on 
Franklin  and  ample  time  given  to  strongly  fortify.  Then 
when  the  Federals,  it  might  be  presumed,  said,  "Now  we  are 
ready,  you  may  advance !"  the  Confederates,  never  counting 
odds,  or  reckoning  obstacles,  did  advance.  But  what  a 
scene  of  blood  and  carnage.     The  forces  were  more  nearly 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  495 

equal  as  to  numbers  than  in  most  battles  of  the  war,  the  Con- 
federates having  18,000  to  20,000,  the  Federals  22,000  to 
24,000.  But  bj  reason  of  the  one  being  so  thoroughly  en- 
trenched and  the  other  compelled  to  advance  through  broad, 
open  fields,  the  odds  actually  might  be  said,  not  unreasona- 
bly either,  to  have  been  about  five  to  one.  The  battle  was  a 
most  terrific  one,  the  Confederates  fighting  with  a  determina- 
tion scarcely  ever  equalled,  even  by  themselves.  Privates 
and  oflicers  alike  went  down  in  the  melee,  like  trees  in  the 
sweep  of  a  tornado.  The  casualties  were  indeed  appalling, 
especially  so  on  the  Confederate  side.  Six  general  officers 
were  killed  and  six  wounded.  Major-General  John  Adams 
of  Stewart's  Corps,  and  that  indomitable  old  war  horse  of 
the  same  rank,  Pat.  Cleburne,  went  down  in  death,  with  Brig- 
adier-Generals Cranberry,  Carter,  Gist  and  Strahl.  Thir- 
teen, regimental  commanders  were  killed  and  thirty-two 
wounded.  Many  other  field  and  line  officers  were  killed  and 
wounded,  while  about  6,000  of  tlie  rank  and  file  were  left 
dead  or  disabled  upon  the  field,  on  the  banks  of,  and  in,  the 
ditches  that  they  were  so  gallantly  charging.  The  Federal 
losses  were  estimated  at  one-half  or  two-thirds  less,  and  yet  it 
was  counted  a  Confederate  victory,  because  the  Federals  were 
driven  from  their  strongholds  and  retired  upon  j^ashville. 
The  fewer  of  such  victories  the  better  for  the  victors,  and 
that  the  battle  of  Franklin  should  ever  have  been  fought  was 
a  mistake  and  a  misfortune  that  no  one,  at  all  conversant  with 
the  facts,  will  for  a  moment  question. 

THE    EETBEAT    from    NASHVILLE. 

The  advance  was  then  upon  l^ashville,  the  Sixtieth  having 
a  position  from  which  the  capital  city  could  be  seen,  but  into 
which  it  was  never  permitted  to  enter.  In  the  engagement 
in  front  of  ISTashville  the  Confederates  were  defeated  and 
commenced  a  retreat  that  with  slight  interruptions  ended 
only  in  the  surrender  of  the  army  in  ISTorth  Carolina.  The 
Sixtieth,  with  a  certain  part  of  the  troops,  fell  back  on  Mur- 
freesboro,  and  while  in  line  of  battle  here,  with  no  active  en- 
gagement on  hand,  the  daring  and  gallant  Lieutenant-Colonel 


496  North  Carolina  Trooi-s,   lsr,l-'G5. 

Thomas  Weaver,  in  command  of  the  regiment,  was  the  tar- 
get of  a  sharpshooter  and  instantly  killed. 

The  command  then  devolved  upon  James  T.  HufF,  of  Cocke 
county,  Tenn.,  who  had  some  time  before  been  promoted  to 
Major.  While  the  loss  of  (Vdoncl  Weaver  was  in-eparable 
to  the  regiment,  it  was  still  in  good  liands,  Major  Huff  having 
proven  himself  an  efficient  officer.  The  line  of  retreat  was 
again  taken  up  and  again  that  desolate  land  of  ''The  Wil- 
derness" was  traversed,  on  through  Alabama,  Georgia  and 
South  Carolina  into  North  Carolina,  disembarking  at  Smith- 
field,  and  in  time  to  take  a  hand  in  the  Bentonville  battle  of 
19,  20  and  21  April,  1865,  practically  the  last  battle  of  the 
most  remarkable  war  in  the  annals  of  history.  Many  of  the 
Sixtieth  had  the  distinction  of  having  taken  part  in  the  first 
and  last  battle  of  the  war — Big  Bethel  and  Bentonville. 

Quartermaster  Phifer  Erwin  taking  sick.  Captain  M.  J. 
Bearden,  former  Quartennaster  of  the  Fifty-eighth,  took 
his  place ;  Commissary  Sergeant  King  in  charge  of  commis- 
sary stores. 

bentonville. 

The  casualties  in  the  Sixtieth  at  Bentonville  were  not 
great,  fighting  principally  from  rudely  constructed  breast- 
works. There  were  a  few  slightly  wounded,  among  the  num- 
ber Ed.  Reno  and  J.  M.  Alexander.  The  sixtieth  was  in  the 
brigade  commanded  by  General  Joseph  B.  Palmer.  This 
battle,  aside  from  being  the  last,  was  somewhat  remarkable  in 
bringing  into  conspicuous  notice  the  daring  and  fighting  qual- 
ities of  the  boys  of  the  dear  southland,  the  Junior  Beserves. 
They  fought  with  a  heroism  creditable  alike  to  tli  em  selves 
and  their  veteran  sires.  The  Buncombe  Juniors  were  in  the 
first  battalion,  commanded  by  Major  D.  T.  jMillt^rd,  of  Ashe- 
ville. 

The  battle  of  Bentonville  was  fought  by  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston, the  idol  of  the  western  army,  with  less  than  20,000  men, 
the  Federals  under  Sherman  numbering  between  70,000  and 
80,000,  and  that  only  a  part  of  his  anny,  yet  victory  perched 
upon  the  banners  of  the  "cross  in  red."  The  Sixtieth  re- 
treated with  the  army  through  Raleigh,  thence  to  Greensboro 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  497 

and  then  to  Jimtown.  The  Fifty-eighth  and  Sixtieth  North 
Carolina  on  this  retreat  (which  began  10  April)  were  consol- 
idated and  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Thad.  Cole^ 
man,  and  belonged  to  Brantley's  Brigade,  D.  H.  Hill's  Divis- 
ion, S.  D.  Lee's  Corps.  Official  liccords  Union  and  Confed- 
erate Armies,  Vol.  98,  p.  IO64..  It  was  doubtless  surrendered 
as  thus  organized. 

The  news  of  the  Army  of  jSTorthern  Virginia,  under  that 
grand  old  leader,  Robert  E.  Lee,  having  surrendered  reach- 
ing Joseph  E.  Johnston,  he  at  once  opened  negotiations  with 
General  Shenuan,  looking  to  a  closing  of  the  contest  between 
their  respective  armies,  and  on  26  April,  1865,  the  agreement 
was    perfected  and  the  scene  sadly  closed 

The  Sixtieth  was  very  fortunate  in  having  a  number  of  the 
Buncombe  Riflemen,  known  as  the  Bethel  company,  to  join 
its  ranks,  their  experience  in  drill  making  them  efficient  drill 
masters.  Many  of  them  were  made  officers,  to-wit. :  W.  W. 
McDowell,  Major;  Robert  L.  Coleman,  Captain  Commis- 
sary ;  T.  W.  Fatten,  B.  F.  Patton  and  Marion  Thomas,  Cap- 
tains of  the  line ;  Robert  M.  Clayton,  John  T.  Sales,  Thomas 
J.  Shipman,  H.  Clay  Lorance  and  Sam.  W.  Davidson,  Lieu- 
tenants, and  Ed.  M.  Clayton,  Adjutant  and  later  Captain. 
Others  to  the  number  of  twelve  or  fourteen  were  non-commis- 
sioned officers  and  privates. 

Three  Buncombe  families  furnished  fifteen  men  to  this 
regiment;  six  Stevenses,  five  Sales  and  four  Davidsons,  and, 
singular  to  state,  while  several  of  them  were  wounded,  none 
were  killed  and  but  one  of  the  number  has  since  died. 

Dock  V.  Shope,  of  Swannanoa,  was  Orderly  Sergeant  from 
the  beginning  to  the  ending,  and  George  Alexander,  of  the 
same  section,  Commissary  Sergeant  for  the  whole  time, 
almost  unparalleled  instances,  and,  singularly  enough,  both 
were  of  the  same  company — Company  I,  G.  M.  Roberts', 
later  W.  R.  Alexander's   company. 

Color  Sergeant  George  Lindsay,  who  was  entrusted  with 

the  flag  of  the  regiment  by  his  wounded  predecessor  on  the 

battlefield  of  Chickamauga,  20  September,  1863,  carried  it 

to  the  end  of  the  conflict,  and  on  or  about  2  May,  1865,  at  Jim- 

32 


498  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

town,  N.  C,  was  paid  his  prorata  of  the  silver  remaining  in 
the  Confederate  States  treasury,  $1.15,  and  paroled.  Spend- 
ing the  15  cents  for  luxuries  of  one  sort  or  another,  he  re- 
tained the  $1.00,  and  still  holds,  as  a  precious  souvenir,  that 
and  liis  parole. 

The  records  of  this  regiment,  from  the  time  of  the  moving 
from  Dalton  early  in  1864,  are  necessarily  imperfect,  by  rea- 
son of  the  rapid  movements  and  the  multiplicity  of  incidents 
and  events.  To  bring  in  more  than  has  been  done  would  so 
lengthen  the  narrative  as  to  deter  many  from  reading  it  and 
to  require  quite  a  volume  to  hold  it. 

The  writer  has  labored  assiduously  to  give  the  history  of 
the  regiment  as  correctly  as  possible  in  brief  form  and  sub- 
mits it  to  the  charitable  criticisms  of  the  survivors  of  tbe  regi- 
ment. That  there  are  some  errors  need  not  surprise  any 
one.  It  could  not  be  otherwise  in  writing  without  any  sub- 
stantial data,  after  the  lapse  of  thirty-six  years.  The  worst 
fault,  he  feels,  is  that  of  omission.  He  wishes  it  was  practi- 
cable to  note  the  heroic  deeds  of  hundreds  of  the  rank  and  file, 
some  of  which  would  bear  no  unfavorable  comparison  with 
that  since  famous  act  of  Lieutenant  Hobson ;  but  to  do  this 
would  take  illimitable  time  and  space.  To  mention  some 
and  not  all  would  be  an  invidious  distinction. 

James  M.  Ray. 

ASHEVILLE,    N.    C, 

26  April,  1901. 


ADDITIONAL  SKETCH  SIXTIETH  REGinENT. 


By  THOMAS  W.  PATTON,  Captain  Company  C. 


The  above  regiment  was  organized  early  in  the  summer  of 
1862,  in  the  county  of  Madison,  N.  C.  Of  its  ten  companies, 
seven  were  composed  of  men  from  Buncombe,  one  from  Mad- 
ison, one  from  Polk,  and  one  from  Cocke  county,  Tennessee. 

The  Field  Officers  at  organization  were  Joseph  A.  McDow- 
ell, Colonel ;  W.  H,  Deaver,  Lieutenant-Colonel ;  and  W.  W. 
McDowell,  Major. 

As  soon  as  its  organization  was  completed,  the  regiment 
was  marched  to  Greenville,  Tenn.,  and  thence  by  rail  trans- 
ported to  Murfreesboro,  at  which  place  it  took  part  in  the 
famous  and  hard-fought  battles  of  31  December  to  3  January. 
With  the  Army  of  Tennessee,  it  retreated  to  Tullahoma,  and 
there  passed  the  balance  of  the  winter  of  1862-'63.  At  this 
place  it  suffered  much  from  sickness,  losing  many  good  men. 

About  1  May,  1863,  it  was  in  Stovall's  Brigade,  Breckin- 
ridge's Division,  carried  to  Mississippi,  and  encamped  near 
Jackson,  on  the  banks  of  the  Pearl  river.  Remaining  there  till 
1  July,  it  marched  in  direction  of  Yicksburg,  the  intention  of 
the  General  commanding  being  to  attempt  the  relief  of  the 
garrison  which  had  long  been  closely  beleaguered  there  by 
General  Grant,  but  on  approaching  the  Federal  lines,  on  5 
July,  it  was  learned  that  the  Confederates  had  capitulated 
the  day  previous,  and  the  relieving  forces  were  hastily 
marched  back  to  Jackson. 

In  the  fortifications  around  Jackson  a  rather  severe  engage- 
ment occurred  on  Sunday,  12  July.  The  Federals  who  had 
followed  from  Yicksburg  concentrated  on  Stovall's  Brigade 
and  were  repulsed  with  heavy  loss,  four  flags  were  captured 
by  our  brigade.  Subsequently,  about  15  July,  the  Confeder- 
ate forces  were  withdrawn,  Jackson  evacuated,  and  the  Six- 
tieth Regiment  for  nearly  six  weeks  was  encamped  at  a  point 
jnidway  between  Jackson  and  Meridian,  Miss. 


500  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

About  1  September,  1803,  the  troops  there  were  carried  by 
rail  to  Cave  Spring,  near  Rome,  Ga.  Tlien  began  the  march- 
ing towards  Chattanooga,  and  the  19  September  found  this 
regiment  on  the  field  of  Chicamauga.  It  took  position  late  at 
night,  and  next  day  experienced  its  most  severe  battle,  and 
that  which  was  the  most  decided  victory  of  any  in  which  the 
Army  of  Tennessee  ever  took  part.  The  loss  in  the  Sixtieth 
was  very  great  both  in  officers  and  men,  among  the  former 
Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  M.  Kay  was  wounded  so  severely  as  to 
force  him  to  leave  the  field  and  for  the  rest  of  the  day  the 
command  devolved  upon  Captain  J.  T.  Weaver,  the  ranking 
of  the  company  officers.  The  following  names  were  inscribed 
upon  the  roll  of  honor  for  gallantry  in  this  battle:  Second 
Lieutenant  James  H.  Cole,  Company  G ;  Private  H.  Lowber, 
Company  A ;  Private  John  Hinton,  Company  B ;  Private 
Marcellus  S.  Matthews,  Company  D  ;  Private  Henry  Haman, 
Company  H ;  Sergeant  F.  P.  Handle,  Company  I. 

The  regiment's  next  experience  w^as  severe  skirmishing 
around  the  fortifications  of  Chattanooga,  followed  by  the  dis- 
astrous battle  of  Missionary  Ridge,  from  which  it  retreated  to 
Dalt<3n,  and  went  into  quarters  for  the  rest  of  the  winter  of 
1863-'64. 

The  campaign  of  the  next  summer  began  early  with  an  en- 
gagement some  few  miles  west  of  Dalton  and  continued, 
almost  uninterruptedly,  a  succession  of  hard  fights  almost 
every  day,  and  of  wearisome  marches  by  night,  until  Atlanta 
was  reached,  about  the  end  of  July.  During  this  period, 
the  Sixtieth  performed  its  full  part,  and  moiu-ned  the  death 
of  many  of  its  good  men.  At  Atlanta  the  army  was  reviewed 
by  President  Davis,  and  shortly  thereafter,  much  to  the  grief 
of  his  soldiers,  the  beloved  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston  was 
relieved  of  the  command,  and  his  place  filled  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  General  John  B.  Hood.  This  officer  was  distin- 
guished for  his  bravery,,  but  had  not  the  affection  of  the  anny 
to  the  degree  in  which  General  Johnston  enjoyed  it. 

Under  General  Hood  the  army  (the  Sixtieth  being  still 
commanded  by  Weaver,  then  Lieutenant-Colonel)  marched 
through  Georgia,  Alal>;nna,  crossed   tlio  Tennessee  river    at 


Sixtieth  Regiment.  501 

riorence,  and  penetrated  Tennessee.  This  was  done  almost 
without  opi^osition.  The  enemy  not  being  met  to  any  serious 
degree  until  the  arrival  at  Columbia,  on  the  Duck  river. 
Here  some  resistance  was  made,  but  not  to  amount  to  very 
much.  On  15  and  16  December,  1864,  was  the  dreadful  bat- 
tle of  Franklin.  The  battle  which  there  occurred,  while  ap- 
parently a  Southern  victory,  was  at  such  terrible  cost  of  life 
as  to  completely  cripple  the  army,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  further 
prosecution  of  the  intended  invasion  of  Tennessee.  The  ad- 
vance was,  however,  pushed,  till  a  sight  was  obtained  of  the 
capitol  building,  but  no  effort  was  made  to  enter  ISTashville. 

There  being  a  Federal  force  at  Murfreesboro,  then  in  rear 
of  the  Confederates,  a  part  of  the  army  were  detached  to  meet 
it,  and  to  destroy  the  railroad  between  the  two  cities ;  the  Siy.- 
tieth  was  included  in  this  detachment ;  the  labor  and  suffering 
involved  in  tearing  up  the  rails  and  crossties  from  the  frozen 
ground,  without  proper  tools  or  appliances,  Avas  very  great. 
Arriving  near  Murfreesboro,  the  Confederates  being  then  un- 
der command  of  General  Forrest,  the  Federal  Garrison 
brought  on  an  engagement  which,  with  other  disastrous  re- 
sults, caused  the  greatest  calamity  that  had  ever  befallen  the 
Sixtieth,  in  the  death  of  its  gallant  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
James  Thomas  Weaver. 

From  the  nature  of  these  sketches,  notices  of  individuals 
must  be  restrained  to  those  who  formed  a  part  of  the  very 
life  of  each  regiment.  Realizing  the  necessity  of  this  re- 
striction, and  readily  obeying  it,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  record 
the  name  of 

JA^ilES   THOMAS  WEAVER, 

as  not  only  the  one  who  was  indeed  the  very  life  of  his  regi- 
ment, but  who  was  as  gallant  a  soldier,  as  true  a  man,  as  de- 
voted a  citizen,  as  was  ever  produced  in  i^orth  Carolina, 
which  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  he  had  no  superior  in  the 
world,  in  these  qualities. 

From  Murfreesboro  the  fearful  retreat  began,  re-crossing 
the  northern  portions  of  the  States  of  Alabama  and  Georgia, 
and  the  Sixtieth  was  found  again  facing  Sherman  at  Branch- 
ville,  S.  C,  hoping  to  restrain  his  march  of  destruction  from 


502  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Savannaii.  With  the  feeble  force  at  command  of  the  Confed- 
eracy this  hope,  of  course,  was  futile:  the  small  army  was 
easily  flanked,  and  it  followed  to  Columbia,  just  in  time  to 
grieve  over  its  cinders.  Thence  through  Charlotte,  Salisbury, 
Ealeigh  and  Smithfield.  Benton ville  is  reached  and  the  last 
battle  of  the  war  is  fought,  the  Sixtieth  participating,  and 
some  of  its  members  having  the  distinction  of  having  taken 
part  in  the  first,  and  the  last  of  the  Confederacy^' s  battles, 
that  of  Great  Bethel  on  10  June,  IS 61.  and  that  of  Benton- 
ville,  19-21  March.  1S65.    . 

Falling  back,  we  passed  again  through  our  State's  capital 
12  April.  How  sad  did  Raleigh  look  that  day.  Greensboro 
is  reached  and  Johnston  suirendei^ :  with  this  ended  the  his- 
tory of  the  Sixtieth  Xorth  Carolina  Regiment.  While  others 
perhaps  may  have  gained  more  renowns-  and  we  have  no  in- 
tention of  denving  the  right  of  any  to  all  the  honors  which 
can  be  heaped  on  them,  we  insist  that  no  regiment  sustained 
more  severe  hardships,  was  more  faithful  to  its  recognized 
duty,  to  protect  the  honor  of  Xorth  Carolina  than  the  Six- 
tieth. From  its  full  ranks  of  1,200  men,  a  bare  handful, 
scarcely  75,  remained  to  lay  down  their  arms.  The  large  ma- 
jority of  the  others  had  given  their  lives  to  their  State. 
Surely  her  citizens,  now  enjoying  peace  and  prosperity,  will 
not  forget  to  honor  the  memories  of  those  brave  men. 

With  all  ascription  of  praise  and  gratitude,  as  is  their  due, 
we  will  pray,  "'Let  them  rest  in  peace." 

Thomas  W.  Patton. 

Ashe  VILLE,  X    C., 

26  ApriL  1901. 


SIXTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 


AV.  S.  Devaiu',  Udonel. 
James  D.  Radcliffe.  Colonel. 
N.  A.  Ramsey,  Captain,  Co.  D. 
.John  D.  HiKKs,  Captain  Co.  H. 


Noah  BipRS,  Private.  Co.  II. 
Richard  P.  Paddison,  Hoaijjtal  Steward. 
AV.  Stednian,  Private,  Co.  I), 
.1,  R.  Paddison,  Private.  Co.  A.  (Private 
in  Supplementary  (iroup,  Vol.  IV.) 


SIXTY-FIRST  REGIMENT. 


By  N.  a.  RAMSEY,  Captain  Company  D. 


The  Sixty-first  Regiment,  IsTorth  Carolina  Troops,  was  or- 
ganized in  Wilmington  early  in  August,  1862,  with  the  fol- 
lowing Field  and  Staff  officers : 

James  D.  Radcliffe^  Colonel  ISTew  Hanover  county. 

Wm.  S.  Devane,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Sampson  county. 

Henky  Hakding,  Major,  Beaufort  county. 

Wm.  S.  Anderson^  Assistant  Quartermaster,  New  Hano- 
ver county. 

Oliver  P.  Meares^  Commissary,  'New  Hanover  county. 

Alexander  Rives^  Surgeon, county. 

William  W.  Harris^  Assistant  Surgeon,  New  Hanover 
county. 

David  Stevens^,  Sergeant  Major,  Sampson  county. 

Jos.  J.  Lane^  Ordnance  Sergeant,  Wilson  county. 

Chas.  H.  King^  Quartermaster  Sergeant,  New  Hanover 
county. 

Wm.  Blanks^  Commissary  Sergeant,  New  Hanover 
county. 

Jno.  H.  Johnson^  Chief  Musician,  New  Hanover  county. 

Wm.  H.  EbersteiN;,  Drum  Major,  New  Hanover  county. 

The  various  companies  had  officers  and  men  from  first  to 
last  as  follows: 

Company  A — Captains,  Wm.  S.  Devane,  Jos.  B.  Under- 
wood, Geo.  W.  Marsh,  James  H.  Robinson,  Sampson  county. 
Lieutenants,  Geo.  W.  Marsh,  Wm.  F.  Smith,  Wm.  A.  Mathis, 
Julius  M.  Chestnut,  Francis  ]\L  Carroll,  Sampson  county. 
Enlisted  men,  104. 

Company  B — Captains,  Henry  Harding,  Wm.  M.  Steven- 
son,   Beaufort   county.     Lieu  tenants,    T.    H.    Satterthwaite, 


504  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

David  F.  Redditt,  Wm.  M.  Stevenson,  D.  W.  Jarv^is,  Tlios.  D. 
Wilkinson,  Wni,  H.  Patrick,  Beaufort  county.  Enlisted 
men,  82. 

Company  C — Captains,  Edward  Mallett,  S.  S.  Biddle, 
Craven  county.  Lieutenants,  S.  S.  Biddle,  Jno,  F.  Guthrie, 
Thos.  O.  Jones,  Edward  F.  Story,  Craven  county.  Enlisted 
men,  122. 

Company  D — Captain,  jSTathan  A.  Ramsey,  Chatliam 
county.  Lieutenants,  Wm.  S.  Ramsey,  Jas.  B.  Ellington, 
Richard  C.  Cotten,  Chatham  county.     Enlisted  men,  184. 

Company  E — Captains,  Allen  G.  Croom,  Greene  county; 
Wm.  S.  Byrd,  Lenoir  county.  Lieutenants,  Wm.  S.  Byrd, 
S.  W.  Nobles,  J.  Q.  Jackson,  Chas.  T.  Croom,  Alex.  Fields, 
Jos.  E.  Kinsey,  H.  H.  Rasberry,  Lenoir  county.  Enlisted 
men,  119. 

Company  F — Captains,  Andrew  J.  Moore,  New  Hanover 
county;  W.  A.  Darden,  Greene  county.  Lieutenants,  J.  H. 
Exum,  Andrew  J.  Darden,  Greene  county ;  John  R.  Belcher, 
Jesse  D.  Barnes,  Wilson  county.     Enlisted  men,  63. 

Company  G — ^Captains,  J.  F.  Moore,  L.  L.  Keith,  New 
Hanover  county.  Lieutenants,  Stacy  VanAmringe,  A.  D. 
Lippitt,  N.  H.  Fennell,  Daniel  vShackelford,  John  B.  Fox, 
New  Llanover  county.     Enlisted  men,  94. 

Company  H — Captains,  John  Lanier,  William  B.  Lanier, 
John  D.  Biggs,  Martin  county.  Lieutenants,  John  ^fan- 
ning. Jolm  D.  Biggs,  F.  A.  Rhodes,  Henry  Williams,  Rich- 
ard W.  Rufus,  H.  H.  Lanier,  Abner  Alexander,  ]\[artin 
county.      Enlisted  men,  133. 

Company  T — Captains,  Aras  B.  Cox,  Ashe  county;  Wm. 
T.  Choate,  Alleghany  county.  Lieutenants,  Isaac  C.  Hig- 
gins,  Jno.  W.  Joines,  I^owery  Grimsley,  Cotten  Sparks,  W. 
H.  Joines,  Geo.  Grimsley,  Joshua  Cox,  Calloway  Joines,  Al- 
leghany county.     Enlisted  men,  127. 

CoMPxVNY  K — Captains,  F.  D.  Koonce,  Thos.  G.  Ilenson, 
Onslow  county;  S.  W.  Noble,  Lenoir  county.  Lieutenants, 
H.  C.  Koonce,  Jones  county ;  J.  A.  Galloway,  Onslow  county ; 
Samuel  Tj.  Gooch,  Calhoun  Hoskins,  S.  E.  Koonce,  Jones 
countv.     Enlisted  men,  106. 


Sixty-First  Regiment.  605 

Casualties  of  the  foregoing : 

Edward  Mallett,  killed  at  Bentonville  15  March,  1865 
Wm.  S.  Devane,  wounded  at  Bentonville  15  March,  1865 
Jas.  H.  Robinson,  prisoner  3  September,  1864;  Julius  M 
Chesnut,   missing  at  Fort  Harrison   30   September,   1864 
John  F.  Guthries,  wounded  at  Kinston  (  ?)  February,  1865 
Nathan  A.  Ramsey,  prisoner  at  Kinston  14  December,  1862 
Wm.  S.  Ramsey,  lost  left  hand  at  Fort  Harrison  30  Septem- 
ber, 1864;  Jas.  B.  Ellington,  died  at  Fort  Harrison  30  Sep- 
tember, 1864;  Richard  C.  Gotten,  prisoner  at  Morris  Island 
26  August,  1862;  Jno.  Q.  Jackson,  prisoner  in  1864;  L.  L. 
Keith,  wounded  at  Battery  Wagner,  August,  1863;  Wm.  T. 
Choate,    killed    at    Cold    Harbor;    Isaac    C    Higgins,    died 
at  Goldsboro  28  December,  1862 ;  Cotton  Sparks,  killed  at 
Petersburg  30  June,  1864. 

Casualties  among  enlisted  men  approximately  as  follows : 


Compa- 

Died. 

Dis- 

Killed. 

Missing. 

Pris- 

Wound'd. 

Tot 

nies. 

cliarged. 

oners. 

A 

14 

9 

3 

2 

6 

21 

55 

B 

6 

12 

4 

11 

6 

89 

C 

13 

5 

19 

6 

14 

57 

D 

2(i 

10 

17 

44 

14 

111 

E 

6 

8 

3 

19 

36 

F 

? 

? 

? 

? 

4 

8 

12 

G 

18 

4 

9 

18 

10 

59 

H 

11 

17 

2 

11 

1 

42 

I 

18 

7 

9 

1 

8 

26 

69 

K 

24 

6 

1 

18 

15 

64 

Total  136  78  67  9  139  115  544 

MARCHES  IN   EASTERN    NORTH   CAROLINA. 

After  the  organization  of  the  regiment  as  above  stated,  it 
was  assigned  to  Clingnlan's  Brigade,  which  was  composed  of 
the  Eighth,  Thirty-first,  Fifty-first  and  Sixty-first  North  Car- 
olina Regiments,  and  remained  at  Camp  Lamb,  near  Wil- 
mington, until  16  September,  when  it  took  a  move  on  itself 
and  went  to  Smithville  and  remained  there  till  the  25th  when, 
on  account  of  yellow  fever  outbreak  it  moved  to  Camp  Rad- 
cliff,  three  miles  out,  returning  to  Smithville  on  4  October,  en 
route  to  North  East  bridge,  above  Wilmington,  which  was 
reached  on  the  5th.    We  Avere  really  heading  for  the  Kinston 


506  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

battlefield  (our  maiden  battle),  but  did  not  know  it  at  the 
time.  The  zigzag  route  taken  bj  us,  I  gather  from  my  let- 
ter published  in  The  Standard  on  13  April,  1863.  We  moved 
as  follows :  From  North  East  bridge  we  went  to  Camp  Col- 
lier near  Goldsboro  on  the  14th ;  to  Tarboro  on  the  19th ;  left 
Tarboro  for  the  country  around  Plymouth  on  the  24th,  con- 
stantly marching  and  counter-marching  day  and  night.  The 
only  incident  occurring  in  this  neighborhood  was  the  capture 
of  the  then  notorious  Buffalo,  Jay  Bird  Jones,  afterwards 
during  our  reconstruction  a  judge  of  the  Superior  Court. 
We  left  our  camp  near  Plymouth  on  2  November,  at 
2  :30  p.  m.  and  made  a  forced  march  of  thirty-nine  miles,  ar- 
riving at  Spring  Green  at  daybreak  on  the  3d,  We  next 
found  ourselves  at  the  Cross  Roads  on  the  4th.  A  deep  snow 
fell  on  the  6th,  yet,  with  one  hundred  barefooted  men  in 
the  regiment,  we  weathered  the  storm  and  marched  to  the  ter- 
minus of  the  Tarboro  railroad.  The  writer  of  this  article 
felt  very  deep  concern  on  this  cold,  bleak  day  for  thirteen  of 
his  own  loved  boys,  who  were  barefooted,  and  he  begged 
them  not  to  go  on  the  march,  that  he  Avould  prefer  their  re- 
maining behind  and  take  the  chances  of  being  taken  prison- 
ers rather  than  to  go  with  us  and  run  the  very  great  risk  of 
sickness  and  death.  But  no,  they  must  go  along  with  the 
boys.  Four  days  later,  on  the  10th,  the  first  one  of  these 
noble  heroes  who  gave  up  his  splendid  life  was  Thomas  Cofc- 
ten,  dying  of  pneumonia  in  the  beautiful  town  of  Tarboro. 
Seven  others  of  them  in  a  few  days  were  placed  by  his  side  to 
sleep  till  God  calls  them.  Two  others  died  in  Greenville. 
It  has  ever  been,  and  will  ever  be  the  case,  to  give  all  the 
glory  to  the  commanding  and  subordinate  officers  for  grand 
victories  won  and  heroic  deeds  performed,  with  rare  excep- 
tions of  individual  mention  of  a  private  soldier.  This  world 
has  never  known,  and  never  will  know,  of  any  soldier  to  equal 
the  Confederate  boys  in  gray.  These  thirteen  men,  bare- 
footed and  poorly  clad,  rather  than  remain  behind,  preferred 
to  go  forward,  and  ten  of  them  paid  the  penalty  in  but  a  few 
days.  They  were  brave  and  true  and  faithful  to  the  end. 
God  bless  their  memory !  History  shall  record  the  names  of 
these  noble  fellows.      Those  dying  in  Tarboro  were:     Thos. 


Sixty-First  Regiment.  507 

Gotten,  10  November ;  J.  Carpenter  and  Monroe  Thompson, 
22  November;  Terry  Poe,  24  November;  Wyatt  Carpenter, 
26  November;  J.  A.  Pilkinton,  29  November;  Wm.  Gunter. 
2  December;  Jefferson  Womack,  29  January.  Dying  in 
Greenville:  N.  L.  Covert,  9  December;  Elias  Fields,  25  De- 
cember. They  were  all  from  Chatham  county  and  members 
of  Company  D. 

We  left  the  terminus  of  the  Tarboro  Railroad  on  the  lOth 
and  bivouacked  at  Greenville  on  the  13th;  at  Craddock's  X 
Roads  on  the  14th ;  at  Black  Jack  meeting  house  on  the  15th; 
at  Taft's  Store  on  the  16th;  back  to  Greenville  on  the  23d, 
remaining  there  till  7  December,  when  we  took  up  direct  line 
of  march  from  Kinston,  arriving  there  on  the  9th.  We  found 
ourselves  on  the  12th,  after  crossing  the  county  bridge  over 
the  Neuse,  at  Southwest  creek,  near  Kinston.  The  bridge 
crossing  this  creek  had  been  completely  destroyed  by  our 
troops.  The  Sixty-first  Regiment  was  posted  on  the  west 
side  of  the  creek  to  check  or  delay  the  advance  of  General 
Foster  on  the  march  from  New  Bern  witb  10,000  infantry, 
six  batteries  with  forty  pieces  of  artillery  and  640  cavalry. 
General  N.  G.  Evans,  of  South  Carolina,  was  in  command  of 
our  forces,  which  numbered  2,014. 

BATTLES  AROUND  KINSTON,    1862. 

General  Foster  reached  Southwest  creek  on  the  morning  of 
the  13th.  About  9  o'clock  one  company  of  the  regiment  had 
a  little  skirmish  with  the  enemy  at  the  bridge  crossing,  with 
trifling  casualties.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Devane,  with  seven 
companies,  repaired  to  Hines'  mills,  about  four  miles  dis- 
tant, in  double  quick,  and  on  arrival  promptly  deployed  the 
entire  force  as  skirmishers.  In  a  little  while  the  ball  opened. 
To  us  then  the  firing  seemed  to  be  rapid  and  terrific.  Minie 
balls  whistled  through  the  air  by  front  and  cross  fires  from 
the  enemy  as  if  they  had  naught  else  to  do.  For  some  time 
we  held  our  ground,  but  were  forced  to  fall  back  by  the  enemy 
advancing  upon  us  in  overwhelming  numbers.  We  retreated 
towards  Kinston  and  halted  about  one  mile  to  the  rear.  Here 
we  fonned  a  line  of  battle  and  a  company  of  skirmishers 
moved  forward  to  feel  for  the  enemy.     They  advanced  only 


508  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

about  a  liinidrod  yards  when  they  met  witli  what  they  were 
looking  for,  tired  one  round  and  had  the  eompliment  prompt- 
ly acknowledged  in  a  double  dose  by  our  line.  They  re- 
tired as  best  they  could,  bringing  the  intelligence  that  the 
woods  were  full  of  blue  coats,  and  that  several  regiments 
were  flanking  us  on  our  left.  Just  then  we  had  orders  from 
General  Evans  to  retreat  under  fire  in  good  order.  We  did 
our  best.     We  fired  and  fell  back,  and  fell  back  and  fired. 

The  next  big  field  not  far  away  we  made  another  stand, 
taking  advantage  of  the  woods  on  the  Kinston  side.  Here  we 
had  a  pretty  lively  artillery  duel  for  about  an  hour,  and  an 
equally  lively  fusillade  from  the  small  arms  of  the  enemy. 
We  (|ui(4ly  laid  mighty  low  and  did  not  return  the  fire,  be- 
cause our  grins  were  inferior  and  we  could  not  reach  them. 
The  day's  casualties  were  very  slight.  The  first  to  give  up 
his  life  in  this  our  first  battle  was  Elbert  Carpenter,  a  private 
in  Company  D,  and  he  was  at  once  buried  on  the  spot  where 
he  fell,  royally  wrapped  in  his  soldier's  blanket. 

At  about  8  o'clock  that  night  we  quietly  stole  away  through 
swamp,  mud  and  water  to  Harriet's  Chapel.  It  was  a  bitter 
cold  night  and  all  the  boys  were  wet,  half-frozen,  hungry  and 
worn  out,  and  yet  no  word  of  complaint  was  murmured 
through  the  lines  of  these  splendid  Tar  Heel  heroes.  When 
we  bivouacked  we  were  in  hearing  of  the  enemy,  and  we  had 
no  camp  fires  till  past  midnight.  About  daybreak  our  most 
excellent  Commissary,  Captain  ().  P.  Meares,  gladdened  our 
hearts  with  an  abundant  supply  of  good,  wholesome  rations, 
just  the  thing  we  were  longing  for  and  most  needed.  We 
were  then  upon  the  battlefield  of  Tviustou  on  14  December, 
1862- -a  bright,  beautiful  Sabl)ath  moriiiug. 

General  Evans  witli  his  South  Carolina  P)rig;id('  on  the 
left,  and  (lie  Sixty-tii'st  North  (\irolina  i>n  his  right  awaited 
Foster's  attack.  Foster  sent  in  Wessell's  Brigade  and  bat- 
teries; supporting  Wessell  l\v  Amory's  Brigade,  supple- 
meiiU'd  by  Stevenson's.  The  odds  were  ov(M-\vli('liiiingly 
against  us,  and  after  two  and  a  half  hours  of  stubborn  re- 
sistance on  our  part,  we  Avere  forced  back  across  tlie  J^euse, 
and  were  so  closely  pressed  that  we  uuavoidaldy  lost  400  pris- 
oners, all  nf  \vh<»m  were  paroled  on  the  following  morning. 


Sixty-First  Regiment.  509 

At  one  time  during  the  progress  of  the  battle  the  Sixty-first 
was  compelled  to  fall  back  on  account  of  the  ammunition 
being  entirely  exhausted,  and  on  being  ordered  back  by  Gen- 
eral Evans,  all  hands  without  a  murmur  promptly  obeyed  and 
returned  to  within  150  yards  of  the  enemy  without  a  solitary 
cartridge  and  half  the  men  without  bayonets.  A  small  sup- 
ply of  ammunition  soon  reached  us,  which  was  speedily  used 
to  the  best  advantage,  and  being  entirely  out  again  and  with 
no  hopes  of  a  second  supply,  and  being  in  a  forlorn  and  help- 
less condition  and  being  crowded  so  unmercifully  close  by 
such  a  large  force  of  the  enemy,  the  better  part  of  valor  was 
to  get  away  from  there  if  we  could,  which  we  did  in  a  quiet, 
orderly  way,  or  as  much  so  as  pressing  circumstances  per- 
mitted. When  we  reached  the  bridge  it  was  on  fire,  and  in 
addition  to  the  trying  ordeal  of  passing  over  the  blazing 
bridge,  we  were  subjected  to  a  terrible  cross-fire  from  the  en- 
emy who  were  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle  250  yards  below. 
Here  we  lost  several  of  our  men  and  it  is  truly  miraculous 
that  half  of  them  at  least  were  not  killed  or  burned  to  death. 
God  was  with  us  on  this  beautiful,  lovely  Sabbath  day. 

WILMIA^GTON. 

After  the  battle  of  Kinston  the  regiment  under  General 
Evans  was  marched  to  Goldsboro,  reaching  there  on  17  De- 
cember. From  Goldsboro  we  tramped  every  step  of  the  way 
right  down  the  railroad  track  to  Wilmington,  reaching  that 
lovely  city  by  the  sea  on  2  January,  1863,  remaining  there 
until  6  February,  when  we  pitched  our  tents  on  Masonboro 
Sound — returning  to  Wilmington  on  16  February. 

CHARLESTON  AND  SAVANNAH. 

From  Wilmington  we  went  to  Charleston,  S.  C,  landing 
there  on  18  February,  1863.  On  2  March  we  were  ordered 
to  Savannah,  Ga.,  and  it  was  with  many  regrets  when  the  or- 
der came  for  us  to  return  to  Charleston  on  the  9th.  Every 
recollection  and  association  of  our  sojourn  in  Savannah  is  of 
the  most  pleasant  and  delightful  character.  We  were  wel- 
comed most  heartily  by  the  noble  men  and  women  of  that  most 
beautiful  of  cities  and  royally  entertained. 


510  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

On  our  return  to  Charleston,  13  July,  1863,  we  went  into 
camp  on  James'  Island,  about  four  miles  from  the  city  and 
only  a  few  hundred  yards  from  Fort  Pemberton.  Going  from 
Savannah,  Ga.,  to  James'  Island,  S.  C,  was  about  what  I 
would  iuiagine  with  my  limited  knowledge  of  the  two  locali- 
ties, very  much  the  same  as  dropping  out  of  Paradise  into 
Hell !  We  found  James'  Island  a  little  Sahara,  having  plenty 
of  wind  ;  rolling  and  twisting  clouds  of  sand ;  millions  of  black 
gnats  (much  greater  pests  than  mosquitoes),  and  a  very  scanty 
supply  of  devilish  poor  beef,  that  a  respectable  Charleston 
buzzard  would  not  eat.  We  had  to  sink  holes  here  and  there 
and  everywhere  to^  get  a  supply  of  tadpole  water — at  the  same 
time  there  being  a  well  of  good  water  at  Fort  Pemberton, 
which  no  Tar  Heel  was  allowed  to  sample.  In  Savannah 
bacon  sold  for  36  cents  per  pound ;  at  Charleston  it  was  62 
cents,  and  North  Carolina  money  couldn't  buy  it  at  any  price. 
Our  money  was  refused  at  the  postofRce,  in  the  market,  in  the 
stores  and  on  the  streets.  We  didn't  like  it.  The  Fayette- 
ville  Observe!'  of  23  April,  1863,  published  a  collection  that 
had  been  made  in  that  good  old  town  for  the  suffering  volun- 
teers from  Cumberland  county,  then  doing  duty  on  James 
Island,  amounting  to  $3,408.55  in  money  and  bacon.  This 
ought  not  to  have  been,  and  would  not,  had  the  boys  been  quar- 
tered and  doing  duty  at  Savannah. 

PRICES  IN  CHARLESTON. 

Some  of  the  little  delicacies  that  the  boys  sometimes  liked 
to  indulge  in  were  sold  at  prices  that  were  rather  high.  For 
instance,  a  small  raw  turnip,  15  cents;  a  baked  sweet  potato, 
25  cents,  with  ground  peas  at  40  cents  a  quart.  On  23 
March,  1863,  Company  D  threw  away  two  days'  rations  of 
beef,  which  was  totally  unfit  for  the  stomach  of  a  cannibal, 
much  less  that  of  a  Confederate  soldier.  The  life  of  a  soldier 
was  anything  but  easy  and  pleasant.  They  endured  every 
hardship  and  suffered  under  almost  every  privation  without  a 
murmur  and  with  apparent  cheerfulness.  In  this  way,  as 
much  as  in  any  other,  they  shov/ed  their  patriotism  and  de- 
votion to  the  Common  Cause. 

From  James'  Island  we  went  to  Sullivan's  Island,  date  not 


Sixty-First  Regiment.  511 

remembered,  but  the  change  was  gladly  welcomed  by  all.  We 
were  willing  to  go  anywhere  to  get  away  from  James'  Island, 
While  quartered  on  Sullivan's  Island  our  regiment  did  its 
full  share  of  duty  in  the  defence  of  Morris  Island.  During 
the  four  years  of  my  experience  in  the  army  I  found  no  place 
so  uninviting  as  Battery  Wagner  on  Morris  Island.  The 
bomb-proof,  the  only  place  of  safety,  cannot  be  well  described, 
for  all  its  dreary  loathesomeness  and  horrors,  and  I  will  not 
attempt  it.  The  following  was  published  in  the  Wilmington 
Jouimal  a  few  days  after  the  occurrence: 

BATTERY  WAGNEK. 

''During  the  bombardment  of  Battery  Wagner  many  little 
incidents  have  occurred  which  deserve  a  name  in  history. 
Among  these  is  the  following:  On  29  July,  1863,  the  enemy 
got  the  range  of  a  ten-inch  Columbiad  so  completely  as  to  ren- 
der the  place  of  extreme  danger,  and  the  Soutli  Carolina 
troops  that  manned  the  gun  left  it  and  ran  into  the  bomb- 
proof for  shelter.  Their  Captain  ordered  tliem  back  to  their 
post,  but  they  refused  for  a  time  to  obey.  While  the  men 
were  wrangling  with  their  officer,  a  soldier  named  Stedmac 
from  Company  B,  Sixty-first  North  Carolina  Troops,  hy 
himself,  loaded,  sighted  and  fired  the  abandoned  gun,  hitting 
the  Yankee  boat  at  which  he  shot,  while  a  hundred  balls  were 
whistling  around  him.  Remember  this  was  a  North  Caro- 
lina soldier.  Let  us  be  proud  of  him.  I  thank  God  it  was 
my  happy  privilege  and  good  fortune  to  witness  the  abandon- 
ment of  this  gun,  and  the  magnificent  heroic  conduct  of  Rob- 
ert Winship  Stedman.  There  was  no  braver  soldier  among 
the  hosts  of  the  Confederate  army  than  Winship  Stedman. 
God  bless  his  memory  ! 

"In  the  summer  and  fall  of  1863,  the  Sixty-first  Regiment 
together  with  the  balance  of  Clingman's  Brigade,  performed 
as  arduous  services  as  any  Confederate  troops  at  any  period 
of  the  war.  They  were  stationed  on  James,  Morris  and  Sul- 
livan's Islands  defending  the  city  of  Charleston,  and  their  en- 
durance of  fatigue,  hardships  and  dangers  during  that  period, 
week  after  week,  for  several  months  seems  almost  incredi- 
ble.    In  December,  1863,  shortly  before  Christmas,  the  regi- 


512  North  Carolina  Troops,   ]8G1-'B5. 

iiicnt  with  \h('  ])alance  of  Clingman's  Brigade,  was  relieved 
from  the  arduous  service  at  the  siege  of  Charleston,  and  re- 
turned to  North  Carolina  and  for  several  months  was  sta- 
tioned near  Wilmington. 

PETERSBURG. 

^^^len  Beast  Butler  in  May,  1864,  made  his  memorable 
movement  against  Petersburg,  the  Sixty-first  was  one  of  the 
regiments  hurried  forward  to  checkmate  him.  General 
Grant  in  his  official  report  alluded  to  Butler's  being  "bottled 
up"  by  our  troops.  The  Sixty-first  participated  actively 
in  this  campaigTi,  and  as  it  was  wont  to  do,  discharged  its 
every  duty  faithfully  and  well,  and  suffered  fully  its  share 
in  all  respects,  especially  in  the  battles  of  Drewry's  Bluff, 
Chaffin's  Farm,  Bermuda  Hundreds,  Cold  Harbor  and  Fort 
Harrison.  On  3  June,  1864,  at  Cold  Harbor,  while  the  en- 
emy was  shelling  our  works,  a  shell  fell  in  the  trenches  occu- 
pied by  the  Sixty-first  North  Carolina.  While  it  was  smoking 
and  near  ready  to  burst.  Sergeant  Thos.  L.  Graves,  Company 
A,  of  our  regiment,  seized  it  and  tlirew  it  out  of  the  works, 
saving  many  lives  at  the  risk  of  his  own.  Such  a  deed  merits 
record  here.  At  Cold  Harbor  anotlier  brigade  gave  way,  and 
through  tliis  break  the  enemy  passed  and  attacked  Cling- 
man's Brigade  on  the  left  flank.  General  Clingman  was  in 
the  trendies  with  the  Sixty-firet  Regiment  and  seeing  the 
enemy  in  our  rear,  he  rushed  forward  and  was  gallantly  fol- 
lowed by  the  regiment,  and  the  enemy  was  soon  driven 
back  from  whence  they  came.  The  only  weapon  General 
Clingman  lui<l  on  this  occasion  was  a  piece  of  a  fence  rail. 

Tn  achlition  to  the  varied  and  wide  scope  of  duties  faith- 
fully, cheerfully  and  gallantly  performed  by  the  Sixty-first 
Begiment  in  this  and  other  States,  Company  D  was  petitioned 
for  by  the  citizens  of  Chatham  and  IMoore  to  be  sent  for  pro- 
tection to  life  and  property  against  lawless  deserters  and  con- 
scripts. The  petition  was  gi'anted,  and  the  company  was 
promptly  sent.  The  woods  were  scoured  and  cleared  up  of 
this  lawless  gang  of  marauders.  Over  one  hundred  captures 
were  made,  and  they  were  sent  back  to  their  commands  \u  the 
army.     Besides,  in  a  skirmish  with  them,  the  two  leading 


Sixty-First  Regiment.  513 

spirits  of  the  gang  were  shot  to  death,  and  .this  restored  peace 
to  the  entire  community.  Forever  after  all  raiding  and  out- 
rages from  this  source  were  unknown. 

WILMINGTON. 

The  regiment  was  returned  to  Wilmington  from  Peters- 
burg and  remained  in  the  vicinity  till  after  the  fall  of  Fort 
Fisher  and  the  evacuation  of  the  city.  The  war  was  speedily 
coming  to  a  close,  and  the  most  hopeful  of  us  had  despaired 
of  a  possibility  of  success,  yet  we  pressed  forward  and  fought 
on  with  the  same  iron  nerve  that  had  already  immortalized, 
our  soldiery.  Attached  to  Hoke's  Division,  the  Sixty-first 
as  part  of  Clingiuan's  Brigade,  met  Schofield's  army  from 
!N^ew  Bern  at  South  West  Creek  8-10  March,  1865,  and  shared 
in  the  capture  of  several  hundred  prisoners. 

bentonville. 

Our  last  battle  was  fought  at  Bentonville  on  15  March, 
1864,  and  the  writer  of  this  article  is  still  proud  of  the  honor 
conferred  upon  him  on  that  morning  in  being  put  in  coin- 
mand  of  the  skirmish  line,  with  instructions  to  go  fonvard. 
About  this,  our  last  battle,  Benson  J.  Lossing  wrote  as  fol- 
lows: "Soldiers  in  that  command  who  have  passed  through 
this  score  of  battles  will  tell  you  they  never  saw  anything  like 
the  fighting  at  Bentonville.  Sherman  said  the  jSTational 
forces  received  six  distinct  assaults  by  the  combined  forces  of 
Hoke,  Hardee  and  Cheatham,  under  the  immediate  supervis- 
ion of  General  Johnston  himself  without  giving  one  inch  of 
ground,  and  doing  good  execution  on  the  enemy's  ranks,  espe- 
cially with  our  artillery,  the  enemy  having  little  or  none. 
With  the  coming  of  darkness  ended  the  conflict  known  as  the 
battle  of  Bentonville,  which  in  brilliancy  of  personal  achieve- 
ments, and  in  lasting  advantage  to  the  cause  of  the  Republic 
must  ever  be  ranked  among  the  most  memorable  and  impor- 
tant contests  of  the  war.  Indeed,  it  seems  proper  to  consider 
it  the  key  battle  of  the  Civil  War.  Had  Johnston  w^on  there, 
the  sad  consequences  would  probably  have  been  the  loss  of  the 
whole  of  Sherman's  army,  and  the  quick  and  fatal  dispersion 
33 


514  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

or  ca])tiire  of  Grant's  army  before  Petersburg  and  Richmond 
by  the  combined  forces  of  Lee  and  Johnston  attacking  him  in 
overwhehiiing  numbers,  in  front  and  rear.  In  this  view  the 
solid  importance  of  the  victory  of  Bentonville  cannot  be  over- 
estimated." 

After  Bentonvilk^,  Johnston's  army  was  camped  in  the  up- 
per end  of  Johnston  county,  near  Mitchener's  Station,  till  10 
April,  1865,  when  we  began  our  last  retreat.  The  first  surren- 
der at  the  Burnett  House  near  Durham,  14  April,  proved 
abortive.  On  26  April  the  final  surrender  was  signed  and 
the  Sixty-first  was  paroled  near  High  Point,  2  May,  1865. 

After  the  lapse  of  so  many  long  and  weary  years,  it  is  a 
difficult  task,  with  the  historical  data  obtainable  incomplete  as 
they  are,  to  do  justice  full  and  ample  to  this,  or  any  otlier  reg- 
iment of  North  Carolina  troops  %vho  did  service  in  the  Con- 
federate army.  No  better  soldiers  are  known  in  the  history 
of  the  world  than  the  Confederates,  and  if  any  of  them  were 
better  than  the  others  our  love  for  North  Carolina  and  her 
common  glory  is  my  excuse  for  saying  that  the  Tar  Heels 
were  the  very  best.  God  bless  the  memory  of  all  of  them  who 
so  freely  offered  up  their  lives  upon  the  altar  of  their  coimtry 
for  a  cause  that  was  just  in  the  sight  of  God  and  our  o^^^l 
conscience.  And  to  the  noble  old  veterans  who  still  survive 
of  the  gallant  old  Sixty-first,  may  they  yet  live  for  many  days 
to  instill  into  the  hearts  and  minds  of  their  descendants  the 
deepest  love  and  veneration  for  the  Confederate  cause,  which 
was  ci-ushed  not  by  the  peple  of  the  North  but  by  the  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  foreign  trash,  who  fought  for  money 
and  not  for  the  love  of  the  union. 

N.  A.  Ramsey. 

Durham,  N.  C, 
26  April,    1901. 


iPUBUCOSmK' 

^^jrt«.  LJEHOK  AMD 
T«  oeM  FOUWOATK)NS^ 


SIXTY-SECOND  BEGIMENT. 
R.  G.  A.  Love,  Colonel. 


SIXTY-SECOND  REGIMENT. 


By  B.  G.  McDowell,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 


The  Sixty-second  Regiment  was  composed  almost  entirely 
of  Western  JSTorth  Carolinians,  officers  and  men. 

The  companies  composing  the  same  met  at  Waynesville 
July  11,  '62,  and  organized  by  electing  the  following: 

R.  G.  A.  LovE^  Colonel,  Waynesville,  X.  C. 

G.  W.  Clayton^  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Asheville,  N.  C. 

B.  G.  McDowell,  Major,  Macon  county,  N.  C. 

STAFF    AND    COMPANY    OFFICERS. 

The  staff  and  company  officers  were  as  follows : 
R.  B.  Johnson^  Captain  and  Quartermaster,  of  Asheville. 
Patrick  Thrash,  Captain  and  Commissary  of  Subsist- 
ence, Buncombe  county. 

Dr.  H.  M.  Rogers^  Surgeon,  Haywood  county. 

Dr.  G.  D.  S.  xIllen^  Assistant  Surgeon,  Haywood  county. 

Lieutenant  James  H.  McAlister_,  Assistant  Commis- 
sary of  Subsistence. 

Joseph  E.  Haynes^  Adjutant,  of  Knoxville,  Tennessee. 

The  commanding  officers  of  all  these  companies  were,  as 
elected : 

Company  A — Haywood  Cotinty — A.  T.  Rogers,  Captain; 
W.  H.  Leatherwood,  First  Lieutenant;  E.  R.  Furgerson  and 
Geo.  H.  ISTelson,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  B — Clay  County — Captain,  Benjamin  Moore; 
C.  M.  Crawford,  First  Lieutenant;  J.  J.  McClure  and  M. 
Passmore,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  C — Haywood  County — Captain,  John  Turpin; 
J.  M.  Tate,  First  Lieutenant;  Jere  Ratcliff  and  Robert  L. 
Owen,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  D — Macon  County — Captain,  R.  M.  Henry ;  M. 
L.  Kelly,  First  Lieutenant ;  L,  Enloe  and  W.  P.  ITorton,  Seo- 
ond  Lieutenants. 


516  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Company  E — IJaijtrood  County — Captain,  li.  A.  Edniond- 
son  and  J.  Ramsay  Dills;  W.  II.  Biyson,  First  Lieutenant; 
K.  M.  Wilson  and  M.  L.  Allison,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  F — Rutherford  Coiinty — Captain,  A.  B.  Cowan ; 
Jas.  M.  Taylor,  First  Lieutenant;  Jno.  Jones  and  D.  I).  Wal- 
ker, Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  G — Jackson  County — Captain,  A.  1).  H<x>per; 
D.  F.  Brown,  First  Lieutenant ;  B.  X.  Queen  and  P.  M.  Par- 
ker, Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  H — Henderson  County — Captain,  W.  G.  B. 
Moms;  J.  M.  Owen,  First  Lieutenant ;  G.  W.  Wliitiiiore  and 
I.  F.  Galloway,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  I — Haywood  County — Captain,  William  J, 
Wilson;  I.  P.  Long,  First  Lieutenant;  J.  A.  Burnett  and  P. 
G.  Murray,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  K — Transylvania.  County — Captain,  L.  C.  Neil ; 
S.  C.  Beck,  First  Lieutenant ;  Jas.  M.  Gash  and  V.  C.  Ham- 
ilton, Second  Lieutenants. 

The  Field  Officers  were  happily  chosen.  Colonel  Love  was 
a  leading  and  influential  citizen  of  Haywood  county,  a 
man  of  iirst-class  ability  and  often  held  places  of  trust, 
honor  and  profit,  as  the  gift  of  his  people,  until  his 
health  gave  way  under  disease,  which  resulted  in  his 
death  after  the  war.  He  was  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Six- 
teenth Xorth  Carolina  Regiment  in  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  and  was  transferred  by  promotion  to  the  Sixty- 
second. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Clayton  was  of  Buncombe  county, 
North  Carolina,  and  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Asheville,  a 
graduate  of  West  Point,  of  a  most  excellent  family,  an  ele- 
gant gentleman,  a  magnificent  disciplinarian,  and  was  loved 
by  every  member  of  his  regiment.  Colonel  Clayton  died  re- 
cently greatly  lamented  by  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  rel- 
atives and  mourned  by  his  comrades  in  anns  who  shared  with 
him  the  privations  and  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life. 

While  stationed  at  Cumberland  Gap,  a  point  which  figured 
conspicuously  in  the  late  M'ar  between  the  States,  Colonel 
Clayton  fell  a  victim  to  typhoid  fever.     He  was  removed  to 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  517 

a  hospital  at  Greenville,  Tennessee.  Very  soon  after  he 
left,  the  siege  of  Cumberland  was  on,  and  he  could  not  return 
to  his  command  at  the  Gap.  Colonel  Love  was  off  on  sick 
leave  at  the  time,  so  the  command  of  the  regiment  was  left  in 
the  hands  of  the  Major  of  the  regiment.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Clayton  was  not,  therefore,  able  to  return  tO'  his  regiment 
until  after  the  surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap  (9  September, 
1863),  when  that  portion  of  the  regiment  which  escaped  from 
the  Gap  was  assembled  at  Pigeon  river,  in  Haywood  county, 
to  be  again  prepared  to-  enter  into-  active  service. 

Major,  later  Lieutenant-Colonel,  B.  G.  McDowell,  was  a 
native  of  Macon  county,  Is".  C.  Early  in  1861,  he  enlisted 
in  the  39th  jSIiorth  Carolina  under  Colonel  David  Coleman 
and  was  transferred  to  the  62nd  by  promotion  to  Major  of 
the  Regiment  11  July,  1862. 

All  three  of  these  officers  were  descendants  of  revolutionary 
soldiers,  and  appropriately  commanded  men,  most  of  whom 
were  also  lineal  descendants  of  the  heroes  of  1776  and  as 
brave  and  patriotic  as  their  ancestors. 

Want  of  space  precludes  the  possibility  of  the  mention 
of  even  the  names  of  this  heroic  band  which  are  given,  with 
some  omissions  and  inaccuracies  in  Moore's  Roster,  Vol.  3, 
p.  716,  et  scq.  Their  descendants  should  remember  and  be 
proud  of  the  membership  of  their  parents  in  such  a  command. 

EAST    TENNESSEE. 

Soon  after  the  organization  the  regiment  started  for 
Haynesville  (now^  called  Johnson's  City),  in  Washington 
co'unty,  Tennessee,  arriving  there  about  1  August,  1862, 
wlien  it  was  placed  under  rigid  drill  and  prepared  for  active 
service.  A  braver  or  more  courageous  body  of  men  did  not 
belong  to  the  Confederate  army.  They  left  their  homes,  a 
majority  of  them  leaving  families  dependent  upon  them, 
and  offered  their  lives  a  sacrifice  upon  the  field  of  battle  for 
a  cause  they  thought  to  be  right.  The  rank  and  file  of  this 
regiment  were  of  the  very  best  citizens  of  Western  JSTorth 
Carolina.  A  finer  or  braver  set  of  men,  taken  all  together, 
X  have  never  seen.     This  regiment  when  it  went  into  camp 


518  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'6o. 

for  drill,  was  without  arms,  except  a  few  old  muskets  which 
were  furnished  them  for  drilling  purposes. 

The  regiment  had  not  been  in  camp  at  Haynesville  but  a 
few  days,  when  it  was  separated,  three  companies  going  to 
Zollicoffer  (now  Bluff  City),  Three  to  Carter's  Depot  (now 
South  Watauga),  two  to  Limestone,  in  Washington  county, 
the  rest  of  the  companies  remaining  at  Haynesville  (now 
Johnson's  City) — all  these  points  in  Tennessee.  The  writer 
of  this  sketch  was  sent  to  Zollicoffer,  to  take  charge  of  the 
three  companies  there,  put  them  under  rigid  drill,  and  at  the 
same  time  guard  the  bridge  spanning  the  Holston  river  at 
that  point  and  prevent  railroad  communication  from  being 
disturbed.  The  other  two  companies  mentioned  were  put 
to  like  service.  A  very  small  amount  of  ammunition  was 
furnished  the  forces  placed  in  camp  for  drill  and  guard 
duties.  This  was  true  as  to  this  regiment.  We  had  a  few 
old  fashioned  muskets,  and  a  small  amount  of  ammunition 
furnished  for  the  purposes  indicated.  In  this  condition,  this 
regiment  was  by  no  means  in  condition  to  meet  an  attack  by 
the  enemy,  especially  when  in  any  sort  of  considerable  force, 
being  simply  in  a  camp  of  instruction. 

In  the  early  fall  of  1862,  date  not  now  remembered,  one 
Battalion  of  the  Regiment  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clay- 
ton was  ordered  to  Causby  Creek,  Cocke  county,  Tennessee, 
to  help  suppress  an  uprising  of  disloyal  citizens  there.  It 
seems  that  some  conscripts  and  deserters  had  been  turned 
out  of  the  Waynesville  jail  by  their  friends.  Sheriff  Xoland 
while  pursuing  them,  was  killed  on  Noland  or  Utah  Moun- 
tain, three  miles  north-east  of  town.  The  militia  of  the 
county  was  called  out  and  followed  the  outlaws  to  the  Ten- 
nessee line,  via  Cattaloochee  and  Big  Creek,  north  forty 
miles. 

Major  W.  W.  Stringfield  with  150  Cherokee  Indians  and 
whites  of  the  vSixty-ninth  Nortli  Carolina,  also  on  a  scout  in 
Sevier  county,  Tenn.,  and  Jackson  county,  N.  C,  rapidly 
crossed  the  Balsam  mountains  at  Soco  Gap  (fifteen  miles 
northwest  of  Waynesville)  and  in  coTnpany  with  several  hun- 
dred militia — old  men  and  boys — under  Major  Rhea  and  Col- 
onel Rogers,  Green  Garrett,  Arch  Herren  and  others  crossed 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  519 

over  the  Tennessee  line,  killed  several  of  the  outlaws  and  soon 
reduced  the  others  to  submission. 

The  Sixty-second,  badly  armed  and  equipped  as  it  M-as, 
presented  a  formidable  and  war-like  appearance.  The  out- 
laws were  killed,  captured  or  scattered  and  restive  citizens 
were  quieted.  Not  a  great  while  after  this  the  Sixty-second 
was  ordered  to  Greenville,  Tenn.,  the  home  of  President 
Johnson.  It  was  there  brigaded  with  the  Sixty-ninth  North 
Carolina  and  others  and  all  were  subjected  to  drill  and  disci- 
pline. Railroad  bridges  were  now  threatened  both  from  ex- 
ternal as  well  as  internal  forces.  The  raid  of  General  Carter 
mentioned  above  and  its  success  emboldened  all  the  people, 
three-fourths  of  whom  were  "followers  of  Belial"  and  disloyal 
to  the  South.  All  the  bridges  and  depots  were  threatened 
and  some  were  burned.  Hayden  and  others  were  hung  and 
hundreds  sent  South  to  prison  and  thousands  ran  off  North 
and  joined  the  Union  army. 

I  have  noticed,  in  Brigadier-General  Frazer's  report,  of 
his  disgraceful  surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap,  he  refers  to 
this  regiment  as  at  one  time  having  been  commanded  by  its 
Major  (referring  of  course  to  the  writer),  and  as  having  been 
surrendered  by  him  to  a  gang  of  Yankee  scouts,  or  raiders. 
A  more  unblushing  falsehood  was  never  penned  by  living 
man. 

CAPTUEE    OF    THREE    COMPANIES. 

I  have  stated  the  condition  of  the  three  companies  under 
my  immediate  command  at  Zollicoffer,  which  eliminates  the 
necessity  of  repeating  it  here.  On  the  night  of  30  December, 
1862,  General  Samuel  P.  Carter,  with  three  regiments  of 
Federal  cavalry,  made  his  (the  first)  raid  into  East  Tennes- 
see for  the  purpose  of  burning  the  bridges  and  destroying 
railroad  communication.  The  East  Tennessee  &  Virginia 
Railroad  bridge  at  Zollicoffer  was  the  first  point  sti*uck  by 
this  "Yankee  raid,"  of  not  less  than  2,500  men.  I  was  there 
with  three  companies  of  poorl)  armed  men,  with  no  means  of 
defense  and  absolutely  helpless.  In  this  condition  these  three 
companies  were  surrendered.  And  yet,  the  gallant  General 
Frazer  has  me  surrenderina;  this  whole  regiment  to  a  Yan- 


520  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

kee  scouting  party.  His  false  and  slanderous  statement  is 
found  on  page  611,  Official  Records  Union  and  Confederate 
Armies,  Vol.  51. 

The  men  were  paroled,  and  as  soon  as  exchanged,  which 
was  but  a  short  time,  they  were  ordered  to  Cumberland  Gap, 
and  composed  a  part  of  the  garrison  of  the  Gap.  In  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  the  balance  of  the  regiment  was  stationed  at 
Greenville,  Tenn.,  and  in  March  and  April  were  in  General 
A.  E.  Jackson's  Brigade  at  Strawl)erry  Plains.  At  the  end 
of  July  the  regiment  was  in  Grade's  Brigade  at  Cumberland 
Gap.   ' 

General  Gracie  was  in  command  at  the  Gap  when  the  reg- 
iment reached  that  point,  but  did  not  rcnnain  but  a  short  time, 
being  ordered  away,  and  was  succeeded  by  General  Frazer. 

SURRENDER  OF  CUMBERLAND'  C4AP. 

General  John  W.  Frazer  was  in  command  at  Cumberland 
Gap  when  the  surrender  of  that  stronghold  occurred  0  Sep- 
tember, 1863.  The  force  we  had  at  the  Gap,  was,  of  course, 
insignificant  when  compared  with  the  Federal  forces  which 
approached  the  Gap  on  both  sides,  when  the  siege  began,  l)ut 
the  surrender  of  the  Confederate  force*  there  was  a  shame 
and  disgrace,  when  the  situation  is  fully  understood. 
The  a]i])roaches  to  the  Gap  were  of  such  character  that  it 
would  have  been  impossible  for  any  number  of  men  to  have 
captured  the  post  by  force.  The  op])ortunity  of  General 
Frazer  to  have  evacuated  the  Gap  and  saved  his  command 
from  a  long  imprisonment  and  death  ( as  was  the  case  with 
many  of  them)  was  open,  and  nothing  Imt  treachery,  or  cow- 
ardice, or  it  may  be  both,  could  have  led  to  the  unconditional 
surrender  of  this,  the  strongest  natui'al  ])ositioii  in  the  Con- 
federate States,  and  with  it,  2,0-26  prisoners,  12  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery, and  tlie  stores  of  ammunition  and  provision. 

Tlie  writer  has  read,  over  and  over  again,  tlie  report  of  the 
surrender  of  Cund)er]and  Ga]\  as  given  by  General  Frazer, 
and  wondered  if  an  opportunity  would  (>ver  lie  offered  for  the 
vindication  of  our  men  at  the  (iap,  fi-om  the  miserable  slan- 
ders hurled  against  them  by  Frazer  in  his  attempt  to  shield 
himself  from  public  censure.     The  report  of  this  surrender 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  521 

made  bj  him  in  Volume  51,  pages  604,  et  seq,  is  to  mj  own 
personal  knowledge  false  in  every  essential  particular,  and 
does  the  brave  men  who  composed  the  garrison  at  the  Gap 
the  greatest  wrong.  It  should  be  corrected  and  handed  down 
in  history,  just  as  it  occurred,  and  let  the  blame  rest  where 
it  rightfully  belongs.  I  think  we  have  reached  the  point 
that  when  known  facts  are  given  to  the  public  for  considera- 
tion and  approval,  or  rejection,  public  sentiment  will  invaria- 
bly reach  a  just  conclusion. 

It  would,  even  at  this  late  day,  be  exceedingly  difficult  for 
General  Frazer  to  convince  the  survivors  of  the  Cumber- 
land Gap  disaster,  that  he  did  not  surrender  for  a  money  con- 
sideration. 

This  regiment  when  it  reached  the  Gap,  had  about  800 
men  for  duty.  There  were  a  few  deserters  from  this  regi- 
ment, but  not  more  than  was  common  from  nearly  all  regi- 
ments. Desertions  were  by  men  who  returned  to  their  homes. 
They  did  not  go  to  the  enemy. 

Shortly  after  we  reached  the  Gap,  Colonel  Love  left  the 
regiment  on  account  of  extreme  bad  health,  from  which  he 
never  recovered,  but  ultimately  died  as  has  been  stated.  It 
was  not  long  thereafter  until  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clayton  was 
taken  sick  of  typhoid  fever,  and  was  removed  to  the  hospital 
at  Greenville,  Tenn.,  and  was  away  from  the  Gap  when  the 
siege  began,  and  when  the  command  was  sun-endered.  The 
siege  of  Cumberland  Gap  began  7  September,  1863.  Gen- 
eral DeCourcy  commanded  the  Federal  forces  on  the  Ken- 
tucky side  and  General  Shackelford  on  the  south  or  Tennes- 
see side.  It  was  in  reality  Burnside's  army  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Gap.  The  writer  was  the  only  field  officer  of  the 
Sixty-second  Ilegiment  there  at  the  time.  I  was  placed,  with 
almost  my  entire  regiment,  out  on  the  Harlan  county  road  on 
picket  duty.  This  road  overlooked  the  valley  leading  down 
what  was  then,  and  is  I  think  still,  known  as  Yellow  creek. 
Skirmishing  and  picket  firing  was  continuous  out  on  this 
road,  after  the  siege  began,  and  not  unfrequently  the  enemy 
from  the  Kentucky  side  assaulted  our  position  along  this 
road  in  strong  force,  and  made  repeated  determined  efforts 
to  drive  us  from  our  position.      It  affords  me  pleasure  now 


522  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

to  say,  and  will  bo  a  pleasure  to  me  to  know  as  long  as  I  live, 
that  men  never  behaved  Mdth  more  coolness  and  courage  than 
did  the  men  of  the  Sixty-second  Regiment.  Kain's  Battery, 
commanded  by  Lieutenant  O'Connor,  was  stationed  on  what 
was  known  as  the  East  Mountain,  only  a  short  distance  from 
where  I  was  on  duty  with  my  regiment.  We  had  been  ad- 
vised during  the  day  of  the  9th  of  the  repeated  demands  that 
had  been  made  for  the  surrender  of  the  Gap,  and  of  General 
Frazer's  refusal,  and  felt  entirely  confident  that  we  would 
not  be  surrendered,  because  it  was  utterly  imnecessary  owing 
to  the  fact  that  he  could  take  the  entire  command  out  of  the 
Gap  at  any  time,  against  any  odds.  The  situation  was  such 
that  he  could  not  have  been  prevented  from  doing  so ;  and  he 
well  understood  this  if  he  understood  anything.  It  was  un- 
derstood all  along  the  line  that  the  battle  would  open  at  noon 
on  9  September,  1863.  jSToon  came,  but  no  battle.  The 
writer  went  up  on  top  of  the  East  Mountain  and  found  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  O'Connor  at  his  battery,  from  which  point  of 
vantage  we  had  a  splendid  view  of  Burnside's  army  and  all 
that  was  going  on.  We  both  obseiwed  that  flags  of  truce 
were  passing  in  and  out  of  the  Gap  rather  too  frequently  to 
make  us  feel  comfortable,  but  we  had  no  information,  though 
w^e  suspected  that  something  was  wrong  in  some  way.  Just 
about  sunset  that  day,  a  courier  come  to  mo  from  General  Fra- 
zer  with  an  order  to  report  at  the  General's  headquarters,  with 
my  regiment  at  once  Then  I  began  to  realize  that  our  suspi- 
cions were  well  founded.  I  returned  to  the  Gap  with  my 
men,  ^\ho  had  been  on  duty  for  nearly  a  week  A\'ithout  inter- 
mission or  relief,  but  not  a  man  had  flinched  from  duty  for 
a  moment.  There  I  found  General  Frazer  sitting  in  front 
of  his  tent  surrounded  by  his  staff  officers.  All  the  command- 
ing officers  of  regiments  and  batteries  arrived  at  General  Fra- 
zer's headquarters  about  the  same  time.  That  was  abso- 
lutely the  only  consultation  called,  and  we  were  then  informed 
by  General  Frazer  that  we  were  surrendered.  Evers'  officer 
bitterly  opposed  being  surrendered,  and  some  of  them  de- 
nounced it  in  the  most  vigorous  terms  as  cowardly  and  un- 
w^arranted  by  the  conditions  surrounding  us  at  the  time. 
A  detachment  of  sixty  men  (not  one  hundred  and  twenty- 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  523 

five  as  stated  by  General  Frazer),  had  been  detailed  from 
the  various  regiments  to  guard  a  little  mill  which  rested  just 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  on  the  south  side,  and  which 
served  to  grind  meal  for  the  army  at  the  Gap.  Immediately 
in  front  of  this  little  mill  was  Bumside's  whole  army.  The 
Federal  commander  sent  a  force  sufficient  for  the  purpose, 
which  under  cover  of  heavy  artillery  firing,  attacked  the  guard 
at  this  mill  and  dispersed  it,  the  guard  being  utterly  insuffi- 
cient to  meet  the  emergency.  They  could  do  nothing  but 
fall  back  on  the  command  in  the  Gap,  or  stand  and  be  shot 
down  like  brutes,  as  they  would  have  been,  had  they  not  fallen 
back  on  their  commands.  And  yet  the  gallant  General  Fra- 
zer  and  his  engineer.  Rush  VanLeer,  would  have  according 
to  tlieir  owm  statement,  125  men  hold  this  mill  against  Bum- 
side's  whole  army,  numbering  anywhere  from  10,000  to 
20,000  men. 

ESCAPE. 

When  I  was  told  by  General  Frazer  that  I  had  been  sur- 
rendered, and  that  I  and  my  regiment  were  prisoners  of  war, 
my  indignation  and  that  of  my  regiment  knew  no  bounds.  I 
informed  him  that  I  would  not  be  made  a  prisoner  of  war; 
that  it  took  two  to  make  such  a  bargain  as  that  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, and  that  he  could  not  force  me  to  do  so.  Sharp 
words  were  exchanged,  and  I  called  up  all  of  the  Sixty-second 
Regiment  who  were  willing  to  take  their  lives  in  their  own 
hands  and  all  of  the  other  commands  in  the  Gap  who  were 
willing  to  join  us,  and  said  to  them,  '^If  you  will  go  with  me, 
we  will  go  out  from  here,  and  let  consequences  take  care  of 
themselves." 

In  all  about  600  responded,  and  led  by  Colonel  Slemp  and 
a  man  from  Abingdon,  Va.,  whose  name  was  Page,  as  I  now 
remember,  both  of  whom  were  perfectly  familiar  with  the 
country,  we  moved  out  of  the  Gap,  eastward,  passing  Kain's 
battery  and  pushing  one  rifle  piece  over  the  cliff  as  we  went 
along.  We  made  our  way  along  the  north  side  of  the  moun- 
tain, on  the  Kentucky  side,  until  we  reached  a  point  opposite 
Jonesville,  where  we  encountered  a  pursuing  force  of  Fed- 
eral cavalry.     Our  entire  escaping  force  had  kept  their  guns 


524  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

mid  Miiiiiiiinilidii.  t'xpcctiuii-  ;i  collision  as  we  went  out,  and 
being  thus  ])rc'pare(l,  an  iiiiinediate  dash  was  made  by  our 
men.  llaviii<>-  tlie  decided  advanag-e  of  position,  we  forced 
tlie  Fcdci-al  ca\ali'_v  to  retire  and  were  pennitte<l  to  pass 
on,  the  iVderals  returning  to  the  Gap,  after  burning  the 
little  town  of  Jonesville,  in  Lee  county,  Va.  We  made  our 
way  to  Bristol,  Tennessee,  and  Zollicoffer,  and  I  at  once  re- 
ported the  surrender  to  Major  C.  S.  Stringfellow,  Adjutant- 
General,  and  awaited  further  orders  from  the  General  com- 
nuuiding. 

CAMP  ON  PIGEON  RIVEK. 

After  the  surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap,  the  men  of  the 
Sixty-second  Regiment  avIio  were  at  home  on  furlough,  and 
all  those  who  escaped  capture  went  into  camp  at  Pig- 
eon river,  in  Haywood  Connty,  X.  C.  After  remaining  there 
for  a  few  days,  they  entered  again  into  active  sen-ice  and 
never  for  one  moment  flinched  from  any  duty  assigned  them, 
HOY  from  constant  danger  to  which  they  were  exposed,  to  the 
end  of  the  war.  In  April,  1864,  the  fragment  of  the  regi- 
ment was  at  Asheville  under  command  of  Captain  Aug.  B. 
Cowan  and  reported  178  men. 

Aliout  this  time  Colonel  Love  resigned  as  Colonel  of  the 
regiment,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Clayton  was  raised  tx>  the 
rank  of  Colonel,  and  the  writer  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  and  Captain  Eogers,  of  Company  A,  to  the  rank  of 
Major. 

This  regiment  (and  by  tliis  T  mean  that  portion  which  es- 
caped ca]iture)  engaged  in  all  the  East  Tennessee  campaigns 
under  GcMioral  Breckinridge,  (loneral  Vaughn  and  General 
Williams.  The  men  of  this  renimont  were  the  very  last  men 
to  lay  down  their  arms  and  vei'v  many  of  them  never  did 
take  tlie  oath  of  allegiance,  which  was  required  as  every  one 
knows,  of  all  Confederate  soldiers  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

Immediately  after  the  surnmder  of  Cumberland  Gap,  Gen- 
eral Frazer  and  the  men  who  did  not  escape  from  the  Gap, 
were  removed  to  Federal  prisons,  where  those  who  did  n(^t 
die  from  disease  remaim^d  luitil  the  close  of  the  war.  On  30 
December,  LSGS,  there  were  443  of  the  Sixty-second  in  person 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  525 

at  Camp  Douglas,  119  Official  Records  Union  and  Confeder- 
ate Armies,  p.  797.  What  became  of  General  Frazej'  the 
writer  does  not  know.  After  the  surrender  of  the  Gap,  so 
far  as  I  am  advised,  he  was  never  heard  of  again  b^y^nd  his 
lying  report  above  cited,  which  purports  to  have  been  written 
at  Fort  Warren,  in  Boston  harbor,  ]^ovember,  ISG-I. 

General  Frazer  in  his  report  of  the  surrender  of  the  Gap, 
reflects  severely  and  most  unjustifiably  upon  the  character  of 
the  troops  and  morale  of  the  command.  I  was  at  my  post  of 
duty  from  the  day  the  regiment  arrived  at  the  Gap  till  the  sur- 
render, and  knew  as  much  of  the  morale  and  character  of  the 
command  as  General  Frazer,  or  any  one  else,  and  do  most 
positively  deny  his  charges. 

On  page  611,  Vol.  51,  Official  Records  Union  and  Confed- 
erate Armies,  he  says :  ''The  Colonel  was  absent  and  soon 
after  resigned  and  became  an  open  advocate  of  reunion  in  his 
county."  This,  of  course,  refers  to  Colonel  Love,  who  did 
later  on  resign  on  account  of  extreme  bad  health,  froan  which 
he  died,  as  stated  herein.  But  the  allegation  of  his  entertain- 
ing Union  sentiments  as  published  by  General  Frazer,  who 
was  then  in  prison  and  who'  never  saw  or  heard  of  Colonel 
Love  after  the  suiTcnder  of  Cumberland  Gap,  is  unfounded 
in  fact.  It  is  due  to  the  memory  of  Colonel  Love,  who  was 
loyal  to  the  cause  of  the  south,  to  the  very  end,  and  even  after 
all  hope  was  lost,  to  denounce  this  statement  as  absolutely 
untrue. 

There  are  now  numerous  living  witnesses  to  attest  the 
truth  of  the  foregoing.  It  is  astonishing  to  think  how  do- 
cile, loyal  and  obedient  were  the  men  to  their  superior  offi- 
cers. It  was  such  a  surprise  however,  that  no  one  had  time 
to  think,  ere  we  were  in  the  hands  of  our  enemies. 

General  Frazer  was  bitterly  denounced  by  his  broth- 
er officers  after  going  to  prison,  and  we  are  told  by  good 
men  like  Lieutenant  J.  M.  Tate,  Lieutenant  R.  A.  Owen,  W. 
H.  Leatherwood  of  Haywood  county,  and  others,  that  the 
indignation  was  so  great  against  him  that  the  Federals  chang- 
ed him  to  another  prison  and  permitted  him,  doubtless  glad- 
ly, to  slander  his  own  men.  Indignities  were  offered  to 
these  brave  men  all  along  the  way  to  prison.     At  Aurora, 


526  North  Carolina  Trooi>s,   1861-'65. 

Indiana,  as  our  men  passed  iiiuler  guard,  a  crowd  of  big 
rough  toughs,  crowded  around  our  men  and  belabored  them 
much  as  ''miserable  cowardly  rebels,"  etc.  Captain  Printer 
of  55th  Georgia,  a  big  strong  noble  fellow  finally  said  to  the 
guards,  ''Stoj)  these  cotvardly  curs,  or  we  will."  They  stop- 
ped. Notwithstanding  all  these  slanders  about  this  Regi- 
ment it  can  receive  no  higher  endorsement,  no  greater  meed 
of  praise,  no  more  complete  refutation  of  slanders,  than  the 
fact  that  thoiigh  in  prison,  the  dreadful  prisons  of  the  North, 
for  23  months,  not  a  single  man  took  the  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  North,  although  it  was  offered  to  them  often.  Many  of  the 
command  were  sick,  starved,  frozen  to  death.  Shot  down  for 
any  or  no  pretense,  all  kinds  of  insults  and  indignity  were 
daily,  monthly  and  yearly  thrust  into  their  faces.  Disloyal 
indeed !     Great  Heaven  ! !     Who  will  dare  say  so  again  ! ! ! 

The  whole  history  of  the  surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap, 
as  given  out  by  General  Frazer  and  his  staff,  and  one  or  two 
others  who  seem  to  have  fallen  under  his  influence,  was  a  fab- 
rication intended  to  mislead  the  authorities  at  Richmond, 
never  dreaming,  perhaps,  that  it  would  come  to  the  eyes  of 
the  public,  and  of  those  who  were  on  the  gi'ound  and  so  un- 
justly slandered  by  his  report. 

We  knew,  or  had  been  advised  of  the  repeated  demands  for 
the  surrender  of  the  Gap,  and  also  that  these  demands  had 
been  refused,  and  had  not  the  most  remote  idea  that  we  were 
to  be  surrendered  until  I  was  notified,  as  I  have  hereinbefore 
stated;  and  as  I  stated  in  my  communication  of  16  Septem- 
ber, 1863,  found  on  pages  636-37,  Official  Records  of  Union 
and  Conf-ederate  Armies,,  Vol.  51. 

There  was  no  insubordination  among  the  troops  of  the 
Sixty-second  North  Carolina  Regiment,  as  far  as  I  knew,  and 
had  there  been,  I  certainly  would  have  known  it.  Further- 
more, there  was  no  want  of  courage,  discipline  or  determina- 
tion among  the  men.  We  expected  the  battle  to  come  on 
every  moment,  and  at  no  time  during  the  whole  war  did  I 
ever  see,  or  know,  men  more  disappointed  than  these  were 
when  they  found  that  they  were  surrendered  without  an  exhi- 
bition of  their  courage.  Stalwart  men  actually  cried  like 
children  when  they  found  that  they  were  surrendered  and 


Sixty-Second  Regiment.  527 

had  to  submit  to  being  made  prisoners  without  defending 
their  right  and  reputation,  that  our  commanding  General 
never  lost  an  opportunity  to  defame. 

THE  CLOSING  SCENES. 

The  Sixty-second  North  Carolina  Regiment  were  the  very 
last  men  to  surrender  when  the  war  closed.  The  fragment 
left  of  the  regiment  composed  part  of  Palmer's  Brigade  at 
Asheville  10  March,  1865,  and  under  General  Martin  aided  to 
repulse  Kirby's  Brigade  near  that  town  5  April,  1865.  Many 
of  them  never  did  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  The  remnant  of 
this  regiment,  along  with  other  brave  and  noble  men  of  the  old 
iSTorth  State,  after  General  Lee's  surrender  in  Virginia,  re^ 
sisted  a  Federal  force  on  the  French  Broad,  near  Asheville, 
and  held  them  at  bay  for  hours,  until  overcome  by  over- 
whelming forces  and  when  forced  to  withdraw,  under  Col- 
onel Clayton,  did  so  and  went  to  their  homes  and  never  did 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance  as  then  required  by  the  Federal 
authorities.  No  braver  or  more  noble  hearted  men  ever  lived 
than  those  composing  the  Sixty-second  North  Carolina  Reg- 
iment of  Infantry. 

B.  G.  McDowell. 
Bristol,  Tenn., 

30   May,  1901. 


'HE  MEW  YORl^' 
1  PUBLIC  LIBRAE' 


ASTOR,  LENOK   AND 
TILDEN  FOU^lOATIONS. 


SIXTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 

1.  Peter  O.  Evans.  Colonel.  4.    J.Turner  Morehead.  Adjt.  and  l.st  Lt. 

2.  Juiiie.s  H.  McNeill,  Colonel.  5.    James  D.  Nott,  2d  Lieut..  Co.  A. 

3.  John  M.  Gallaway,  Major.  6.    James  Kirkpatrick,  Private,  Co.  A. 

7.    F.  R.  Rose,  Private,  Co.  A. 


SIXTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 

(fifth  cavalry.) 


By  JOHN  M.  GALLOWAY,  Major. 


The  Sixty -third  Regiment,  North  Carolina  Troops  (Fifth 
Cavalry),  was  organized  at  Garysburg,  ]!^[.  C,  in  the  early 
fall  of  1862.  It  was  composed  of  companies  enlisted  un- 
der the  Partisan  Ranger  Act  of  the  Confederate  Congress. 
The  act  promised  many  special  rights  and  privileges  to  the 
Rangers  not  the  least  of  which  was  the  clause  saying  that  all 
property  captured  from  the  enemy  became  at  once  the  private 
property  of  the  captor.  Most  of  the  officers  of  the  Sixty-third 
and  many  of  the  men  had  previously  been  in  the  army  ;  tliink- 
ing  that  the  Ranger  service  would  afford  greater  scope  for  in- 
dividual exploit  and  consequent  glory  they  had  managed  by 
one  means  or  another  to  get  a  transfer.  The  field  and  staff 
officers  were : 

Peter  G.  Evans,  Colonel,  Chatham  county. 
S.  B.  EvANs^  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Goldsboro. 
James  H.  McNeill,  Major,  Fayetteville,  N.  C. 
J.  TuRNEB  MoREHEAD,  Adjutant,  Greensboro,  'N.  C. 
George  Haigh,  Sergeant-Major. 

The  Captains  of  companies  in  order  of  seniority : 

Company  C — Captain  E.  F.  Shaw. 
Company  D— Captain  John  M.  Galloway. 
Company  E — Captain  J.  R.  Erwin. 
Company  F — Captain  Thos.  W.  Harris. 
Company  G — Captain  John  B.  McClennahan. 


Note. — By  the  death  of  Col.  McNeill  and  Lieut-Colonel  Shaw  on  the 
ill-fated  field  of  Five  Forks  1  April,  1865,  Maj.  Jno.  M.  Galloway  became 
entitled  to  promotion  to  Colonel  and  senior  Captain  Jno.  R.  Erwin  to 
Lieut-Colonel  both  by  reason  of  seniority  and  their  splendid  gallantry,  but 
the  stirring  evehts  quickly  following  gave  no  time  for  reading  out  pro- 
motions on  dress  parade  (the  usual  way)  or  issuing  commissions  to  them. 
—Ed. 

34 


530  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

CoMPAXY  H — Captain  William  E.  Booe. 
Company  I — Captain  jN^athaniel  Rankin, 
CoMPAXY  K — Captain  J.  E.  Wharton. 
Company  B — Captain  Roberts. 
Company  A — (>aptain  John  McKellar. 
Major  McNeill  had  been  Captain  of  Company  A. 

Moore's  Roster  makes  several  errors  in  regard  to  this  reg- 
iment. Colonel  Evans'  old  company  is  put  down  as  Com- 
pany B,  of  this  regiment.  It  belonged  to  the  Fifty-ninth 
North  Carolina  (Fourth  Cavalry).  Moore  puts  S.  B.  Evans, 
Colonel ;  he  was  only  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Peter  G.  Evans 
v^'as  Colonel.  Moore  puts  Captain  Harris  as  Major  and  Col- 
onel, and  killed  at  Five  Forks.  Captain  Harris  was  never 
promoted  and  never  wounded  nor  killed. 

ATTACK   ON   PLYMOUTH. 

The  regiment  was  very  strong,  mustering  over  1,000  men. 
We  remained  at  Garysburg  some  months,  drilled  and  in- 
structed by  Brigadier-General  Beverly  H.  Robertson,  of  Vir- 
ginia. General  Robertson  was  a  West  Pointer,  very  strict, 
and  sometimes  irascible  on  military  points.  In  social  inter- 
course he  was  a  pleasant,  polished  gentleman.  Late  in  No- 
vember we  moved  lower  down  the  Roanoke,  and  picketed 
about  Washington  and  Plymouth.  In  December  an  expedi- 
tion was  planned  to  capture  Plymouth.  A  regiment  of  in- 
fantry, a  battery  of  artillery,  and  four  companies  of  our  regi- 
ment were  assigned  to  the  enterprise,  the  whole  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Jno.  C.  Lamb,  of  the  Seventeenth  North 
Carolina.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stephen  B.  Evans  commanded 
the  cavalry.  The  plan  was  to  capture  the  pickets,  and  take 
the  place  by  surprise.  We  reached  the  picket  station  just 
before  day  13  December,  1862,  captured  all  but  one,  he  es- 
caped firing  his  musket  as  he  ran.  This  gave  notice  of  our 
approach,  and  when  we  reached  Plymouth  a  body  of  Federals 
was  seen  formed  across  the  main  street  ready  to  receive  us. 
The  cavalry  was  ordered  to  charge  these  men,  which  was  done 
in  good  style,  and  with  a  full  allowance  of  the  famous  rebel 
yell.  The  enemy  fired  one  volley  and  broke  in  all  directions. 
Some  escaped  to  the  gunboats  in  skiffs,  some  hid,  some  took  to 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  531 

the  houses,  and  fired  from  the  windows.  Quite  a  lively  can- 
nonade ensued  between  the  gunboats  and  our  battery.  We 
captured  more  provisions  and  clothing  than  we  could  move. 
Colonel  Lamb  finally  decided  to  retire,  fearing  the  gunboats 
would  go  up  the  river  and  cut  off  his  retreat.  We  captured 
quite  a  number  of  prisoners.  Our  casualties  were  Captain 
Galloway,  of  the  cavalry,  severely  wounded ;  three  infantry 
privates  wounded  by  the  fire  from  the  houses.  Captain  Gal- 
loway was  wounded  by  that  first  volley,  but  did  not  retire 
until  the  affair  was  over. 

ORDERED    TO    VIRGINIA. 

The  remainder  of  the  winter  passed  without  incident.  We 
did  picket  duty,  assisted  in  stopping  the  attempted  Federal 
advance  on  Goldsboro,  but  had  no  casualties.  Those  were 
halcyon  days  for  us.  We  were  in  a  friendly  country,  supplies 
for  man  and  horse  comparatively  abundant.  The  ladies  de- 
lighted in  us,  and  we  had  a  good  time.  Early  in  May,  1863,  we 
received  orders  to  join  Lee's  army.  We  had  been  brigaded 
with  the  Fifty-ninth  North  Carolina  (Fourth  Cavalry),  Colonel 
Dennis  D.  Ferrebee,  and  put  under  General  Robertson.  We 
halted  some  days  near  Richmond,  Va.,  to  have  our  horses 
shod,  clothing  and  arms  furnished  the  men,  and  then  set  out 
for  the  historic  and  desolate  fields  of  Virginia.  We  reached 
Lee's  army  in  time  for  General  Stuart's  gi-and  cavalry  re- 
view on  the  field  of  Brandy  Station.  Our  regiments  were 
in  full  strength,  our  men  and  horses  fresh,  and  on  the 
field  of  review  we  made  a  much  better  appearance  than  the 
rusty  clad  squadrons  of  Stuart  and  Hampton.  The  chaff 
and  wheat  were  soon  to  be  separated.  The  morning  after 
this  review  the  shrill  bugle  call  "boots  and  saddles"  resounded 
early.  Mounting  quickly  we  were  moved  down  the  Kel- 
ley's  Ford  road,  and  soon  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy.  One 
squadron  of  the  Sixty-third  was  dismounted,  and  thrown  for- 
ward as  skirmishers.  The  Yanks  had  been  advancing,  but 
halted  when  they  saw  us.  We  remained  looking  at  each 
other  for  some  time,  when  the  dismounted  squadron  was  re- 
called, remounted  and  the  brigade  went  at  the  gallop  towards 
Fleetwood,  General  Stuart's  headquarters.     The  enemy  had 


532  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'6o. 

brought  up  a  battery  and  shelled  our  rear  as  we  went  off  doing 
no  damage  however.  When  we  came  on  the  main  field  of 
Brandy  Station,  cannon  were  booming,  dust  and  smoke  ob- 
scured vision,  and  no  one  could  tell  wliat  would  hnppen  next. 
One  man  was  seen  to  throw  up  his  arms  an-l  fall  iVdiu  his 
horse  and  all  supposed  him  badly  wounded;  after  develop- 
ments proved  that  his  distress  was  purely  mental.  The  bri- 
gade drew  up  in  line  just  in  rear  of  Fleetwood  house  and  in 
support  of  a  battery.  The  smoke  and  dust  luiving  lifted,  we 
had  a  full  view  of  the  entire  field.  Blue  and  gray  horsemen 
were  moving  rapidly  in  many  parts  of  the  field  and  frequently 
coming  in  sharp  collision.  Just  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
field,  a  battery  was  posted,  which  was  firing  on  our  battery. 
We  could  see  the  discharge  of  each  piece,  and  a  few  seconds 
after  could  see  when  the  shell  stiiick.  The  apparent  com- 
mander of  the  Federal  battery  and  support  was  riding  a  mag- 
nificent white  horse.  One  of  our  shells  struck  this  horse  and 
rider  and  made  fragments  of  them.  About  2  p.  m.  we  heard 
very  rapid  carbine  firing  on  our  left,  a  few  minutes  after  we 
were  moved  to  that  direction  and  found  that  the  brigade  to 
which  the  Nineteenth  North  Carolina  (Second  Cavalry)  be- 
longed had  been  severely  engaged  and  the  Nineteenth  had  lost 
heavily — Colonel  Sol.  Williams  was  killed  here.  We  moved 
after  the  retiring  Yanks,  but  did  not  overtake  them.  No  one 
of  our  regiment  or  brigade  was  physically  hurt  that  day. 

MIDDLEBURG. 

Our  luck  was  different  in  the  next  collision.  This  collision 
occurred  at  Middleburg  17  June,  1863.  The  fifth  squadron 
of  the  Sixty-third  was  in  front  and  about  dusk  was  ordered 
to  charge  on  some  Yanks  in  the  road.  These  men  were 
simply  a  decoy.  A  whole  regiment  was  dismounted  and  be- 
hind a  stone  fence.  x\s  the  squadron  pursuing  the  decoys 
came  abreast  of  the  dismounted  regiment  it  opened  fire,  kill- 
ing one  man,  wounding  and  disabling  about  twenty  men  and 
horses.  Only  seventeen  men  of  the  squadron  followed  the 
Captain  through  the  fire.  Of  the  renuiinder  some  tried  to 
turn  back,  some  dismounted  and  took  shelter  behind  the  stoj^e 
fence.     Fortunately  the  rear  of  the  regiment  was  close  at 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  533 

hand,  dismounted,  got  over  the  fence  and  attacked  the  enemy 
in  flank.  Still  more  fortunately  a  Virginia  regiment  was 
passing  on  a  road  perpendicular  to  the  road  charged  upon. 
This  regiment  heard  the  firing,  halted  and  was  ready  to  re- 
ceive the  enemy  as  they  gave  way  before  the  flank.  Nearly 
the  entire  regiment  of  Federals  was  captured,  about  800  men. 
The  Sixty-third  lost  two  men  killed,  about  twenty  wounded, 
among  whom  were  three  Lieutenants.  Our  greatest  loss  was 
Major  McJ^eill,  severely  wounded  in  the  hip.  He  was 
handling  his  portion  of  the  flank  attack  very  skilfully.  He 
was  disabled  for  many  months. 

During  18,  19  and  20  June  we  fought  over  the  gTovind  be- 
tween Middleburg  and  Upperville,  alternately  advancing  and 
retreating.  On  the  morning  of  the  21st  the  fighting  assumed 
a  fiercer  form  than  heretofore  and  it  was  soon  evident  that 
the  enemy  were  much  stronger  than  usual.  Swinton  tells  us 
that  "Hooker  reinforced  his  cavalry  with  a  division  of  in- 
fantry, being  determined  to  find  out  if  any  of  Lee's  infantry 
was  east  of  the  mountains."  Stuart  gradually  retired,  stub- 
bornly contesting  every  available  position.  The  fiercest  fight 
was  in  the  streets  of  Upperville  where  it  became  a  hand-to- 
hand  conflict.  A  flank  attack  by  fresh  Federal  troops  de- 
cided the  conflict  and  the  Confederates  retired  in  more  or  less 
disorder.  The  Captain  of  the  fifth  squadron  succeeded  in 
getting  his  men  out  in  fairly  good  order  and  was  marching 
leisurely  towards  Paris  when  Colonel  Evans  rode  up  and 
said  that  as  this  was  the  only  organized  body  of  his  regiment 
he  could  find,  he  wished  us  to  get  on  the  turnpike  and  stop  a 
charge  the  Yanks  were  about  to  make.  We  were  then  about 
two  hundred  yards  off  the  main  turnpike.  We  moved  over 
on  the  pike  and  took  position  on  a  gentle  acclivity.  Very 
soon  General  Stuart  rode  up.  He  examined  the  movements 
of  the  enemy  with  his  field  glass.  There  was  a  stone  fence 
about  two  hundred  yards  in  front  of  our  position  and  per- 
pendicular to  the  battle.  The  enemy  had  started  some  skir- 
mishers out  to  get  possession  of  this  fence.  General  Stuart 
requested  the  Captain  of  the  squadron  to  take  about  twenty 
men  and  get  to  the  fence  before  them,  which  was  done.  The 
Federal  cavalry  beginning  to  advance.  Colonel  Evans  wished 


534  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

to  charge ;  General  Stuart  thought  best  not  to  charge,  but 
finally  yielded  to  Colonel  Evans'  wishes  and  allowed  him 
to  make  the  charge.  This  charge  stopped  the  Federal  ad- 
vance, but  at  quite  a  loss  to  us.  Colonel  Evans  was  mortally 
wounded  and  captured,  two  men  and  several  horses  killed  and 
quite  a  number  wounded.  Adjutant  Morehead  had  many 
holes  in  his  clothing  and  several  skin  wounds,  but  nothing 
serious.  Sergeant  Henry  Ilobson,  of  Company  H,  a  very 
gallant  soldier,  was  wounded  in  many  places  and  his  clothes 
riddled.  He  was  captured,  but  as  exchanges  were  rapid  in 
those  days,  he  soon  returned  to  us  but  little  the  worse  for  his 
hurts.  The  enemy  made  no  further  advance  and  the  brigade 
rested  that  night  at  Ashby's  Gap.  For  most  of  the  men  it  was 
the  first  experience  of  the  real  hardships  of  w^ar  and  it  was 
somewhat  demoralizing.  More  men  went  to  Company  Q 
than  were  wounded  and  killed.  At  Ashby's  Gap  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Gordon,  of  the  Ninth  North  Carolina  (First Cavalry) 
took  command  of  the  regiment  by  direction  of  General  Stuart. 
Gordon  gained  our  confidence  and  respect  at  once,  and  the 
longer  he  remained  with  us  the  more  the  feeling  grew.  Gor- 
don was  every  inch  a  soldier  and  his  previous  experience  in 
Virginia  campaigns  enabled  him  to  give  us  many  points  about 
taking  care  of  ourselves  and  horses  w^hich  were  of  great  value 
to  us. 

to   GETTYSBURG   AND   BACK. 

We  advanced  next  morning  over  the  ground  fought  over 
and  found  no  Yankees.  Dead  horses,  head  stones  to  graves 
and  cavalry  equipments  alone  remained  to  tell  of  the  deadly 
struggles.  It  was  a  beautiful  section  of  country  and  during 
the  few^  days  we  remained  in  it  the  inhabitants  were  very 
kind  to  us.  Major  McClellan,  of  Stuart's  staff,  and  Colonel 
John  S.  Mosby,  of  partisan  fame,  both  agree  that  General 
Robertson  was  ordered  by  Stuart  to  cross  the  Potomac  east  of 
Lee's  araiy  and  marching  between  him  and  the  enemy  keep 
Lee  well  advised  of  their  movements.  A  squadron  captain 
can  not  know  his  Brigadier's  orders.  He  can  and  does  know 
that  wo  followed  the  main  turnpike  previously  marched  over 
by  the  infantry  and  saw  no  enemy,  heard  no  liostile  shots  fired 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  535 

and  (which  was  far  worse)  we  found  no  forage  for  man  or 
beast.  The  infantry  had  cleaned  up  things  as  thej  went.  We 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Gettysburg  a  short  while  before  the 
last  and  fatal  charge  by  Lee.  We  halted,  dismounted  and 
were  resting  when  the  cannonade  began.  It  was  very  furious, 
but  very  brief.  At  its  close  we  were  mounted  and  moved  to- 
wards the  front.  Many  of  us  thought  that  the  victory  was 
ours  and  the  cavalry  ordered  up  to  pursue.  In  a  few  moments 
the  head  of  the  column  turned  to  the  right  and  rear,  and  in  less 
than  an  hour  we  were  skirmishing  for  a  position  to  protect 
the  lines  of  retreat.  The  skirmish  was  a  success,  but  the 
question  of  supper  was  not  so  easily  solved.  No  rations  had 
been  issued  since  leaving  Ashby's  Gap.  No  foraging  was 
possible  in  the  track  of  the  main  army,  so  we  were  hungry, 
such  a  hunger  as  civilized  man  in  times  of  peace  never  knows. 
Fortunately  for  the  horses  wheat  was  just  ripe  and  was  very 
fine.  They  could  soon  fill  themselves.  Cherries,  raspberries 
and  wheat  were  our  only  dependence.  One  night  a  squad  was 
bivouacked  at  a  mountain  spring  and  spring  house.  In  the 
spring  house  were  jars  of  buttermilk,  honey  and  apple  mar- 
malade. We  ate  more  or  less  abundantly.  Let  any  physi- 
cian of  good  standing  think  of  the  mixture — cherries,  rasp- 
berries, wheat,  honey,  milk,  apple  marmalade.  Strange  to 
say  very  few  got  on  the  sick  list.  Skirmishing  went  on  more 
or  less  every  day  while  we  remained  north  of  the  Potomac 
with  few  casualties.  We  were  the  last  of  the  Confederate 
army  to  cross  the  Potomac,  doing  so  by  a  horse-path  ford,  on 
a  narrow,  winding  ledge  of  rock.  The  river  was  flushed  by 
the  Gettysburg  rains  and  very  deep.  Even  on  the  ledge  of 
rock  a  very  slight  variation  put  you  at  once  in  swimming 
water.  Several  men  and  horses  got  off  the  ledge  and  swam 
a  little,  but  no  one  was  drowned.  For  the  next  several 
months  after  our  return  to  Virginia,  no  fighting  took  place. 
Gordon  Avas  recalled  to  the  jSTinth  North  Carolina,  his  ranking 
officer  having  been  wounded  and  disabled.  This  left  the  reg- 
iment in  charge  of  the  ranking  Captains,  Shaw  and  Gallo- 
way. Soon  after  our  return  we  learned  of  the  death  of  Colo- 
nel Peter.  G.  Evans.  The  officers  met  and  passed  suitable  res- 
olutions of  respect  to  his  memory  and  Captain  Galloway  was 


536  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

requested  to  communicate  with  liis  widow,  which  was  done. 
A  truer  friend  and  a  nobler  hearted  gentleman  than  Colonel 
Evans  never  walked  the  earth.  In  the  Bristoe  Station  cam- 
paign the  regiment  did  its  fnll  share  of  the  fighting  and  bore 
its  fnll  share  of  the  losses,  the  most  severe  loss  being  its  Ad- 
jutant, J.  Turner  Morehead.  A  bullet  strn(;k  him  full  in 
the  mouth,  breaking  nearly  all  his  front  teeth  out  and  passing 
out  at  the  back  of  his  neck,  narrowly  missing  the  spinal 
colmnn.  The  wound  was  first  thought  to  be  mortal,  but 
youthful  hope  and  a  good  constitution  saved  him.  He  was 
lost  to  us,  however.  A  beautiful  and  accomplished  woman 
consoled  his  sufferings  and  effectually  cured  him  of  any  wish 
for  further  participation  in  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  a 
soldier's  life. 

KETURIN^  TO  VTEGIXIA. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  active  operations  for  1863,  the  reg- 
iment was  sent  ho^me  for  the  winter  to  recruit  men  and  horses. 
We  reassembled  at  Flenderson,  jST.  C,  in  April,  and  took  up 
our  march  for  Virginia.  We  reached  the  main  army  7  May, 
1864,  and  went  into  battle  that  evening.  In  this  encounter 
W.  A.  Lash,  since  president  of  the  Cape  Fear  &:  Yadkin  Val- 
ley Railroad,  an  18-year-old  recruit  of  Company  D,  Sixty- 
third,  received  his  ''baptism  of  fire."  A  fragTiient  of  shell 
tore  off  the  right  shoulder  lapel  of  his  coat,  inflicting  bruises, 
most  men  would  have  laid  up,  some  would  have  died.  Lash 
ate  his  full  share  of  what  rations  he  could  get  that  night,  and 
was  all  right  for  hard  and  fatiguing  duty  in  pursuit  of  Sheri- 
dan next  day.  In  the  fall  of  1863  the  J^inth,  ISTineteenth, 
Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-thir<l  Xorth  Carolina  (First,  Second, 
Fourth  and  Fifth  Cavalry),  had  been  put  into  one  brigade 
and  Gordon,  as  Brigadier,  put  in  command.  Gordon  was  a 
favorite  with  Stuart,  but  no  prouKitiou  was  ever  better  de- 
served than  this.  On  the  Sth  Gordon's  Brigade  was  ordered 
to  press  Sheridan's  rear  while  Stuart  went  on  to  head  him 
oft'  at  Kichtnoud.  (iordon  jn-essed  vigorously  aud  had  several 
fierce  little  encounters;  finally,  at  Ground  Scpiirrcl  Church, 
a  full  fledged  battle  took  place. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  537 

ground  squirrel  church. 

The  force  on  each  side  numbered  about  2,500.  The  Sixty- 
third  was  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  S.  B.  Evans, 
he  having  returned  in  the  spring.  The  night  before  this  bat- 
tle the  Captain  of  the  fifth  squadron  had  requested  of  Colonel 
Evans  to  be  held  in  reserve,  his  squadron  having  already  been 
more  engaged  and  suffered  more  loss  than  any  other.  Colo- 
nel Evans  had  agreed.  This  squadron  was  a  mounted  re- 
seiwe.  Thick  woods  were  between  us  and  the  battle,  and  as 
the  firing  grew  faster  and  faster,  we  congratulated  ourselves 
on  our  secure  position.  Soon  a  mounted  orderly  from  Gen- 
eral Gordon  galloped  up,  requesting  our  presence  on  the  field. 
We  moved  up  at  the  trot  and  coming  on  the  field  saw  two  reg- 
iments of  mounted  Yankees  on  the  far  side.  The  Ninth 
ISTorth  Carolina  (First  Cavalry)  had  charged  one  of  these 
and  was  fighting  hand-to-hand.  Dismounted  men  of  both 
sides  were  actively  engaged  as  sharpshooters.  The  Captain 
of  the  Fifth  s([uadron  ordered  a  charge  straight  for  the  centre 
of  the  other  mounted  Yankee  regiment.  With  the  famous 
rebel  yell  the  charge  was  made.  It  broke  that  regiment.  The 
other  Yanks  seeing  it  break,  gave  way  also,  and  the  field  was 
soon  clear.  General  Gordon  coming  up  told  the  Captain  of 
the  Fifth  squadron  that  he  had  not  intended  him  to  charge, 
but  only  to  show  force,  but  it  was  all  right  gallantly  done,  and 
had  decided  the  day.  In  this  engagement  Lieutenant  Kerr 
Craige,  Company  I,  Ninth  Regiment  (since  Assistant  Post- 
master General  of  the  United  States),  had  his  horse  killed 
under  him  and  a  private  of  Company  D,  of  our  regiment,  had 
the  pleasure  of  furnishing  him  a  captured  mount  for  a  short 
time.  No  other  decided  stand  was  made  by  the  enemy  until 
we  reached  Richmond.  In  reconnoitering  their  position  at  a 
bridge  not  far  from  Richmond,  General  Gordon  received  a 
wound  which  proved  to  be  mortal.  Stuart  and  he  died  in  a 
few  days  of  each  other.  Par  nohile  frairum.  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Clinton  M.  Andrews,  of  the  Nineteenth,  took  charge 
of  us  for  a  few  days,  when  Brigadier-General  Pierce  M. 
B.  Young,  of  Georgia,  came  to  us.  He  was  the  beau 
ideal  of  a  cavalry  leader  and  took  our  hearts  by  storm.  His 
favorite  motto  going  into  action  was,  "Here  goes  for  hell  or 


538  North  Carolixna  Troops,  1861-65. 

promotion."  He  certainly  took  big  chances  for  the  locality 
and  got  no  more  of  the  promotion  than  he  deserved.  He  re- 
mained with  us  about  two  weeks  when  he,  too,  was  wounded. 
A  saying  arose  among  the  men  that  no  one  could  lead  us  long 
without  being  hurt.  After  a  short  interval  Lieutenant-Colo- 
nel Barringer,  of  the  Ninth,  was  promoted  Brigadier  and  put 
in  charge  of  us.  He  was  a  very  different  man  from  Gordon 
or  Young.  Brave  enough,  but  of  a  prudent,  methodical,  cau- 
tious temperament.  At  Hanover  Town,  at  Todd's  tavern, 
we  fought  with  many  casualties.  Not  a  day  passed  without 
some  hostile  firing,  no  two  nights  did  we  sleep  on  the  same 
ground.  When  the  two  armies  finally  settled  into  the  lines 
around  Petersburg,  Kautz  and  Wilson  were  sent  on  the  raid 
to  destroy  the  railroads  to  Richmond.  We  were  sent  in  pur- 
suit. 

BLACKS  AND  WHITES. 

At  "Blacks  and  Whites"  a  serious  contest  took  place.  The 
Sixty-third  was  that  day  marching  in  rear  of  the  brigade. 
An  orderly  came  back  to  hurry  it  up.  Advancing  at  the  trot 
we  came  to  a  clump  of  woods  in  which  rapid  firing  was  going 
on.  The  regiment  was  ordered  to  dismount  and  go  in.  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Evans  turned  over  to  Captain  Galloway  the 
command  of  the  dismounted  men,  who  then  went  for\vard.  We 
soon  came  to  the  line  of  the  Ninth  and  Nineteenth  Regiments. 
Furious  firing  was  going  on,  but  as  the  men  were  behind  trees, 
no  damage  was  done.  After  a  few  minutes  Captain  Gallo- 
way called  for  volunteers  to  go  to  the  front.  Only  one  man 
offered,  James  Hand,  of  Company  D.  Advancing  to  the 
edge  of  the  woods  they  came  to  a  deep  railroad  cut,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  which,  in  thick  woods,  the  enemy  were.  As 
the  dirt  road  crossed  the  railroad  at  right  angles  and  with  a 
deep  cut  they  could  not  be  attacked  in  front  or  right  flank. 
The  left  flank,  however,  could  be  attacked  by  going  up  the 
railroad.  The  Captain  and  Hand  retired,  each  receiving  a 
bullet  in  the  hat  brim  as  they  retired.  Hunting  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Cowles,  of  the  Ninth,  the  ranking  officer  in  the  fight 
and  a  gallant  soldier  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  Galloway 
explained   the   situation.     Cowles   at   once   directed    that   a 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  539 

squad  of  men  be  sent  to  cross  the  railroad  and  advance  on 
the  Federal  left  flank.  No  sooner  did  these  men  begin  to 
cross  the  railroad  than  the  enemy  fired  one  or  two  big  volleys 
and  retired.  Had  the  expedient  been  adopted  sooner  much 
valuable  time  and  some  ammunition  might  have  been  saved. 
Our  gi-eatest  loss  in  this  engagement  was  Colonel  Andrews, 
of  the  Nineteenth.  He  was  wounded  and  died  under  the 
surgeon's  knife.  The  enemy  made  no  further  stand  till 
Roanoke  bridge.  Here  they  had  already  been  stopped  by 
some  boys  and  old  men  and  furloughed  soldiers.  They 
delayed  us  by  a  long  range  cannonade  until  they  could  get 
away,  which  they  did,  leaving  only  a  few  broken  down 
horses  and  unserviceable  gims  behind  them.  Our  force  had 
been  much  decreased,  chiefly  by  breaking  down.  It  was 
decided  to  pursue  with  a  few  choice  men  and  horses  and  let 
the  others,  a  very  large  majority,  proceed  leisurely  to 
camp.  We  met  no  further  opposition.  Hampton  had  made 
his  dispositions  so  well  that  finding  all  avenues  of  escape  in 
a  body  effectually  blocked,  the  raiders  decided  to  break  up 
and  try  to  escape  singly  or  in  squads.  In  the  general  break 
up  which  followed  Sergeant  Ratcliff,  of  the  Sixty-third, 
had  the  good  luck  to  capture  a  Federal  Colonel  with  a  mag- 
nificent gray  horse  superbly  caparisoned.  By  the  Parti- 
san Ranger  act  this  horse  and  trappings  became  at  once 
the  absolute  property  of  Sergeant  Ratcliff.  Unfortunately 
for  him  the  horse  attracted  the  attention  of  General  Bar- 
ringer.  Partly  by  persuasion,  partly  by  authority  Ratcliff 
was  induced  to  exchange  with  the  General.  Ratcliff  got  a 
serviceable  black  chunk  of  a  horse.  The  General  got  a 
charger  fit  for  Charles  O'Malley  in  his  best  days.  By  a  curi- 
ous coincidence  when  General  Barringer  was  captured  in 
April,  1865,  this  Yankee  Colonel  was  in  the  crowd  which 
captured  him.  His  first  words  were,  "I'll  be  damned,  if  yon- 
der ain't  my  horse."  Hence  we  infer  that  Yankee  Colonels 
do  not  have  the  benefits  of  Sunday  School  training,  or  soon 
forget  it. 

NORTH   OF   THE   JAMES. 

After  this  raid  the  cavalry  had  a  few  weeks  comparative 


540  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

rest,  though  there  was  daily  picket  firing.  Grant's  efforts  to 
get  a  foothold  on  the  Weldon  iiailroad  generally  began  by  a 
movement  on  the  north  bank  of  the  James.  The  cavalry 
would  be  hurried  over  there  and  generally  brought  back  more 
rapidly  than  we  went.  These  movements,  however,  were 
always  attended  witli  more  or  less  fighting.  On  or  about  20 
August,  we  were  hurriedly  moved  across  and  came  on  the 
wreck  of  Chambliss'  Cavalry  brigade  about  1  p.  m.  Cham- 
bliss  had  been  killed  doing  his  very  best  with  his  little  force 
to  stem  the  torrent.  The  iSTorth  Carolina  brigade  went  in, 
and  the  enemy  began  to  retire,  we  followed  them  over  all  the 
ground  they  had  advanced  over,  meeting  but  little  resistance, 
losing  only  six  men  killed  and  wounded.  Grant  had  accom- 
plished his  object,  and  was  retiring  anyhow.  The  Richmond 
papers  of  next  morning  did  not  mention  the  I^orth  Carolina 
cavalry  brigade  at  all,  l)nt  gave  all  the  credit  of  resisting 
Grant  and  driving  him  back  to  Chambliss'  Brigade, 

Among  the  wounded  was  Lieutenant  Grier,  of  Charlotte, 
N,  C.  The  wound  was  slight,  and  Grier  being  a  good  sol- 
dier, would  not  have  left  the  field  but  for  the  fact  that  his 
mess  had  left  several  choice  watermelons  with  the  wagons  that 
morning,  Grier  could  not  resist  the  temptation  of  leading  in 
the  attack  on  the  melons,  and  when  his  mess  returned  to  the 
wagons,  both  Grier  and  the  melons  were  gone.  He  soon  re- 
turned, but  never  boasted  of  his  exploit. 

About  sundown  we  stopped  pursuit,  and  were  marched  all 
night  hiu'k  to  the  south  side.  Tn  the  morning  we  were  put 
in,  and  after  a  sharp  resistance,  started  the  enemy.  We  pur- 
sued eagerly  until  met  b}^  the  deadliest  and  heaviest  single 
discharge  we  had  ever  known.  It  came  from  an  infantry 
breastwork  covering  the  Weldon  Railroad,  now  in  possession 
of  the  Fe<lerals,  Captain  Galloway  and  at  least  a  dozen  men 
of  Company  1),  Sixty-third,  fell  under  this  volley,  Tn  a 
short  time  our  line  was  withdrawn  and  the  enemy  remained 
master  of  the  Weldon  road. 

Tn  ITampton's  famous  cattle  raid  the  Sixty-third  did  it-s 
part,  but  sustained  no  loss.  Towards  the  latter  part  of  Sep- 
temlxM",  Lieutenant-Colonel  S.  E.  Evans  having  retired,  the 
question  of  promotion  in  the  regiment  came  up.     Captain 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  641 

Harris  raised  the  point  of  superiority  with  Captain  Galloway. 
It  was  based  on  a  technical  question  of  what  constituted  a 
''muster  in."  It  was  referred  to  the  Adjutant-General's  office 
Richmond,  and  decided  in  favor  of  Captain  Galloway. 

In  October,  1864,  the  promotions  took  place.  Major  Mc- 
I^eill  became  Colonel,  Captain  Shaw  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Captain  Galloway  Major.  They  were  ''read  out"  at  dre«s 
parade.  In  the  latter  days  of  the  Confederacy  this  was  the 
only  commission  given  to  any  one  below  the  grade  of  Briga- 
dier-General. 

Some  very  severe  fighting  took  place  in  October,  one  fact 
of  which  will  always  remain  indelibly  impressed  on  the 
writer's  mind.  One  day  the  Federals  advanced,  the  Confed- 
erates retired  contesting  all  the  ground,  the  next  day  the  Con- 
federates advanced,  driving  the  enemy  over  the  same  gi-ound. 
There  lay  the  dead  of  the  previous  day  entirely  naked  and 
most  of  them  partially  eaten  up  by  hogs.  It  was  calculated 
to  unnerve  the  stoutest  heart. 

During  the  winter  of  1865  we  suffered  unspeakably,  the 
ration  was  not  enough  to  keep  a  man  in  vigor,  even  if  regu- 
larly issued.  It  frequently  was  not  so  issued,  and  we  of  the 
cavalry  would  parch  corn  and  eat  it. 

FIVE   FOKKS. 

Five  Forks  1  April,  1865,  ended  the  fighting  for  us.  It 
was  the  most  ill-advised  and  murderous  battle  in  which  we 
ever  engaged.  The  Sixty-third  lost  Colonel  McjSTeill,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Shaw,  Lieutenant  Lindsay,  and  a  host  of  gal- 
lant soldiers  of  the  line.  Lieutenant  Lindsay  told  his  com- 
rades to  turn  him  on  his  face  and  go  ahead,  a  speech  worthy 
of  Bayard  or  Lawrence.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Shaw  was  ex- 
empt on  three  points,  age,  practicing  physician,  tw^enty  ne- 
groes. He  was  in  delicate  health,  but  with  a  patriotism  and 
self-sacrifice  worthy  of  an  ancient  Roman,  he  stuck  to  us  to 
the  last.  Of  Colonel  Mcl^eill,  I  have  already  spoken.  One 
squadron,  the  fifth,  was  not  in  this  fight ;  in  charge  of  Acting 
Major  Erwin,  it  was  on  vidette. 

Major  Galloway  was  in  Petersburg  having  a  wound  at- 
tended to.     He  came  up  with  the  remnant  of  the  regiment  at 


542  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Clover  depot,  took  command  of  it  and  with  the  remnant  of 
the  brigade  headed  for  Farmville,  he  was  met  by  a  staff  officer 
bringing  news  of  Lee's  surrender  and  directing  us  to  report 
at  Danville,  Va.  Here  we  were  met  by  instructions  from  the 
Secretary  of  War  to  go  to  our  homes  and  await  instructions, 
the  conmiauding  officer  of  each  regiment  to  report  to  General 
Johnston  at  Greensboro.  This  was  done  and  when  General 
Johnston  surrendered  most  of  the  regiment  took  paroles — 
some  never  did. 

CAVALRY   V.    INFANTRY. 

During  the  first  and  second  years  of  the  war  the  cavalry- 
did  very  little  hard  fighting.  The  infantry  taunted  them 
more  or  less.  In  the  third  and  fourth  years  the  cavalry  ser- 
vice was  the  hardest,  while  no  one  battle  approximated  Get- 
tysburg, the  many  skirmishes  made  an  aggregate  loss  fully 
equal.  Company  D,  of  the  Sixty-third,  went  into  action  7 
May,  1864,  with  68  men  in  the  saddle.  21  August  Cap- 
tain Galloway  was  wounded.  All  tlie  other  officers  had  been 
wounded  and  44  of  the  68  privates  had  been  hit;  six  killed 
on  the  field. 

CONFEDERATE  CAVALRY  V.    FEDERAL  CAVALRY. 

All  military  men  agree  that  the  fighting  capacity  of  men 
depends  greatly  on  physical  vigor  and  efficient  equipment. 
Physical  vigor  depends  greatly  on  healthy  food  and  protec- 
tion from  weather.  The  Confederates  had  one-fourth  pound 
Nassau  bacon  and  one-half  pound  corn  meal.  The  Federals 
had  the  full  United  States  army  rations— meat,  bread,  vege- 
tables, coffee,  sugar.  The  Confederates  had  no  tent,  no  fly 
cloths,  and  very  little  clothes  except  what  they  got  from  home. 
The  Federals  had  tents  for  their  camps  and  on  the  march 
every  man  had  the  half  of  a  rubber  fly  tent.  In  bivouac  two 
men  joined  flies,  stretched  it  over  a  pole  and  were  protected 
from  the  hardest  rain  or  severest  frost. 

MILITARY  EQUIPMENT. 

The  Confederate  trooper  had  issued  to  him  a  saddle,  a  hav- 
ersack, a  canteen,  a  part  of  a  bridle,  an  English  carbine,  a 


»  Sixty-Third  Regiment.  543 

nondescript  sabre.  A  new  recruit  was  always  advised  to 
throw  away  or  not  draw  any  of  these  things,  but  wait  till  a 
battle  gave  him  a  chance  to  get  "something  worth  totin'." 
The  saddle  niined  a  horse's  back,  the  canteen  leaked,  the  hav- 
ersack of  cotton  cloth  was  no  protection,  the  English  carbine 
was  muzzle-loading  and  would  not  cany  a  ball  fifty  yards  ac- 
curately. The  Yankee  McClellan  saddle  was  and  is  the  best 
army  saddle  ever  invented  by  the  wit  of  man.  The  canteen 
would  hold  a  quart  and  was  covered  with  woolen  cloth,  cork 
stopper  chained  to  the  canteen,  complete  in  every  way.  The 
haversack  was  capacious  and  waterproof.  Each  trooper  had 
a  Spencer  rifle  which  would  shoot  eight  times  without  reload- 
ing and  then  could  be  reloaded  at  the  breech  for  eight  shots 
more,  more  quickly  than  the  English  carbine  for  one  shot. 
These  rifles  would  shoot  accurately  1,000  yards,  and  would 
carry  much  farther.  Each  trooper  also  had  a  Colt's  army  re- 
volver, shooting  six  shots  without  reloading,  carrying  farther 
and  with  more  accuracy  then  the  English  carbine.  Each 
Yankee  thus  had  fourteen  shots  to  the  Confederate's  one,  each 
one  of  the  fourteen  more  capable  of  doing  harm  than  the  Con- 
federate's one. 

The  only  wonder  is  that  the  Confederate  ever  stood  before 
him  at  all.  He  only  did  it  by  capturing  his  armament.  It 
was  a  certain  sig-n  of  a  new  recruit  to  see  him  with  any  article 
of  Confederate  equipment  about  him. 

John  M.  Galloway. 
Madison,  N.  C, 

26  April,  1901. 


THE  SEW    YORK 

PubUC  LIBRARY 


SIXTY-THIKI)  REGIMENT. 


1.  John  R.  Erwin,  Captain,  Co.  F. 

2.  Paul  H.  Means,  Private,  Co.  F. 

3.  J.  S.  Harris,  Private,  Co.  F.     Hanij) 

ton's  Scout. 

4.  R.  B.  Caldwell,  Private,  Co.  F. 


5.  Denson  A.  Caldwell,  Private.  Co.  F. 

6.  N.  P.  Rankin,  Captain,  Co.  I. 

7.  D.  B.  Coltrane,  Serjeant,  Co.  I. 

8.  Christopher  C.  Waller,  Private,  Co.  I. 

9.  Coluuihus  C.  Wheeler,  Private,  Co.  I 


ADDITIONAL  SKETCH  SIXTT-THIRD  REOinENT. 

(fifth  cavalry.  ) 


By  PAUL  B.   MEANS,  Private,  Company  F. 


The  Fifth  Xorth  Carolina  Cavalry  was  a  superb  regiment 
in  every  respect.  It  was  composed  of  representative  men, 
mostly  active,  intelligent  young  men,  from  the  coimties  of 
Cumberland,  Lenoir,  Greene,  Sampson,  Kockingham,  Chat- 
ham, Mecklenburg,  Davie,  Guilford,  Kandolph,  Lincoln, 
Catawba,  Cabarrus  and  a  few  other  coimties. 

The  moral  character  of  this  great  body  of  men  was  re- 
markable. After  diligent  enquiry,  there  was  not  a  grave 
offense  of  any  sort,  done  in  camp  or  elsewhere  by  any  man 
of  the  regiment  during  the  entire  war,  which  survivors  of 
the  regiment  now  remember.  Of  course  minor  offenses  were 
doubtless  done,  but  none  grave  enough  to  be  remembered  to- 
day. And  this  is  stated  and  emphasized  because  there  can  be 
no  true  courage  without  moral  character  as  its  basis.  Such 
courage  is  of  the  soul.  It  is  a  purely  psychological  phenome- 
non. The  soul  is  of  God  and  cannot  assert  itself  fully  in  an 
immoral  person.  And  when  the  soul  is  not  on  giiard,  not  su- 
preme, we  are  all  cowards  at  heart  in  the  face  of  any  gi'eat  and 
recogTiized  danger.  And  then,  like  any  other  simple  animal, 
under  this  trying  test,  we  will  run,  unless  somebody  else's 
soul  restrains  us  or  our  own  rallies  us.  In  camp,  on  the  march 
and  on  picket  every  duty  was  well  done.  In  battle,  whether 
fighting  on  foot,  as  infantry,  or  in  the  mounted  charge,  there 
never  was  any  better  troops.  The  First  iSTorth  Carolina  Cav- 
alry had  a  greater  reputation  than  the  Second,  Third  and  the 
Fifth  Cavalry,  which,  with  it,  constituted  the  North  Caro- 
lina Cavalry  Brigade,  in  the  last  years  of  the  war.*     But 


*Colloquial]y  so  styled  hut  by  orders  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Depart- 
ment the  First,  Second,  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh  and  Eighth 
Cavalry  Regiments  were  styled  respectively  Ninth,  Nineteenth,  Forty- 
First,  Fifty  Ninth,  Sixty-Third,  Seventy-Fifth  and  Seventy-Sixth  North 
Carolina  Regiments. — Ed. 

35 


546  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

this  was  because  of  the  longer  service  of  the  First  in  Vir- 
ginia and  liecanse  of  some  peculiar  advantages  from  its 
earliest,  dashing,  Murat-like  field  and  other  officers  and  espe- 
cially because  of  its  opportunities  for  fame  ahead  of  the  other 
regiments.  But  the  Fifth  was  actually  just  as  good  as  the 
First  in  every  way  and  either  regiment  of  the  brigade  was 
worthy  to  ride  in  the  front  rank  of  "The  Old  Guard"  in 
a  cliarge  or  fight,  dismounted,  side  by  side  with  the  best  Brit- 
ish infantry  of  to-day.  The  First,  fortunately  for  itself, 
siiiijtly  won  its  great  fame  earlier  and  most  worthily  main- 
tained it  to  the  end.  And  the  officers  of  the  First  have  most 
beautifully  and  harmoniously  vied  with  each  other  in  perpet- 
uating that  fame,  as  can  readily  be  seen  by  reading  its  splen- 
did history  in  the  first  of  these  volumes.  I  wish  that  in 
North  (\arolina's  "Temple  of  Fame"  there  were  such  glorious 
paintings,  deservedly  glorious  paintings,  of  each  regiment  of 
our  great  cavalry  brigade  as  the  officers  of  the  First,  have  in 
unison, made  for  it ;  where,  Aeneas-like,  the  children  of  the  im- 
mortal men  of  that  brigade,  regardless  of  regiments,  together 
could  stand  and  say :  Of  all  these  glories  our  fathers  were 
"a  great  part."  And  it  painfully  hurts  me  that  I  cannot 
make  such  a  painting  for  the  Fifth  North  Carolina  Cavalry. 

THE   AUTHENTICITY   OF   THIS    PAl'EK. 

1.  It  is  based  largely  on  the  printed  reports  of  Confederate 
and  Federal  cavalry  officers  in  that  great  work  published  by 
the  United  States  Government  and  entitled  Official  Records  of 
the  Utvion  and  Confederate  Armies.  To  the  volumes  ,  of 
which  I  will  refer  by  their  sei^l  nvmbcr  as  Vol.  — ,  p.  — . 
The  serial  number  is  in  fignires  on  back  of  all  the  books  after 
and  including  No.  36. 

Every  Confederate  sohiier  and  their  children  for  all  time 
should  ever  be  grateful  to  the  United  States  for  the  publica- 
tion of  those  records.  They  make  complete  and  eternal  the 
fame  of  our  dead  Confederacy  as  nothing  else  could.  And 
when,  in  the  distant  future,  far  from  the  sound  of  the  guns 
and  uutouclied  by  any  of  the  feelings  of  our  war,  the  great, 
cool,  philosophical  historian,  whom  God  shall  give  this  be- 
loved republic,  under  the  guidance  of  the  "spirit  of  truth" 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  547 

and  seeking  the  truth  and  the  truth  alone  for  the  love  of 
truth,  shall  have  given  his  entire  life  to  a  careful  examination 
and  study  of  those  great  volumes  and  shall  have  fully  and 
faithfully  done  his  work,  as  he  will,  it  will  reflect  the  splen- 
dors and  glories  of  the  South  for  the  admiration  of  the  ages, 
the  stigTiia  of  "rebellion"  all  forever  gone  under  the  light  of 
truth. 

2.  I  have  recently  visited  and  talked  with  every  member 
of  the  regiment  I  could  reach  and  taken  down,  in  their  pres- 
ence, their  memories.  I  have  written  to  many  others  whom  I 
could  not  see  and  asked  their  recollections.  Some  have  most 
kindly  and  generously  helped  me  and  some  hav^e  not.  And 
where  any  deserved  mention  of  the  regiment  or  any  member 
of  it  is  not  made  I  am  not  responsible.  I  did  not  see  it  all 
and  could  not  remember  it  if  I  had.  But  I  did  my  best  to 
get  personal  incidents  especially. 

3.  As  a  courier  at  headquarters  of  the  ]^orth  Carolina  Cav- 
alry Brigade,  I  had  a  large  scope  of  observation  and  I  used 
it.  In  this  capacity  I  had  the  very  best  opportunities  to  com- 
pare and  judge  the  regiments  of  this  brigade  in  their  camps, 
and  on  their  marches  and  especially  as  I  rode,  with  orders, 
along  their  lines  of  battle.  My  judgment  of  the  regiments 
of  the  brigade  is,  therefore,  the  result  of  careful  comparison, 
without  which  no  judgment  is  good. 

4.  And  it  is  also  based  on  printed  "Sketches  of  the  North 
Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade,"  which  I  published  in  the  Concord 
Sun  in  April,  1881,  from  "full  notes  and  official  reports," 
made  contemporaneously  with  the  events.  Of  these  sketches 
General  Barringer  and  Colonel  Cheek,  Colonel  of  the  First 
North  Carolina  Cavalry,  wrote  as  follows  to  the  editor  of  the 
Stith  at  the  time  of  their  publication. 

General  Barringer  wrote  thus: 

Charlotte,  K  C,  May  3,  1881. 

3fr.  Wade  II.  Harris,  Editor  of  The  Sun,  Concord,  N.  C. : 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  read  with  very  great  interest  "Sketches 
of  the  jSTorth  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade,"  by  Colonel  P.  B. 
Means,  and  I  have  often  been  asked  if  these  articles  give  au- 
thentic reports  of  the  operations  of  my  old  command.     I  am 


548  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

able  to  state  unhesitatingly  that  they  do.  I  happen  to  know 
that  C^olonel  Means  has  in  his  possession  full  notes  and  official 
reports  of  nearly  all  tlie  actions  and  incidents  alluded  to,  and 
I  think  he  has  used  his  material  wisely  and  impartially.  Of 
course  in  mere  "sketches"  there  must  be  many  omissions; 
and  yet  Colonel  Means  has  so  grouped  his  facts  as  to  give  a 
very  vivid  picture  of  the  achievements  of  the  Xorth  Carolina 
Cavalry.  People  wonder  that  the  cavalry  accomplished  so 
much.  And  it  surely  afforded  me  gi'eat  pleasure  to  see  my 
comrades  in  arms  so  fully  and  ably  vindicated.  Colonel 
Means,  though  a  mere  boy  when  he  volunteered,  was  allotted 
to  my  headquarters  after  some  service  as  a  private  m  the 
Fifth  Cavalry  Regiment  and  bore  a  gallant  and  conspicuous 
part  in  most  of  the  movements  recounted  and  he  does  but  jus- 
tice to  the  North  Carolina  troops  when  he  claims  for  the 
N^orth  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade  a  heroic  place  in  the  glori- 
ous record  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 
Respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

RuFus  Barringer, 
Brigadier-General  North  Carolina  Cavalry. 

After  acknowledging  to  the  editor  "copies  of  the  Concord 
Sun  containing  sketches  of  the  North  Carolina  Cavalry  Bri- 
gade," Colonel  W.  H.  Cheek,  in  part,  wrote  thus : 

"These  articles  I  have  read  with  much  interest,  and  I  am 
glad  to  see  that  some  of  the  daring  deeds  of  that  brave  com- 
mand are  being  put  in  print  and  transmitted  to  posterity.  If 
thorough  discipline,  cool  courage,  dash  and  reckless  daring 
are  qualities  that  adorn  and  beautify  the  name  of  soldier, 
then  this  North  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade  and  especially  the 
First  North  Carolina  Regiment  has  a  rich  legacy  of  fame  to 
bequeath  to  coming  generations. 

"Of  the  correctness  of  your  correspondent  as  to  the  part 
taken  by  the  several  regiments  composing  the  brigade  in  the 
different  engagements  he  describes,  I  suppose  and  believe 
that  in  the  main  he  is  generally  correct." 

Of  course  you  could  not  get  any  officer  or  man  of  the  First 
to  praise  the  brigade  without  his  giving  a  special  tribute  of 
his  love  to  the  First.     No  more  than  you  could  get  an  officer 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  549 

or  man  of  the  "Tenth  Legion"  to  praise  the  then  conquering 
forces  of  the  world  without  his  saying  just  a  little  more  for 
that  wonderful  legion  than  he  could  for  all  the  armies  of 
Rome.  But  it  is  a  beautiful  and  pardonable  pride  which 
every  officer  and  man  of  the  other  three  regiments  salutes  as 
the  "Old  First"  passes  in  review. 

It  is  presumed  that  the  readers  of  these  volumes,  entitled 
"North  Carolina  Regiments,  1861-'65,"  will  be  intelligent 
investigators  of  history.  All  such  will  want  to  know  each 
writer's  authority  for  his  statements.  I  have,  therefore, 
given  mine,  and  in  preparing  this  paper  on  the  foregoing 
bases,  my  highest  aim  has  been  to  follow  the  direction  of 
Judge  Walter  Clark,  the  editor  of  this  work,  as  to  accuracy. 
On  8  August,  1901,  he  wrote  me  about  this  paper:  "Be 
sure  your  history  is  accurate  and  reads  well  afterw^ards." 
By  which,  of  course,  he  meant  sacrifice  style  and  everything 
to  truth.  I  answered  him  9  August:  "You  struck  the  key- 
note of  my  whole  purpose  in  your  words  about  accuracy.  I 
prove  all  things." 

I  am  especially  indebted  and  gratified  to  General  F.  C. 
Ainsworth,  Chief  of  Record  and  Pension  Bureau,  War  De- 
partment, Washington,  D.  C,  for  invaluable  aid  in  finding 
gome  records  I  refer  to. 

THE    KEGIIMEXT    ORGANIZED    AS    REGULAE    CAVALRY. 

All  the  companies  of  the  regiment  and  the  names  of  their 
officers  and  men  are  given  with  some  accuracy  in  Moore's 
"Roster  of  North  Carolina  Troops,"  Volume  IV,  beginning 
at  page  21  under  the  title  of  the  "Sixty-third  Regiment."  A 
perfect  roster  of  all  North  Carolina  regiments  is  being  pre- 
pared by  the  United  Confederate  Veterans  of  North  Carolina 
through  Dr.  B.  F.  Dixon,  now  State  Auditor.  To  these  ros- 
ters I  refer  the  reader  for  information  about  companies, 
without  attempting  it  here  from  imperfect  data. 

There  was  an  act  of  the  Confederate  Congress,  approved 
21  April,  1862,  "to  organize  bands  of  Partisan  Rangers." 
Under  this  act  some  of  the  companies  of  the  Sixty-third 
(Fifth  Cavalry)  enlisted.  Captain  N.  P.  Rankin,  of  Com- 
pany I,  in  a  sketch  of  this  regiment,  published  in  the  Frank- 


550  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

lin  Press,  Macon  county,  N.  C,  29  Aiignist,  and  12  Septem- 
ber, 1900,  says  this  about  its  organization: 

"Major  White,  a  Virginian,  connected  with  the  ordnance 
department  at  Greensboro,  received  authority  from  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  to  raise  a  battalion  of  mounted  men  to  be 
known  as  ^Partisan  Rangers,'  to  operate  under  'StonewalF 
Jackson  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  Four  companies  were 
thus  enlisted — three  in  the  county  of  Guilford,  to-wit:  Whar- 
ton's, Faucett's  and  Rankin's,  and  one  in  Davie  county.  Cap- 
tain Booe's.  In  August,  I  think,  these  companies  were  mus- 
tered into  service,  and  soon  afterward  orders  to  report  to  Gen- 
eral Robertson  at  Garysburg,  near  Weldon,  N.  C,  were  re- 
ceived. My  own  and  Captain  Booe's  companies  moved 
promptly  and  reported  to  General  Robertson  as  ordered,  the 
other  two  companies  following  a  few  days  later.  On  our  ar- 
rival it  was  learned  that  a  regiment  was  to  be  formed  by  unit- 
ing our  battalion  and  that  of  Major  Evans,  who  had  a  similar 
organization  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State.  In  fact,  other 
detachments  were  ordered  to  this  point  sufficient  to  form  two 
regiments,  afterwards  commanded  respectively  by  Colonels 
Evans  and  Ferrebee,  composing  Robertson's  Brigade  and  thus 
instead  of  a  body  of  Partisan  Rangers,  we  became  parts  of 
regiments  of  regular  troops.  The  companies  of  Wharton, 
Booe  and  Rankin  were  assigned  to  Colonel  Evans'  Reg-iment, 
and  Faucctt  to  Colonel  Ferrebee's." 

*Volume  69,  page  1252,  Official  Records  Union  and  Con- 
federate Armies,  General  R.  E.  Lee,  writing  General  Cooper, 
Adjutant  and  Inspector  General,  1  April,  1864,  says: 

"Your  circular  of  23  ]\rarch  with  reference  to  Partisan 
Rangers  has  been  received.  Tlio  organizations  of  Partisan 
Rangers  with  this  army  are  the  Fourth  and  Fifth  North 
Carolina  Cavalry,"  etc.  "Of  these,  the  Fourth  and  Fifth 
North  Carolina  Regiments  have  been  servinsr  as  regular  cav- 
alry, and  will  come  under  Act  No.  10,  piiblisluMl  in  General 
Orders  No.  29,  Adjutant  and  Inspector  (ieneral's  Office,  cur- 
rent series,  being  continued  in  their  present  organization  as 


*Tt  will  be  remembered  that  all  through  this  sketch  the  citations  are 
to  the  Serial  Volume,  or  No. — P>n. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  551 

regular  cavalry."  And  in  the  same  paper  General  Lee  thus 
expresses  liis  opinion  of  Partisan  Rangers: 

"Experience  has  convinced  me  that  it  is  almost  impossible, 
under  the  best  officers  even,  tO'  have  discipline  in  these  band? 
of  Partisan  Rangers,  or  to  prevent  them  from  becoming  an 
injury  instead  of  a  benefit  to  the  service." 

On  page  194,  Vol.  129,  is  found  that  part  of  "General 
Orders  No.  29,"  referred  to  by  General  Lee.  It  thereby  ap- 
pears that  the  Partisan  Rangers  act  of  21  April,  1862,  v.^as 
repealed  17  February,  1864,  and  that  all  so-called  Partisan 
Rangers  "acting  as  regular  cavalry  shall  be  continued  in  their 
present  organizations  and  shall  hereafter  be  considered  as 
regular  cavalry  and  not  as  Partisan  Rangers." 

Thus,  while  the  name  of  their  enlistment  seems  to  have 
attached  for  some  time  to  the  Sixty-third  (Fifth  Cavalry) 
as  Partisan  Rangers,  according  to  Captain  Rankin  and  the 
record,  they  were  in  fact  always  "regular  cavalry,"  and  thus 
freed  from  the  ill  repute  given  Partisan  Rangers  by  General 
Lee. 

The  organization  of  the  regiment  occurred  at  Garysburg 
in  August,  1862,  with  Peter  G.  Evans  as  Colonel ;  Stephen 
B.  Evans,  Lieutenant-Colonel;  James  M.  MclSTeill,  Major;  J. 
Turner  Morehead,  iVdjutant,  and  Charles  Haigh,  Sergeant 
Major,  and,  shortly  after  on  10  October,  1862,  this  regiment 
became  a  part  of  General  Beverly  H.  Robertson's  Cavalry- 
Brigade  at  Garysburg,  in  accordance  with  orders  in  Volume 
40,  page  823. 

SERVICES  IN  NOETH  CAROLINA. 

The  regiment  did  duty  in  Eastern  North  Carolina  until 
May,  1863,  when  it  joined  the  Army  of  jSTorthern  Virginia. 
General  Robertson  was  "a  good  organizer  and  instructor,"  as 
General  R.  E.  Lee,  himself,  terms  him  in  Vol.  26,  page 
1088.  And  under  his  instruction  and  West  Point  discipline 
the  regiment  was  well  drilled  in  cavalry  tactics,  perfected  in 
picket  duty  on  outposts  and, trained  in  other  elements  of  its 
future  greatness  and  was  also  in  action  in  North  Carolina. 

THE    FIGHT    AT    PLYMOUTH. 

This  was  a  very  successful  and  in  some  respects  peculiar 


552  North  Carolina  Troops,   1S61-'G5. 

and  amusing  affair.  The  attack,  well  premeditated,  occurred 
between  4  and  5  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  10  December, 
1862.  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  C.  Lamb,  of  the  Seven- 
teenth North  Carolina  Infantry,  was  in  command  of  all  the 
forces,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  S.  B.  Evans,  of  that  part  of 
the  Sixty-third  (Fifth  Cavalry)  which  was  present.  Most  of 
the  enemy's  j^ickets  were  captured  and  our  cavalry  went  upon 
the  town  with  a  rush  in  the  face  of  volleys  from  the  Federal 
infantry  who  quickly  broke  in  all  directions  and  took  refuge 
in  and  behind  the  custom  house.  The  gunboat  Southfield  was 
in  the  river  in  rear  of  the  town  and  before  and  after  she  was 
disabled  kept  up  a  brisk  firing  with  her  guns.  She  was  shot 
"through  the  boiler"  at  the  third  fire  of  our  artillery  and  then 
drifted.  Captain  Galloway,  of  the  Sixty-third,  was  wounded 
and  six  men.  The  demoralization  of  the  enemy  was  complete 
and  their  official  reports  of  the  affair,  Vol.  26,  pages  45-49, 
are  ridiculous  and  pitiful.  They  all  bear  evidence  of  terrible 
fright.  The  commandant  of  the  port.  Captain  Ewer,  at  7  p. 
m.,  11  December,  says:  ''All  this  day  they  have  been  sta- 
tioned outside  of  the  town."  But  he  could  not  attack,  the 
health  of  his  men  being  seriously  affected  by  guard  and  picket 
duty.  And  Lieutenant  Mizell  on  16  December,  six  days 
after  the  fight,  says  that  "he  resumed  his  seat  for  the  purpose 
of  reporting  the  attack,"  and  that  he  "heard  they  had  four 
wagon  loads  of  killed  and  wounded."  "The  best  and  most 
principal  parts  of  the  town  are  burned  up.  The  families  of 
our  men  are  left  without  a  change  of  clothing.  We  have 
lost  all  our  books,  pay  and  muster  rolls,  a  quantity  of  cloth- 
ing belonging  to  the  men  and  some  ammunition.  I  believe 
I  have  given  all  the  partic\ilars  that  I  can  think  of."  Lieu- 
tenant Flusser,  a  brave  man  of  the  United  States  gunboat 
Perry,  to  whom  all  the  reports  were  referred  for  information, 
says  that  he  found  Ewer  on  the  Southfield  a  mile  and  a 
half  down  the  river;  did  not  know  where  his  men  were,  but 
"hoped  most  of  them  were  in  the  swamp,"  that  is,  those  not 
captured;  that  as  "soon  as  the  Southfield  fell  back  (which 
she  ought  maybe  not  to  have  done)  Ewer  got  frightened,  left 
his  men  and  went  on  board.  The  whole  affair  was  disgrace- 
ful." 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  553 

Fighting  gunboats  with  cavalry  took  place  several  times 
in  our  war.  For  instance,  the  attack  by  Lieutenant  A.  B. 
Andrews,  jSTinth  ISTorth  Carolina,  upon  this  same  Lieutenant 
Flusser  9  July,  1862,  Vol.  1,  p.  446,  of  this  w^ork,  the  capture 
of  a  gunboat  in  l^ew  River  by  Company  A,  Forty-first  ISForth 
Carolina,  and  attack  on  Washington,  IST.  C,  by  cavalry,  see 
Vol.  2  (of  this  work),  pp.  774-775,  and  Lieutenant  Thomas 
Euffin's  capture  of  a  gunboat  on  the  Chowan  with  a  part  of 
his  company  of  the  Fifty-ninth  ISForth  Carolina,  present 
volume,  p.  459,  and  there  are  other  instances  recorded  in  these 
volumes.  General  Fitzhugh  Lee  fought  gunboats  with  his 
cavalry  command  at  Kinnon's  Landing  on  the  James  25  May, 
1864,  and  General  Bedford  Forrest  did  the  same  feat  re- 
peatedly, and  in  fact  captured  and  disabled  several  boats. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  WHITE  HALL. 

On  the  morning  of  11  December,  1862,  the  Federal  Gen- 
eral Foster  left  New  Bern,  IST.  C,  on  his  expedition  against 
Goldsboro,  with  10,000  infantry,  40  pieces  of  artillery  and 
640  cavalry.  Vol.  26,  page  54.  On  the  14th  the  Fifty-ninth 
and  Sixty -third  JSTorth  Carolina  (Fourth  and  Fifth  Cav- 
alry) were  moved  from  Garysburg  by  train,  via  Goldsboro, 
to  Moseley  Hall,  now  LaGrange,  on  the  railroad  between 
Goldsboro  and  Kinston,  the  horses  being  sent  through  the 
country.  On  16  December  a  fierce  fight  raged  for  several 
hours  at  White  Hall  bridge,  over  the  Keuse,  and  while  the 
Sixty-third  (Fifth  Cavalry)  was  held  in  reserve  dismounted 
and  not  actively  engaged  in  this  battle  they  were  under  heavy 
artillery  fire  sufficiently  to  show  their  mettle.  The  explosion 
of  an  18-pounder  near  their  colors,  as  the  regiment  marched 
as  on  dress  parade  to  the  front,  gave  the  men  an  idea  of  what 
war  meant.  In  his  report  of  this  battle  General  Robertson 
says: 

"The  Fifty-ninth  (Fourth  Cavalry)  and  the  Sixty-third 
(Fifth  Cavalry)  Regiments,  although  in  reserve,  w^ere  never- 
theless exposed  to  a  galling  fire  from  the  enemy's  artillery. 
A  few  were  killed  and  a  number  wounded.  Both  officers  and 
men  behaved  admirably."     Vol.  26,  p.  122. 

To  show  the  discipline  of  the  officers  and  men  at  this  time. 


654  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

by  a  small  matter  full  of  meaning,  as  the  line  of  the  Sixty- 
third  marched  to  the  front,  in  almost  perfect  alignment  and 
order,  witli  Colonel  Evans  in  the  centre  and  lead  he  struck  the 
middle  of  the  edge  of  a  long  lake  of  water  about  one-third  of 
the  regiment's  length  in  width  and  about  three  feet  deep. 
Colonel  Evans  marched  right  through  the  lake  straight  to  the 
front  and  every  man  on  that  part  of  the  line  did  the  same. 
Older  soldiers,  with  more  experience,  not  in  the  immediate 
face  of  the  enemy,  would  have  opened  ranks  and  gone  around 
that  water  on  that  cold  December  day.  But  the  Sixty-third 
was  on  dress  parade  in  its  first  great  fight  and  it  kept  ''right 
dress." 

COMPANIES   C,  1,  AND  G. 

After  the  affair  at  White  Hall,  (^ompanies  C  and  I  went  on 
detached  duty,  of  which  Captain  Rankin  wrote  in  the  Frank- 
lin Press  as  follows : 

"Our  horses  were  soon  after  ordered  around  to  Goldslwro, 
and  the  regiment  was  divided  up  into  detachments  for  picket 
duty,  hence  I  can  speak  only  of  my  squadron.  At  first  it  con- 
sisted of  Companies  C  and  T,  Captain  Shaw  commanding. 
Shaw's  company  was  soon  reliovcMl  l)y  Company  G,  Captain 
McLenahan.  The  squadron  was  thereafter  commanded  by 
the  writer  until  it  rejoined  the  regiment  in  the  spring. 

"With  headquarters  at  Wise's  Fork,  Ave  did  picket  duty  on 
all  the  roads  leading  into  the  city  of  New  Bern.  Some  skir- 
mishing occurred  on  the  picket  lines,  and  two  or  three  times 
the  enemy  made  demonstrations  in  force,  and  was  met  by  a 
counter  move  by  our  infantry  encamped  around  Kinston. 
At  such  times  the  squadron  had  hard  times.  Of  course  the 
enemy  showed  us  no  favor,  and  our  own  footmen  did  not  ap- 
preciate very  greatly  a  man  on  horseback,  as  was  shown  when 
one  of  my  Lieutenants,  who  had  a  spat  with  the  enemy  on  the 
picket  line  reported  the  fact  to  General  D.  H.  Hill,  the 
general  carelessly  asked  if  any  one  got  hurt,  and  expressed  a 
desire  to  see  a  'dead  man  with  spurs  on.'  In  the  spring  of 
1863  orders  were  received  for  the  squadron  to  rejoin  the  reg- 
iment at  Richmond,  Va.      This  was  accomplished  by  march- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  555 

ing  from  Kinston  through  the  country  to  the  latter  point,  the 
squadron  being  several  days  behind  the  regiment. 

^'There  we  drew  fresh  clothing,  saddles,  bridles  and  other 
equipments,  preparatory  to  going  to  the  front.  Passing 
through  Richmond  to  Culpepper  Court  House,  we  arrived  in 
time  to  join  in  the  grand  review  of  all  the  cavalry  by  General 
Lee,  just  before  the  noted  cavalry  fight  at  Brandy  Station." 

COMPLIMENT    FROM    THE    ENEMY. 

Tn  their  operations  in  Eastern  Carolina  the  Sixty-third 
occasionally  met  the  Fifty-eighth  Pennsylvania  Infantry  and 
their  commander.  Colonel  J.  Richter  Jones,  8  March,  1863, 
on  page  161,  Vol.  26,  says  of  this  regiment:  "They  are  a 
different  class  of  troops  from  those  we  have  hitherto  met,  con- 
testing successively  every  strong  position  and  giving  way 
only  tO'  very  superior  numbers." 

LIEUTENANT  W.   J.  WILEY^  COMPANY  F. 

On  page  197,  Vol.  26,  General  Robertson  reports:  ''With 
a  view  to  carrying  out  the  instruction  of  the  Major-General 
commanding,  D.  H.  Hill,  I  detached  a  party  under  Lieuten- 
ant W.  J.  Wiley,  Company  F,  Sixty-third  Regiment,  with 
directions  to  move  rapidly  and  cut  the  railroad  between  Shep- 
pardsville  and  New  Bern.  *  *  *  Some  time  before  day 
Lieutenant  Wiley's  party  returned  and  reported  they  had  torn 
up  the  railroad  track  at  a  point  three  miles  above  Sheppards- 
ville.  From  the  proximity  of  the  enemy's  forces  they  were 
compelled  to  wait  till  after  night  to  commence  operations.  I 
was  highly  gratified  with  the  promptness  and  efficiency  dis- 
played b}^  Lieutenant  Wiley  and  party."  This  was  done  13 
March,  1863.  The  party  with  Wiley  consisted  of  Denson  A. 
Caldwell,  R.  Baxter  Caldwell,  two  as  good  soldiers  as  ever 
rode  in  the  ranks,  and  others.  And  even  General  D.  H.  Hill, 
with  his  well  known  dislike  to  cavalry,  says  this  :  "Robertson 
sent  me  out  a  Lieutenant  who  partly  cut  the  railroad."  Vol. 
26,  p.  189.  His  feeling  about  cavalry  was  amusing.  Writing 
to  Secretary  of  War  Seddon,  5  May,  1863,  General  Hill  says: 
"In  the  whole  brigade  of  cavalry  there  has  been  but  one  man 
killed  in  the  war.     I  propose  to  have  a  magTiificent  monument 


556  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

erected  to  liis  nieiuorv."  Vol.  26,  p.  1048.  General  K  E. 
Lee  spoke  of  the  cavalry  as  "My  eyes  and  ears,"  and  after 
Jackson  and  A.  P.  Hill  were  wounded  at  Chancellorsville 
General  Lee  put  our  cavalry  leader,  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart, 
in  their  place  to  conunaud,  and  on  page  803,  Vol.  39,  in  his 
official  report  of  Chancellorsville,  General  Lee  speaks  most 
exaltedly  of  this  cavalryman  and  his  action  and  ability  in  that 
great  battle. 

THE   SIXTY-THIRD   SELECTED  BY  GENERAL  R.   E.   LEE. 

General  Lee's  accurate  knowledge,  even  to  minute  details 
of  every  regiment  in  the  Southern  armies  is  astounding  to  any 
one  carefully  studying  the  "Official  Records  Union  and  Con- 
federate Armies."  He  knew  how  each  was  mounted  and 
armed  and  lie  knew  any  petty  jealousies  and  differences 
among  the  officers  of  a  regiment  that  might  weaken  its  effi- 
ciency. His  choice  of  a  regiment,  therefore,  was  a  great 
credit  to  that  regiment. 

21  April,  1863,  S.  Cooper,  the  Adjutant  and  Inspector 
General  of  the  Confederacy,  wrote  General  R.  E.  Lee: 

''Lhe  President  has  shown  me  your  letter  of  the  20th  in- 
stant on  the  subject  of  an  increase  of  cavalry  for  your  com- 
mand." He  then  offered  General  Lee  a  list  of  six  regiments 
to  choose  from,  and  continues:  "The  President  suggests 
that  you  make  your  selection  of  three  regiments  and  give  the 
necessary  orders  in  the  case."  Vol.  40,  p.  741.  He  selected 
the  Nineteenth,  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina 
Regiments  (Second,  Fourth  and  Fifth  Cavalry).  Thus  the 
Sixty-third  North  Carolina  went  to  Virginia,  in  May,  1863, 
by  General  R.  E.  Lee's  own  selection. 

The  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  (Fourth 
and  Fifth  Cavalry),  constituted  Robertson's  Brigade  in 
Virginia  and  jointly  numbered  1,068  "effective  moimted 
men"  and  67  officers,  and  was  one  of  the  six  brigades  consti- 
tuting Stuart's  Division  of  Cavalry.  The  Fifty-ninth  had 
568  men  and  36  officers,  and  the  Sixty-third  500  men  and  31 
officers,  and  were  the  two  largest  regiments  in  the  division, 
exce]it  the  Ninth  North  Carolina  (First  Cavalry)  and  the 
Nintli  Virginia,  whicli  had,  respectively,  534  officers  and  men 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  557 

and  616  officers  and  men.  Vol  40,  p.  823.  Thus,  at  the 
opening  of  the  gi-eat  campaign  of  1863,  we  stood  about  the 
best  of  all  General  Lee's  cavalry.  Great  and  startling  events 
now  occur  fast — fatally  for  many  of  the  Sixty-third, 
famously  for  all  of  it. 

BRANDY  STATION   OR  FLEETWOOD. 

Without  incident  worthy  of  note  after  arriving  in  Virginia, 
the  Sixty-third  Regiment  was  in  the  grand  review  General 
R.  E.  Lee  made  of  all  Stuart's  Cavalry  near  Brandy  Station, 
8  June,  1863.  It  was  the  greatest  gathering  of  Southern 
cavalry  ever  seen.  And  no  regiment  there  made  a  better  ap- 
pearance than  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina.  That  review 
was  a  grand  pageant  and  a  glorious  sight.  But  another  sight 
and  other  sounds  greeted  us  the  next  morning. 

On  7  June  the  Federal  cavalry  general,  Pleasanton,  was 
ordered  by  General  Hooker,  commanding  the  ISTorthern  army, 
to  "cross  the  Rappahannock  at  Beverly  and  Kelly's  Fords 
and  march  directly  on  Culpepper,"  with  "the  object  in 
view  to  disperse  and  destroy  the  rebel  force  assembled  in  the 
vicinity  of  Culpepper,  and  to  destroy  his  trains  and  supplies 
of  all  description  to  the  utmost  of  your  ability.  It  is  believed 
that  the  enemy  has  no  infantry."  Vol.  45,  p.  27-28.  That 
"rebel  force"  was  Stuart's  Cavalry,  in  all,  9,536.  Pleasan- 
ton had  10,980  horsemen,  with  a  large  force  of  infantry  and 
artillery.  The  same  order,  just  cited,  also  said  to  General 
Pleasanton :  "If  you  should  succeed  in  routing  the  enemv, 
the  general  desires  that  you  will  follow  him  vigorously  as  far 
as  it  may  be  to  our  advantage  to  do  so."  Vol.  45,  p.  28.  Un- 
der this  order,  at  dawn  of  9  June,  there  was  a  mighty  crossing 
by  Federal  cavalry  at  Beverly  Ford,  above  the  railroad  and 
at  Kelly's,  south  of  it.  Part  of  the  Sixty-third  Regiment 
was  on  picket  at  and  near  Kelly's  Ford,  among  them  a  detach- 
ment from  Company  F,  under  Lieutenant  Wiley.  All  the 
pickets  at  both  fords  were  soon  driven  in,  and  the  greatest 
purely  cavalry  battle  of  the  war  ensued.  It  was  a  fight  with 
the  saber  and  pistol  by  charging  squadrons  and  horse  artil- 
lery and  "the  cannoneers  were  for  a  time  engaged  hand-to- 
hand  with  the  enemy."     Stuart's  report.  Vol.  44,  p.   681. 


•^^ 


658  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

Sucli  a  fight  could  not  he  described  here.  Besides  tlie  Sixty- 
third  North  ('■ari»lin;i  did  not  i)articij)ate  in  the  glories  of  these 
charges  because  of  its  distant  position  at  Kelly's  Ford.  But 
it  played  an  important  part  in  checking  the  enemy's  ''in- 
fantry, artillery  and  cavalry,  marching  directly  upon  the 
right  Hank  df  our  trrM>ps  engaged  in  front  of  Rappahannock 
Station."     General  llobertson's  report,  Vol.  45,  p.  73-4. 

.\t  the  great  crisis  of  the  battle  a  courier  from  General 
Stuart  directed  General  Robertson  to  advance  rapidly  with 
one  regiment  and  report  to  him,  as  the  enemy  had  possession, 
of  Stuart's  headquarters  on  Fleetwood  Hill.  General  Rob- 
ertson selected  the  Sixty-third  Regiment  and  pushed  rapidly 
forward,  but  Hampton  and  Young  with  their  commands,  and 
Baker,  with  the  Ninth  North  Carolina,  by  "a  series  of 
charges,  most  successful  and  brilliant,"  drove  them  off  and 
captured  their  artillery  and  cannoneers  just  in  front  of  the 
Sixty-third  Regiment,  without  its  striking  a  blow.  Vol.  45, 
p.  7.36  and  682.  On  page  683  General  Stuart  says:  "Gen- 
eral Robertson's  command,  though  not  engaged,  was  exposed 
tO'  the  enemy's  artillery  fire,  and  behaved  well."  The  battle 
lasted  from  early  in  the  morning  till  late  in  the  afternoon. 

In  the  evening  of  9  June,  General  Pleasanton,  from  the 
same  side  of  the  Rappahannock,  where  he  received  his  or- 
ders of  7  July,  sent  "the  following  important  dispatches"  to 
General  Stahl :  "The  enemy  has  his  whole  cavalry  force 
here  and  I  have  had  a  severe  fight.  Please  send  some  cars 
down  this  side  of  Bealton  for  our  wounded.  Have  crossed. 
Enemy  in  some  force  of  cavalry."  Vol.  45,  p.  38.  And  to 
General  Stuart  on  the  10th  he  wrote:  "I  am  anxious  to  ob- 
tain information  as  to  the  condition  of  a  number  of  officers  of 
my  command  who  were  left  in  your  hands  yesterday,  to  ob- 
tain the  bodies  of  the  dead  and  the  privilege  of  sending  med- 
ical supplies  and  comfort  to  those  who  are  wounded."  Vol. 
45,  p.  46.  And  thus  ended  the  orders  "to  disperse  and  de- 
stroy the  rebel  force  assembled  in  the  vicinity  of  Culpepper." 
All  was  done  by  our  cavalry  alone.  Of  it  General  Robert 
E.  Lee  wrote  to  General  Stuart:  "The  result  of  the  action 
calls  for  our  grateful  thanks  to  Almighty  God,  and  is  honor- 
able alike  to  the  officers  and  men  engaged.     Vol.  44,  p.  687. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  559 

MIDDLEBUKG  AND   UPPERVILLE. 

All  cavalrymen  of  the  Army  of  I^orthern  Virginia  stop 
tO'  listen  when  you  say  "Middleburg  and  Upperville."  Those 
names  are  full  of  gTeat  and  also  sad  memories  to  them.  Great 
for  their  glorious  charges  and  conflicts ;  sad  for  the  comrades 
who  fell  there.  Our  cavalry  fought  fiercely  for  a  great  pur- 
pose those  days  at  Middleburg  and  Upperville.  The  greatest 
crisis  of  the  war  was  approaching.  Mighty  movements  were 
going  on.  Ewell  was  pressing  up  the  Valley  on  his  march  to 
Pennsylvania,  which  purpose  was  positively  known  only  to  a 
very  few  but  frightfully  feared  by  the  Xorth.  Winchester  and 
Martinsburg  had  fallen  and  Milroy  had  been  "wiped  out." 
Mr.  Lincoln  had  issued,  15  June,  his  proclamation  calling 
for  100,000  additional  men  to  meet  the  fearful  invasion. 
Vol.  45,  p.  136.  Long-street's  great  corps  was  stealthily 
moving  near  the  base  of  the  mountains  ''east  of  the  Blue 
Ridge,"  making  for  Ashby  Gap  tO'  follow  Ewell,  A.  P.  Hill 
was  to  follow  Longstreet  closely  for  Chester  Gap,  and  Stuart's 
Cavalry  had  crossed  the  Rappahannock,  16  June,  (the  Sixty- 
third  Regiment  at  Ilinson's  Mills),  and  Avere  in  the  I^orthern 
part  of  Fauquier  county  the  night  of  16  June,  all  bivouacked 
near  Salem.  Vol.  44,  pp.  295,  687,  688,  and  Vol.  45,  p. 
896.  Now  to  understand  and  appreciate  what  immediately 
follows  and  the  consequent  magnitude  of  the  part  therein  of 
the  Sixty-third,  three  things  must  be  borne  in  mind : 

1.  General  Lee  was  making  his  mightiest  moves  of  the  war 
and  he  was  anxious  above  all  things  to  keep  them  secret. 

2.  Stuart,  knew  the  great  secret  fully  and  was  guarding 
it  with  his  cavalry  alone. 

3.  The  enemy  were  in  absolute  ignorance  as  to  Lee's  posi- 
tion and  purpose.  Their  suspense  was  supreme  and  they 
were  determined  to  locate  him  at  any  cost.  It  must  be  re- 
membered also  that  this  great  move  began  long  before  any  of 
it  was  seen.  At  its  start,  McLaws'  Division  was  A\dthdrawn 
from  Fredericksburg  3  June,  1863.     Vol.  44,  p.  293. 

"Longstreet  and  Ewell  were  put  in  motion  and  encamped 
around  Culpepper  Court  House  7  June."  Vol.  44,  p.  313. 
The  very  day  of  the  battle  of  Brandy  Station,  while  it  was  on 
General  Lee  sent  Stuart  word  that  he  wished  "our  force  and 


o60  North  Carolina  Troops,   ISO  1-65. 

position  eoneeiiled  as  mueli  as  possible,  and  the  infant rv  not 
to  be  seen,  if  it  be  possible  to  avoid  it."     Vol.  45,  p.  S76. 

1 6  June  General  Lee  wrote  A.  P.  Hill  directions  for  move- 
ment "to  deceive  the  enemy  as  to  our  ultimate  destination,  at 
least  for  a  time."     Vol.  45.  p.  S96. 

•22  Jime.  after  Middleburg  and  Upperville,  General  Lee 
wrote  Stuart :  "I  judge  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  yesterday 
were  to  arrest  our  progress  and  ascertain  our  whereabouts. 
I  fear  he  will  steal  a  march  on  us,  and  get  across  the  Potomac 
before  we  are  aware."     Vol.  45,  p.  913. 

Same  day,  from  Millwoood,  Longstreet  wrote  Stuart  sug- 
gesting precautions  not  "to  disclose  our  plans."  Vol.  45,  p. 
915. 

10  Jime.  Mr.  Stanton,  Secret<iry  of  War,  telegraphed: 
"Pittsburg  will  certainly  be  the  point  aimed  at  by  Stuart's 
raid,  which  may  daily  be  expected."     Vol.  45,  p.  54. 

At  General  Hooker's  headquarters,  12  June,  it  was  thought 
that  Lee  only  intended  "to  commence  a  raid  with  his  cav- 
alry."    Vol.  45,  p.  73. 

At  Hooker's  headquarters,  13  June,  they  telegraphed  Gen- 
eral Reynolds  that  they  had  heard  of  a  "probable  movement 
to  turn  our  right  or  go  into  Maryland,"  but  "we  cannot  aban- 
don this  line  on  any  uncertainty."     Vol.  45,  p.  SI. 

17  June.  General  Pleasanton,  commanding  Federal  cav- 
alry, received  from  Hooker's  headquarters  this:  "The  com- 
manding general  relies  upon  you  with  your  cavalry  force 
to  give  him  information  of  where  the  enemy  is,  his  force,  and 
his  movements.  You  have  a  sufficient  cavalry  force  to  do 
this.  Drive  in  the  pickets,  if  necessary,  and  get  us  informa- 
tion. It  is  better  that  we  should  lose  men  than  to  be  without 
knowledge  of  the  enemy,  as  we  now  seem  to  be."  Vol.  45, 
p.  172.  June  17,  General  Meade  telegraphed  General  But- 
tei-field.  Hooker's  Chief  of  Staff,  "I  have  informed  Ple^isan- 
ton  he  can  have  any  support  from  me  to  the  extent  of  my 
command,"  and  that  "command"  was  the  Fifth  Anuy  Corps. 
IT  June,  8 :20  p.  m..  General  Butterfield  telegraphed  General 
Ingalls  in  Washington :  "Try  and  hunt  up  somebody  from 
Pennsylvania  who  knows  something,  and  has  a  cool  enough 
head  to  judge  what  is  the  actual  state  of  affairs  there  with  re- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  561 

gard  to  tlie  eneniy.  Enemy  reported  to  have  appeared  at 
Poolesville,  and  everywhere  else  in  Maryland,  Pennsylvania 
and  Western  Virginia.  Cavalry  enough  is  reported  to  have 
appeared  to  fill  up  the  whole  of  Pennsylvania  and  leave  no 
room  for  the  inhabitants.  My  impression  now  is  that  Lee 
is  in  as  much  uncertainty  as  to  our  whereabouts  and  w^hat  we 
are  doing  asi  we  are  as  to  his  ;  that  his  movement  on  the  Upper 
Potomac  is  a  cover  for  a  cavalry  raid  on  the  north  side  of  the 
river,  and  a  movement  of  his  troops  farther  west."  Vol.  45, 
pp.  174-175. 

vSame  day,  at  10:30  p.  m..  General  Butterfield,  having 
heard  of  the  fight  at  Aldie,  telegraphed  General  Pleasanton : 
"If  Lee's  army  is  in  rear  of  his  cavalry  we  shall  move  up  by 
forced  marches.  Give  us  any  indications  of  it  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible."    Vol.  45,  p.  177. 

1 7  June,  General  Hooker  himself  telegraphed  General  Ty- 
ler, at  Sandy  Hook:  "If  Longstreet's  and  Ewell's  Corps 
have  ])een  at  Winchester  at  all,  they  are  now  somewhere  in 
that  vicinity.  I  hope  you  will  keep  out  all  of  your  cavalry 
until  we  find  out  his  whereabouts.  I  have  directed  mine  to 
feel  up  to  him  and  they  are  now  hard  at  work."  Vol,  45, 
p.  180. 

Again,  in  the  apparent  despair  of  ignorance.  General 
Hooker,  himself,  at  1 :05  p.  m.  17  June,  telegraphed  General 
Tyler,  at  Sandy  Hook :  "Can  you  give  me  positive  and  cor- 
rect information  of  any  force  of  any  kind  and  number  of 
the  enemy  at  any  particular  spot  ?  From  all  reports  here,  we 
might  conclude  that  he  covered  all  western  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  or  that  he  was  not  there  at  all.  Can  you  give  me 
anything  correct?"     Vol.  45,  p.  181. 

'Now  we  see  what  the  opposing  forces  were  fighting  for  at 
Aldie,  Middleburg  and  Upperville.  Ashby's  Gap  is  at  the 
top  of  the  Blue  Ridge,  northwestern  corner  of  Fauquier 
county,  Va.,  a  great  crossing  to  the  Valley ;  just  at  the  foot  of 
the  mountain  is  Paris,  four  miles  east  of  Paris  is  Upperville, 
ten  miles  east  of  Upperville  is  Middleburg  and  five  miles  east 
of  Middleburg  is  Aldie. 

Wednesday  morning,  17  June,  Fitz  Lee's  Brigade  was 
36 


562  IS'oKTJi  Carolina  Tkoops,   18f)l-'G5. 

directed  toward  Aklic,  W.  II.  ¥.  Lett's  Brigade  was  put  at 
*'Tlie  Plains/'  about  eight  miles  south  of  Middleburg,  and 
Robertson's  Brigade,  the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixt.y-tliird  Xorth 
Carolina  Kegiments,  at  Rectortown,  about  eight  miles  south- 
west from  Middlel)urg.  These  three  brigades,  with  Brea- 
thed's  Battery,  constituted  Stuart's  entire  force.  Pleasantoa 
had  his  entire  corps  of  cavalry  and  artillery  with  him  and 
two  brigades  of  infanti-y.  Vol.  45,  pp.  178  and  il  10.  Gen- 
eral Stuart  went  witli  Fitz  Lee's  Brigade  to  Middleburg  and 
there  stopped  to  iceep  in  easy  communication  with  W.  H.  F. 
Lee  and  Robertson.  Fitz  Lee's  Brigade  opened  the  ball  at 
Aldie  late  in  the  afternoon.  General  Stuart  says  that  it  was 
^'On(^  of  the  most  sanguinary  cavalry  battles  of  the  war." 
While  this  tight  was  going  on  Stuart  heard  that  a  large  force 
of  the  enemy's  cavalry  was  advancing  on  ]\liddleburg  from 
towards  Hopewell,  near  and  to  the  right  of  Thoroughfare 
Gap,  in  Bull  Rtm  mountains.  Ho  at  once  ordered  up  to  Mid- 
dleburg Robertscni's  Brigade  from  Rectortown  and  Chambliss 
with  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brig-ade,  from  ^'Tho  Plaiiis."  This  last 
force  of  Federal  cavalry  got  to  Middleburg  al)ont  4  p.  m., 
ahead  of  Robertson  and  Chambliss.  It  had  a  sharp  tight 
with  some  of  Fitz  Lee's  forces  w'hile  we  were  coming  up  and 
drove  them  otf.  Vol.  44,  p.  6SS.  It  unirched  through  the 
town  and  bai-rieadcd  it  and  held  it  till  about  7  p.  m.  Vol. 
43,  p.  !H)3.  Li  the  meaiitim(\  lvol)ei'tson  and  Chambliss 
were  coming  and  coming  fast.  The  Sixty-third  rode  at  a 
gallop  the  last  few  miles.  This  Federal  force  now^  at  Mid- 
dleburg was,  in  part  the  First  Rhode  Island  Cavalry,  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Duffie  in  person.  He  soon  heard  of  what 
was  coming.  Lie  threw  out  pickets,  manned  his  barricades 
and  dismounted  his  regiment  about  a  half  mile  from  Middle- 
burg toward  Hop(nvell,  in  a  wood  and  bcliind  stone  walls  on 
the  Hopewell  road  preparatory  to  what  the  Sixty-tliird  Xortli 
Carolina  w^as  about  to  do.  The  IkmuI  of  Robertson's  Brigade 
reached  Middleburg  "just  at  dark."  Under  Stuart's  own  or- 
ders the  Sixty-third  Xorth  Carolina  immediately  charged 
through  the  main  street  of  Middleburg  and  a  short  distance 
heyond  up  the  road  towards  Aldie  and  having  easily  driven 
the  pickets  and  the  force  on  that  road  out  of  sight,  it  hastily 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  563 

came  back  and  took  tlie  Hopewell  road  after  Colonel  Duffie's 
main  force.  Colonel  Duffie  says  of  our  action :  ''Tliey  sur- 
rounded the  town  and  stormed  the  barricades."  And  when 
the  Sixtj-third  charged  down  upon  that  stone  wall  with  a  ter- 
rific yell,  there  was  blaze  after  blaze  of  fire,  out  on  the  dark- 
ness and  into  those  charging  Carolinians.  They  recoiled 
and  rallied.  Three  times  they  charged  that  line  of  fire  and 
then  went  intO'  that  wood  and  around  those  walls  and  the 
First  Rhode  Island  Cavalry  was  defeated  and  destroyed  in 
dead,  wounded  and  prisoners.  We  captured  their  standard 
and  a  large  body  of  prisoners  that  night  and  Chambliss'  com- 
mand, on  to  whom  we  had  driven  them,  captured  the  rest  of 
them  next  mon:iing.  Colonel  Duffie,  from  "near  Centreville, 
Va.,  18  June,  1863."  reported:  "I  returned  here  exhausted 
at  1 : 30  p.  m.  to-day  with  the  gallant  debris  of  my  much  loved 
regiment — four  officers  and  twenty-seven  men."  Vol.  43, 
pp.  963-964  and  1056. 

General  Stuart  reports  that  Robertson  "drove  him  hand- 
somely out  of  Middleburg  and  pursued  him  miles  on  the 
Hopewell  road."     Vol.  44,  p.  683. 

Major  McNeill  was  badly  wounded  in  this  charge  on  Duf- 
fie and  among  our  killed  was  Winfield  Smith  and  Robert 
Flanigau,  of  Company  F,  and  D.  M.  Gibson,  of  Company  F, 
wounded.  Lieutenant  Wiley  and  part  of  Company  F 
brought  in  twenty-six  prisoners. 

We  occupied  Middleburg  that  night  and  the  Sixty-third 
camped  near  there  on  the  road  to  Upperville.  The  country 
is  rough  and  rises  and  falls  in  alternate  ridge  and  depres- 
sion all  along  the  turnpike  to  Ashby's  Gap,  which  was  hard 
on  the  horses  and  absolutely  crippled  the  unshod. 

Morning  of  the  18th  we  took  position  around  Middleburg 
with  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brigade,  under  Chambliss,  and,  because 
of  encroachments  on  our  left,  at  Union,  where  Fitz  Lee  was, 
Stuart  "deemed  it  requisite  to  leave  Middleburg  out  of  his 
line  of  battle,"  upon  which  place  Colonel  J.  I.  Gregg  ad- 
vanced with  the  Third  Brigade  of  the  Second  Division  of 
Federal  cavalry  and  with  this  force  we  skirmished  all  day 
and  they  fell  back  that  evening  "to  a  point  midway  between 
Middleburg  and  Aldie."     And  the  town  was  again  ours  and 


564  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

our  pickets  posted  east  of  the  town.  Vol.  43,  p.  953,  and 
Vol.  44,  p.  689. 

On  the  morning  of  19  June  General  Pleasanton  "directed 
three  brigades  under  Gregg  to  move  on  Middleburg,  drive  out 
the  enemy  and  send  a  force  on  to  Uppenalle  and  Ashbj's 
Gap."     Vol.  43,  p.  909. 

About  a  mile  west  of  the  town,  in  a  strong  position  on 
wooded  heights,  were  posted  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Brigade  on  the 
left  and  Robertson's  Brigade  on  the  right  of  the  Upperville 
turnpike.  Colonel  Gregg's  Bngade  advanced  as  skirmishers 
and  the  firing  was  fierce.  So  that  General  Gregg,  there  in 
person,  reported  that  the  fire  of  the  enemy's  artillery  "and  his 
skirmishers  concealed  in  wheat  fields  and  woods  made  any  ad- 
vance of  our  line  apparently  impracticable."  And  now 
came  tlie  figlit,  says  General  Gregg:  "Determined  to  drive 
the  enemy  from  his  position,  I  directed  all  available  force 
upon  his  centre.  An  increased  force  of  dismounted  skir- 
mishers was  placed  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  turnpike,  and 
regiments  held  in  readiness  to  charge  upon  the  road.  The  en- 
emy made  strong  resistance,  but  at  last  yielded  and  aban- 
doned his  position."  Vol.  43,  p.  953.  General  Stuart 
says :  "This  attack  was  met  in  the  most  determined  manner 
by  those  two  brigades,  Avhich  rough  roads  had  already  decima- 
ted for  want  of  adequate  shoeing  facilities."  And,  "appre- 
ciating the  difficulty  of  the  situation  I  withdrew  my  com- 
mand tO'  a  more  commanding  position  half  a  mile  to  the  rear." 
Vol.  44,  p.  689.  And  that  day  tliey  did  not  "send  a  force  on 
to  Upperville  and  Ashby's  Gap."  The  Sixty-third  North 
Carolina  camped  again  that  night  east  of  Upperville.  Gen- 
eral Pleasanton  says:  "General  Gregg  sent  in  about  fifty 
prisoners  *  *  *  all  from  North  Carolina,"  which  shows 
that  the  Sixty-third  Begiment  was  in  the  front  of  the  fight 
and  stayed  there  longest.     Vol.  43,  p.  910. 

On  the  20th  it  rained  all  day  and  Stuart  was  waiting  for 
Hampton,  wdio  had  been  left  with  his  brigade  on  the  Bap- 
pahannock  and  who  arrived  on  the  20th  too  late  to  attack  the 
enemy,  still  in  possession  of  Middleburg.  Vol.  44,  pp.  687 
and  690. 

General  Pleasanton  in  his  report,  20  June,  says:    "I  am 


SixTi'-TniRD  Regiment.  565 

just  in  from  General  Gregg's  battlefield  of  yesterday.  He 
had  a  very  hard  fight.  Our  cavalry  is  really  fighting  in- 
fantry behind  stone  walls.  This  is  the  reason  of  our  heavy 
losses."  Vol.  43,  p.  911.  What  a  tribute  is  that  sentence 
about  '^infantry"  to  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regi- 
ment !     There  was  no  infantry  with  Stuart. 

Sunday,  2 1  June,  was  tO'  witness  the  fiercest  fighting  of  all 
and  to  end  the  contest.  Fitz  Lee  was  away  off  to  our  left  at 
Snicker's  Gap  and  not  in  the  action  at  all.  Jones'  and  W. 
H.  F.  Lee's  Brigades  under  Chambliss  were  from  four  to  six 
miles  off  to  our  left  on  Goose  creek  and  thus  Hampton  and 
Robertson  w^ere  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  battle,  as  it  must  be 
noted  that  the  North  Carolinians  had  been  doing  since  the 
evening  of  the  17th.     Vol.  44,  pp.  688-690. 

Pleasanton  had  five  fresh  brigades  engaged  against  our 
four  and  three  of  these  were  against  the  brigade  of  Hampton 
and  the  worn  out,  decimated  two  regiments  of  Robertson  and 
one  of  these  brigades  against  Hampton  and  Robertson  was 
Vincent's  Infantry  Brigade,  which  brigade  Pleasanton  says 
"was  kept  busy  by  their  dismounted  infantry."  Vol  43,  pp. 
913  and  614;  Vol.  44,  p.  690. 

Our  little  force  was  between  Middleburg  and  Upperville, 
in  a  position  of  great  strength  previously  and  carefully 
selected  by  General  Stuart  who  was  commanding  in  person. 
And  we  would  have  held  it  against  a  force  even  double  ours 
in  strength.  Part  of  our  cavalry  was,  at  the  beginning  of 
the  battle,  mounted  for  charging  and  guarding  flanks  while 
the  rest  were  dismounted  behind  a  series  of  stone  walls  on  the 
south  side  of  the  turnpike,  and  running  at  right  angles  with 
it,  the  cavalry  in  the  road  and  fields,  and  Hart's  battery  of 
horse  artillery  of  six  guns  was  near  the  road  on  the  left.  A 
long  belt  of  woods  marked  our  position. 

In  front  of  us  was  Fuller's  Artillery,  a  great  line  of  Kil- 
patrick's  Cavalry,  with  General  Buford's  Division  moving  to 
our  left  flank  and  behind  and  immediately  with  Kilpatrick's 
force  came  a  great  brigade  of  the  Fifth  Corps  of  infantry  un- 
der command  of  Colonel  Vincent,  wlio  sent  the  Eighty-third 
Pennsylvania  to  flank  us  on  our  right.  About  8  a.  m.  the 
battle  began  and  soon  it  was  on  most  furiously.     One  regi- 


566  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

ment  of  infantry  and  their  dismounted  cavalry  was  liurled  on 
our  front.  According  to  Colonel  Vincent's  own  report  and 
under  the  urgent  orders  of  General  Pleasanton  himself,  Vin- 
cent rushed  three  different  infantry  lines  on  us  one  after  the 
other.  Fuller's  Battery  roared  and  poured  death  into  our 
ranks  and  utterly  disabled  one  of  Hart's  Blakely  guns.  Gen- 
eral Gregg  commanding  their  cavalry  says  we  "stubbornly 
contested."  Long  and  superbly  they  were  beaten  back  until 
our  right  flank  and  rear  were  attacked  by  the  Eighty-third 
Pennsylvania  Infantry,  when  we  retired  under  Stuart's  or- 
ders, having  to  leave  the  Blakely  gun  with  its  broken  axle, 
the  first  gun  Stuart  ever  lost,  and  ho  says  "its  full  value  was 
paid  in  the  slaughter  it  there  made."  We  took  position,  sim- 
ilar to  the  first,  behind  "stone  walls  immediately  in  tlie  rear" 
and  met  them  again  and  again  were  driven  back  in  the  same 
irresistible  way  for  long  weary  miles  along  which  brilliant 
and  dashing  mounted  charges  on  each  side  were  made  and 
met.  "Thus  the  fight  continued,  with  the  same  tactics  on 
the  part  of  the  enemy  and  the  same  orders  from  General 
Pleasanton  to  dislodge  them,"  says  Colonel  Vincent.  Our 
last  stand  east  of  Upperville  was  on  the  west  bank  of  Goose 
creek.  "Whence,"  Stuart  sa^^s,  "after  receiving  the  enemy's 
attack,  and  after  repulsing  him  with  slaughter,  T  again  with- 
drew eii  cell  el  on  of  regiments  in  plain  view,  and  under  tire  of 
the  enemy's  guns.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  coolness  and 
self-possession  of  officers  and  men  in  these  movements,  per- 
forming evolutions  with  a  precision  under  fire  that  must  have 
won  the  tribute  of  admiration  from  the  enemy  even,  who 
dai'ed  iKtt  trust,  liis  cnvali-y  uiisu])port('(l  to  the  sabers  of  such 
men.  The  enemy  attacked  Brigadier-General  Robertson, 
bringing  up  the  rear  in  this  movement,  and  was  handsomely 
repulsed."     \(A.  44,  i^p.  690-691. 

COLONEL  PETER  G.  EVANS  MORTALLY  WOUNDED. 

The  Sixty-lliii'd  Xortli  ("ai'olina  Ivcgimont  won  this  trib- 
ute for  our  briga<l('  from  StuniM  while  fillinii'  tlic  ])ost  of  hon- 
or there,  as  reai'  iiuard  iind  ( 'olond  rclci-  (i.  Evans  was 
mortally  wounded  and  ea])tnred  tlicn  and  tli('r(>.  Just 
prior    to    the    chai'ge,    in    which    (^l]on('l     I^-ans    was    shot, 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  567 

the  Sixty-third,  then  mounted,  was  subjected,  on  its  left,  to  a 
most  terrific  artillery  fire  which  slew  men  and  horses.  Com- 
panies A  and  F  were  ordered  to  support  the  charge  dis- 
mounted jjehind  some  rock  walls  along  the  pike  a  few  hundred 
yards  west  of  Upperville.  When  Colonel  Evans  gave  the 
order  to  charge.  General  Robertson  about  the  same  moment 
gave  an  order  not  to  charge  just  then  and,  by  the  consequent 
confusion  of  orders,  only  part  of  the  Sixty-third  Regiment 
followed  Colonel  Evans,  Company  H  leading.  The  first 
Maine  Cavalry  was  coming  magnificently  in  column  up  the 
pike  and  the  yelling  men  of  the  Sixty-third  ]!^;orth  Caro- 
lina went  at  them  with  a  rush.  "The  First  Maine,  after 
firing  a  few  shots,  scattered  to  the  right  and  left,"  and 
this  charging  part  -of  the  Sixty-third  rode  headlong  into 
a  hot  carbine  fire  from  the  Fourth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
sufl^ered  fearfully  and  was  driven  back.  Vol.  43,  pp. 
983-984.  But  the  Sixty-third  still  rode  and  charged 
and  fought  as  rear  guard  back  to  Paris,  near  which  we 
camped,  in  Ashby's  Gap,  that  Sunday  night.  In  these 
actions  it  had  twice  as  many  men  killed  and  wounded  as  any 
other  Confederate  regiment  engaged.  Vol.  44,  p.  712.  At 
5:30  p.  m.  21  June,  General  Pleasanton  reported:  'T  have 
not  been  able  to  send  to  the  top  of  the  Blue  Ridge.  Stuart 
has  the  gap  covered  with  heavy  Blakeleys  and  10-pounder 
Parrots.  I  shall  return  to  Aldie  to-morrow."  General 
Meade,  commanding  the  Fifth  Army  Corps,  reported  22 
June,  of  Pleasanton :  "He  was  yesterday  opposed  only  by  a 
brigade  of  cavalry  and  one  battery,  but  the  character  of  the 
country  was  so  favorable  for  defense  that  it  took  him  all  day 
'v^dth  his  large  force  to  drive  them  back  some  twelve  miles." 
"Character  of  the  country"  was  a  pitiable  excuse.  21  June, 
5  p.  m..  General  Hooker,  commanding  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
telegraphed  President  Lincoln :  "This  cavalry  force  has 
hitherto  prevented  me  from  obtaining  satisfactory  infonna- 
tion  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  the  enemy.  They  have  masked 
all  their  movements."  Thus  our  actions  wei'e  of  sufficient 
importance  to  attract  the  attention  of  General  Hooker  and 
the  President  of  the  United  States  and  the  former  shows  that 
we  sacredly  guarded  General  Lee's  great  secret  and  that  our 


568  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'G5. 

duty  was  'Svell  done."  Vol.  43,  pp.  54,  614,  912,  954;  Vol. 
44,  p.  690,  and  Vol.  45,  p.  255. 

In  his  official  report  to  General  Lee  of  these  actions  Gen- 
eral Stuart  wrote:  "I  was  extremely  anxious  now  to  attack 
the  enemy  as  early  as  possible,  having,  since  Planipton's  ar- 
rival, received  sufficient  reinforcement  to  attack  the  enemy's 
cavalry,  but  the  next  morning  (21st)  being  the  Sabbath,  I 
recognized  my  obligation  to  do  no  other  duty  than  what  was 
absolutely  necessary,  and  determined,  so  far  as  was  in  my 
power,  to  devote  it  to  rest."  Vol.  44,  p.  690.  But,  as  we 
have  seen,  he  was  forced  tO'  fight.  And  this  extract  is  quoted 
here  that  all  young  North  Carolinians,  in  studying  Confeder- 
ate soldiery,  may  see  that  this  great,  ideal  cavalry  general  of 
the  South,  with  Jackson  and  Lee,  recognized  and  obeyed  God, 
as  the  ''Lord  of  hosts." 

Jackson  prayed  as  hard  as  he  fought.  He  always  prayed 
fervently  first  and  then  fought.  And  his  battles  and  victories 
were  the  answered  inspirations  of  his  prayers.  When  a  great 
crisis  was  upon  him,  the  flaps  of  his  tent  hung  closed  for  hours 
and  no  one  dared  approach,  for  all  knew  that  "Jackson  was 
holding  a  council  of  war  with  God."  And  tlie  South's  sub- 
limest  and  truest  title  of  Lee  was — "Our  Christian  Leader." 
The  Commander-in-Chief  of  a  Christian  people,  whose  hearts, 
together  with  those  of  their  three  gi-eatest  generals,  were  con- 
tinually and  earnestly  asking  their  God  to  give  victory  to 
their  Confederacy.  They  were  the  great  typical  sons  of  the 
Southern  men  and  mothers  around  them ;  testifying,  as  the 
presence  of  such  men  always  does,  by  their  individual  greatr 
ness,  the  gi'eatness  of  those  about  them.  Not  exceptions  to 
but  only  exalted  emblems  of  the  South's  men  and  women. 
Just  as  our  own  Mitchell  and  other  great  mountains  are  ele- 
vated expressions  of  the  earth's  surface  around  them,  without 
which  respective  suiToundings  neither  these  "giants  among 
men"  nor  the  mountains  could  exist.  And  these  "Princes  in 
Israel"  and  these  mountains  and  their  environments  are  not, 
in  any  way,  the  result  of  the  so-called  evolution  of  certain 
scientists  nor  of  their  "law  of  the  survival  of  the  fittest,"  but 
each  and  all  are  the  result  of  the  immediate  word  and  work 
of   Go<l.     The   South's   God   did   not   answer   those   patriot 


Sixty-Third   Regiment.  569 

praj-ers  for  their  Confederacy,  as  they  prayed,  for,  ''He 
doeth  all  things  well"  and  not  always  as  we  ask.  He  saw 
that,  for  us  and  our  posterity  and  all  tlie  world  beside,  it 
was  best  that  the  Confederacy  should  die,  after  writing  its 
glories  of  men  and  women  with  letters  of  eternal  stars  in 
the  everlasting  firmament  of  history.  And  thus,  by  Him 
and  by  His  love,  ours  became  "The  Lost  Cause,"  that  as  a 
magnificent  part  of  this  great  republic,  magnified  through 
Him  by  our  glories  of  war  and  our  "white  robes  of  great  trib- 
ulation," we  may  majestically  move  along  the  mighty  marches 
wdiich  He  has  mapped  out  for  us  even  to  "the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  for  our  possession,"  utterly  regardless  of  all  small 
men  and  measures  and  political  parties  intervening  between 
His  "chosen  people"  and  His  gi'eat  predestined  plans  and 
jDurposes  for  us,  "who  are  Israelites ;  to  whom  pertaineth  the 
adoption,  and  the  glory,  and  the  covenants  and  the  giving  of 
the  law,  and  the  service  of  God,  and  the  promises." 

LIEUTEXANT-COLOIS'EL     JAMES     B.     GORDON. 

Under  special  instructions  from  General  Stuart,  dated  24 
June,  1863,  Vol.  45,  p.  927,  General  Robertson's  cavalry  cov- 
ered the  front  of  Ashby's  and  Snicker's  Gap  for  some  days 
and  then  moved  to  Gettysburg,  via  Williamsport  and  Cham- 
bersburg,  arrived  near  Cashtown  3  July,  and  was  put  on  our 
army's  right  flank.  After  the  fall  of  Colonel  Evans  that 
great  cavalry  leader,  Lieutenant-Colonel  James  B.  Gordon, 
of  the  Ninth  North  Carolina  Regiment,  and  of  Wilkes 
county,  IST.  C,  was  put  temporarily  in  command  of  the  Sixty- 
third  Regiment  and  commanded  it  all  during  the  Gettysburg 
campaign  and  some  time  after.  The  night  of  4  July,  when 
the  retreat  began,  the  Sixty-third  Regiment  was  again  as- 
signed the  post  of  honor  as  picket  and  rear  guard.  At  the 
instance  of  General  R.  E.  Lee,  General  Stuart  instructed 
General  Robertson,  now  on  the  right  near  Fairfield,  Pa., 
"that  it  was  essentially  necessary  for  him  to  hold  the  Jack 
Mountain  passes,"  including  two  prominent  roads.  Vol.  44, 
p.  699.  As  Company  F,  of  the  Sixty-third  Regiment,  rode 
to  the  top  of  one  of  the  passes  to  picket,  it  met  the  head  of  a 
Federal  cavalry  regiment  coming  to  take  possession  of  the 


570  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

pass.  Company  F,  uikIci-  Liciitciumt  Wiley,  attacked  at 
once  and  Baxter  Caldwell,  a  young-,  daring  trooper  of  Com- 
pany F,  was  sent  at  a  rush  down  the  mountain  to  Colonel  Gor- 
don for  help,  who  dashed  to  the  top  with  the  Sixty-third 
who()])ing-  and  yelling,  drove  off  the  enemy  and  camped  on  the 
mountain  that  night.  6  July,  the  regiment,  via  Leitershurg, 
was  with  Stuart  at  Hagerstown  on  his  urgent  mission  to  Wil- 
liamsport  to  save  the  Confederate  wagon  trains  all  "congre- 
gated in  a  narrow  space  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  near  the  river, 
too  much  swollen  to  admit  their  passage  to  the  south  bank" 
of  the  I'otomac. 

WAGON    TRAIiSr    SAVED    AT    HAGERSTOWN. 

At  Hagerstown  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart  rode  along  the  line 
and  said  joyoiisly,  "We've  got  'em  now,  boys,"  which  was  an- 
swered with  a  wild  y(dl  all  along  the  line  of  the  Sixty-third. 
In  a  moment  Chambliss  was  pushing  down  the  main  road 
after  the  enemy  and  Robertson,  with  the  decimated  Fifty- 
ninth  and  Sixty-third  Regiments,  was  moving  parallel. 
Chambliss  put  them'  on  the  ran  and  the  column  that  the 
Sixty-third  Regiment  was  in  hurried  up  to  attack  their  flank, 
but  post  and  rail  fences  delayed  this  column  and  it  was  raked 
with  artillery.  Jenkins  dismounted  and  dislodged  them. 
And  Stuart  says:  "The  enemy,  thus  dislodged,  was  closely 
pressed  by  the  mounted  cavalry,  l)ut  made  one  effort  at  a 
counter-charge,  which  was  gallantly  mel  nnd  repulsed  by 
Colonel  James  B.  Gordon,  commanding  a  fiMgmont  of  the 
Sixty-third  North  Carolina,  that  officer  exhibiting  under  my 
eve  in<li\-idual  prowess  deserAnng  special  commendation." 
Vol.  44,  p.  70:2.  Of  the  action  that  day  General  Stuart  says: 
"Without  this  attack,  it  is  certain  that  our  trains  would  have 
fallen  iiit(>  the  hands  of  the  enemy."  7  July  the  regiment 
spent  on  tlie  north  front  of  Hagerstown,  on  tlu^  Cavotown 
road.  Daily  the  regiment  moved  here  and  llicrc  to  aid  other 
cavalry  in  covering  "the  retreat  of  the  grand  ai-uiy."  11 
July,  at  8  :30  p.  m.,  "Robertson  was  two  and  a  half  nules  in 
front  of  Ewell."  Vol.  45,  p.  004.  The  night  of  the  13th 
was  chosen  to  cross  the  Potomac  from  in  front  of  ^leade  who 
"iuptoad  of  attacking  wa?;  intrenching  in  our  front,"  and  "the 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  571 

arduous  and  difficult  task  of  bringing  up  the  rear  was,  as 
usual,  assigned  to  the  cavalry"  under  this  order,  dated  13 
July,  1863,  4:15  p.  m.,  from  General  Robert.  E.  Lee  to  Gen- 
eral Stuart. :  "General :  As  arranged  this  afternoon,  I  wish 
you  to  place  your  cavalry  in  position  before  night,  so  as  to  re- 
lieve the  infantry  along  the  whole  extent  of  their  lines  when 
they  retire,  and  take  the  place  of  their  sharpshooters  when 
withdrawn.  They  will  be  withdrawn  about  12  o'clock  to- 
night. Direct  your  men  tO'  be  very  vigilant  and  bold,  and 
not  let  the  enemy  discover  tliat  our  lines  have  been  vacated. 
At  daylight  withdraw  your  skinnishers,  and  retire  with  all 
your  force  to  cross  the  river.  *  *  J  know  it  to  be  a  dif- 
ficult, as  well  as  delicate  operation  to  cover  this  army  and 
then  withdraw  your  command  with  safety,  but  I  rely  upon 
your  good  judgment,  energy  and  boldness  to  accomplish  it, 
and  trust  you  may  be  as  successful  as  you  have  been  on  former 
occasions.  After  crossing,  continue  to  cover  the  rear  of  the 
army  Avith  part  of  your  force,  and  with  the  rest  move  forward 
tO'  our  front,  where  you  will  receive  further  orders."  Vol. 
45,  p.   1001. 

ACROSS    THE    POTOMAC 

This  order  was  as  perfectly  executed  as  anythiTig  hu- 
man could  be.  "Just  before  night  (which  was  unusual- 
ly rainy),  the  cavalry  was  disposed  from  right  to  left, 
to  occupy,  dismounted,  the  trenches  of  the  infantry  at  dark," 
the  Sixty-third  taking  their  part  of  Ewell's  line.  "The  op- 
eration was  successfully  performed  by  the  cavalr\""  and  on 
the  14th  at  Williamsport  the  Sixty-third  Regiment  crossed 
as  the  very  last  of  Lee's  army.  It  then  picketed  a  few  days 
the  fords  of  the  Shenandoah  near  Ashby's  Gap.  Soon  the 
enemy  was  sending  a  heavy  column  east  of  the  Blue  Ridge  to 
interpose  between  our  army  and  Richmond.  Longstreet's 
Corps  moved  to  counteract  this  and  again  the  Sixty-third 
was  in  the  post  of  honor,  being  sent,  with  Robertson,  as  Long- 
street's  "advance  guard  through  Front  Royal  and  Chester 
Gap."  On  the  23d,  with  other  cavalry,  it  reached  Chester 
Gap  and,  "with  great  difficulty  and  a  forced  march,  bivou- 
acked that  night  below  Gaines'  Ci'oss  Roads,  holding  the  Rock- 


572  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'G5. 

ford  road  and  W'arrciilDii  turii])ik(',  on  whicli,  near  Aiuis- 
ville,  the  enemy  had  accumulated  a  large  force  of  cavalry. 
On  the  25th  the  march  was  continued  and  the  line  of  the 
Rappahannock  resumed,"     Vol.  44,  pp.  699-707. 

jS^ORTH    CAROLINA    CAVALRY    RRKiADE    J-ORMED. 

4  August,  at  liis  own  request.  General  Robertson  was  re- 
lieved from  duty  with  the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  Regi- 
ments. Vol.  45,  p.  1075.  On  9  Sept.,  1863,  under  Sj)ocial 
Orders,  No.  226,  Headquarters  Araiy  of  Northern  Virginia, 
there  was  a  reorganization  of  the  cavalry,  the  Sixty-third 
North  Carolina  becoming  a  part  of  General  L.  S.  Baker's  Bri- 
gade, Hampton's  Division  and  Stuart's  Corps  of  Cavalry. 
This  was  the  First  division  of  the  corps.  The  brigade  con- 
sisted of  the  Ninth,  Nineteenth,  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty- 
third  North  Carolina  Regiments,  the  Sixty-third  commanded 
by  Lieutenant-Colonel  S.  B.  Evans.     Vol.  49,  p.  707. 

In  consequence  of  a  wound  General  Baker  was  soon  as- 
signed to  special  duty  and  about  1  October  this  brigade  be- 
came General  James  B.  Gordon's  North  Carolina  Cavalry 
Brigade.  Vol.  48,  p.  820.  The  Confederate  army  at  this 
time  was  south  of  the  Rapidan  and  our  cavalry  was  picket- 
ing the  Ra[)idan  and  Robertson  rivers. 

JACK^S  SHOP. 

On  21  September,  1803,  General  Buford  started  on  a  great 
reconnoitering  (expedition  to  cross  the  Ra])idan,  via  Madison 
Court  House,  with  a  heavy  force  of  cavalry  and  artillery. 
They  reached  Madison  Court  House  about  sundown  that  day 
and  attacked  the  picket  force  there,  which  fell  back  to  Jack's 
Sliop,  on  the  Madison  and  Orange  turnpike  about  six  miles 
south  of  Madison.  General  Stuart  with  the  N'orth  Caro- 
lina Cavalry  Brigade  and  other  cavalry  was  at  Jack's  Shop 
early  next  morning,  22  September,  to  beat  back  tlie  recon- 
noissance. 

General  Buford  moved  his  first  division  down  the  pike  to 
our  front.  Kilpatrick  went  by  Wolftown  to  our  left  and  an- 
other column  marched  towards  Bamett's  Ford  to  our  right. 
We  did  not  then  see  or  know  of  these  forces  on  our  flanks,  but 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  573 

we  did  ere  long.  The  battle  opened  bj  a  splendid  mounted 
charge  of  the  jSTinth  and  Sixtj-third  ISTorth  Carolina  after  the 
advance  guard  had  located  the  enemy  north  of  Jack's  Shop. 
Thej  drove  everything  before  them  back  and  on  to  the  dis- 
mounted men  of  the  enemy,  where  they  were  met  by  a  galling 
fire  from  behind  fences,  trees  cut  across  the  pike  and  other 
protection.  Both  regiments  dismounted  tO'  "fight  on  foot." 
Under  this  fire,  right  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy  and  in 
splendid  style,  they  formed  their  line  of  skirmishers  and 
charging  drove  them  back  on  their  gTeat  line  of  advancing 
forces,  which  could  be  seen  and  was  terrible  to  behold.  We  then 
fell  back  slowly  before  them  to  our  main  line  of  dismounted 
men,  Buford  not  forcing  us  as  he  could  and  would  have  done 
with  his  great  hosts  had  he  not  been  waiting  Kilpatrick's 
move.  And  here  we  fought  one  of  the  very  fiercest  fights  of 
the  war.  Buford  got  his  signal  from  Kilpatrick  that  he  was 
full  in  our  rear  on  the  pike,  and  then  he  opened  furiously 
on  our  lines  with  small  arms  and  artillery.  Stuart  kne^v 
quickly  that  he  was  surrounded.  He  knew,  too,  the  mettle 
of  the  men  with  him.  There  was  no  attempt  at  concealment 
from  the  men  in  the  ranks.  He  trusted  them  and  took  them 
openly  into  his  council.  He  was  always  gi'eatest  in  a  desper- 
ate emergency,  as  all  great  men  always  are.  One  of  his  own 
staff  rode  along  the  lines  and  told  the  men  that  we  were  sur- 
rounded and,  said  he,  "Boys  it's  a  fight  to  captivity,  death  or 
victory."  A  man  in  the  Sixty-third  answered  him,  "We'll 
go  out  of  here  if  there  isn't  but  one  of  us  left."  And  a  great 
cheer  greeted  the  words,  which  told  what  the  Sixty-third 
would  do.  When  he  knew  exactly  where  Kilpatrick  was,  Bu- 
ford came  on  our  front  with  all  his  power  of  rattling  rifles 
and  roaring  artillery.  We  w^ere  pressed  back  by  sheer  brute 
force  and  deadly  fire,  General  Devin's  column  on  our  right 
and  Kilpatrick  on  the  left  and  rear,  and  as  we  fell  back  and 
got  into  the  open  there,  on  a  small  hill,  was  a  wondrous  sight, 
probably  never  seen  before  nor  since.  There  stood  McGreg- 
or's Battery,  Stuart,  on  horseback,  commanding  in  person  and 
pointing  here  and  there  wath  his  great  right  arm,  and  under 
these  orders  the  six  guns  of  that  glorious  battery  were  firing 
fast  and  furiously  in  three  direction  at  once ;  two  on  Buford, 


574  North  Carolina  Trooi's,   1861 -'65. 

two  to  our  immediate  left  and  two  on  Kilpatrick.  The  sight 
was  thrilling.  The  men  were  never  going  to  pass  Stuart  and 
those  guns.  They  jelled  and  fired  and  stood.  'I'hat  was 
enough.  Stuart  w^as  satisfied  as  to  what  they  would  do.  He 
dashed  off  with  his  staff  down  the  pike  towards  Kilpatrick's 
coming  columns  and  in  a  few  moments  a  mighty  cheer,  that 
only  Southern  soldiers  could  give,  came  louder  than  the  guns 
from  our  rear.  Colonel  Ferrebee  with  the  Fifty-ninth  North 
Carolina  and  a  part  of  Jones'  and  Butler's  Brigades,  after 
desperate  charges  and  connter-charges,  had  beaten  Kilpatrick 
back.  Kilpatrick  went  back  faster  than  he  came,  and  the 
whole  Federal  force  retreated  to  the  Robertson  river  and 
crossed  it  next  morning  in  haste  after  Buford  wrote  General 
Pleasanton :  "I  am  proud  to  say  that  Stuart  was  whipped 
and  his  forces  dispersed."  Vol.  48,  p.  141.  Among  our 
killed  at  Jack's  Shop,  from  Company  A,- were  Charles  Mur- 
phy, son  of  Mr.  David  Murphy,  and  Alexander  Bethune,  son 
of  Congressman  Bethune,  all  of  Fayetteville,  X.  C. 

THE  BKISTOE   CAMPAIGN. 

On  1>  October,  1863,  General  Lee  began  his  great  move- 
ment, with  Ewell's  and  Hill's  Corps  on  Meade's  right  flank, 
known  as  the  Bristoe  campaign.  The  advance  was  by  way  of 
Madison  Court  House  on  the  enemy  then  in  Culpepper. 
Hampton's  Division,  he  being  absent  from  Gettysburg 
wounds,  was  under  the  immediate  personal  command  of  Stu- 
art and  acted  on  Ewell's  and  Hill's  left  flank  to  favor  their 
movement.  Gordon's  Brigade,  including  the  Sixty-third, 
bivouacked  near  Madison  Court  House  the  night  of  the  9th 
and  crossed  Robertson  river  at  Russell's  Ford  about  daylight 
on  the  lOtli.  The  Fifty-ninth  North  Carolina  beat  off  the 
Federal  pickets  and  drove  them  back  on  their  supports,  the 
One  Hundred  and  Twentieth  'New  York  Infantry  and  some 
cavalry,  at  Bethsaida  church.  Gordon  attacked  in  front  with 
the  Sixty-third  and  others,  dismounted,  and  the  First  South 
Carolina  Cavalry  assailed  their  right  and  rear.  They  broke 
and  fled  in  utter  rout  and  nearly  every  man  of  that  infantry 
regiment  was  killed  or  captured.  We  then  moved  on  to  the 
village  of  James  City,  driving  Kilpatrick's  cavalry  before  us, 


THE  NEW  YORK:! 

PUBUC  LIBRARY 


TIUO&N  FOUNOATTOMS. 


SIXTY-THIRD  REGIMENT. 


1.  Charles  \V.  Pearson,  Captain,  Co.  H. 

2.  Frank  Brown,  Private,  Co.  II  . 

3.  S.  F.  Fleming,  Corporal,  Co.  II. 

4.  Lemuel  J.  Bailey,  Private,  Co.  H. 


5.  Jno.  B.  Foard,  Private,  Co.  H. 

6.  J.  D.  Hodges.  Private,  Co.  H. 

7.  G.  E.  Barnhart,  Private,  Co.  H. 
Natlianiel  (Jreene  Rich,  Private,  Co.  H. 


9.    Scott  Smoot,  Private,  Co.  H. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  575 

throiigh  tlie  village,  on  to  their  supports,  consisting  of  the 
Second  Division  of  Infantry  of  the  Third  Corps  and  artil- 
lery and  cavalry  under  command  of  General  Henry  Prince. 
It  being  impossible  to  dislodge  them,  only  sufficient  demon- 
stration was  made  to  engage  their  full  attention.  The  Sixty- 
third  was  on  tlieir  riglit  flank  with  Gordon's  Brigade  and 
Young's  Brigade  on  their  front  and  two  pieces  of  Griffin's 
Horse  Artillery.  Heavy  skirmishing  and  artillery  firing 
was  kept  up  on  both  sides  until  nightfall,  when  the  ''brigade 
bivouacked  for  the  night  on  line  of  battle."  Before  daylight 
the  enemy  fell  back  on  Culpepper,  Kilpatrick  covering  the 
rear  of  the  Third  and  Fifth  Army  Corps.  Vol.  48,  pp.  328, 
439  and  460.  On  the  morning  of  the  lltli  we  marched,  with 
Gordon's  Brigade,  along  the  flank  of  our  infantry  column,  to- 
ward Griffinsburg,  and  struck  the  Sperryville  and  Culpepper 
pike  at  Stone-House  Mountain.  Here  Gordon  was  ordered 
to  move  down  the  pike  and  push  the  enemy  back  to  Culpep- 
per. This  he  did  with  the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  Reg- 
iments— the  Fifty-ninth  bearing  off  the  honors  of  the  charge. 
The  Sixty-third  lost  for  the  war  the  services  of  its  brave,  gal- 
lant and  efficient  Adjutant,  Lieutenant  J.  Turner  Morehead, 
son  of  Governor  Morehead,  severely  shot  in  the  mouth,  the 
ball  passing  out  through  the  back  of  his  neck,  and  among  its 
other  w^ounded  was  that  ever  faithful  soldier  and  valiant 
young  officer,  Lieutenant  W.  J.  Wiley,  of  Company  F,  also 
shot  in  the  mouth  and  his  front  teeth  knocked  out. 

The  whole  Federal  army  was  now  falling  back  across  the 
Rappahannock  on  the  roads  to  Brandy  Station,  rear  guarded 
by  all  their  cavalry,  except  Buford's  Division,  and  Fitz  Lee 
who  had  been  left  on  the  Rapidan,  was  fast  driving  back  Bu- 
ford's Division  of  cavalry  and  artillery  towards  Brandy  Sta- 
tion from  Stevensburg.  The  position  of  the  enemy's  artil- 
lery and  his  strength  near  Culpepper,  across  Mountain  Run, 
was  such  that  General  Stuart  would  not  attack ;  but  left  some 
artillery  on  his  front  to  attack  him  and  a  squadron  of  the 
ITinth  in  Culpepper  and  moved  to  the  left  with  the  Seventh 
and  Twelfth  Virginia  Regiments  and  Gordon's  Brigade  tO' 
get  in  his  rear  near  Brandy.  As  we  approached  John  Minor 
Botts'  house  there  could  be  seen  from  the  front  of  our  column 


576  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

the  dense  columns  of  Federal  cavalry  moving  along  the  rail- 
road towards  Brandy.  They  had  perceived  our  purpose  to 
get  in  their  rear  and  were  in  full  retreat,  and  across  the  plain 
to  our  right,  towards  Stevensburg,  could  he  seen  the  smoke 
and  lieard  tlie  hooiu  of  Fitz  Lee's  guns  after  Buford's  column, 
the  fire  of  which  reached  our  line  over  the  columns  moving 
between  us  and  General  Lee,  who  could  not  distinguish  us 
from  the  enemy.  The  two  columns  from  Robertson  and  Rap- 
idan  rivers  were  both  now  making  for  Fleetw^ood  Heights,  on 
Brandy  Plains.  The  Ninth  North  Carolina  was  sent  to  cap- 
ture what  seemed  to  be  a  detached  body  on  our  right.  The 
N^inth,  as  always,  did  its  work  well  and  captured  or  killed 
sixty  of  them,  but  found  itself  in  front  of  Custer's  Brigade. 
Colonel  Massie,  of  the  Twelfth  Virginia,  charged  doAvn  on 
General  Davies'  Brigade,  then  retreating  just  in  Custer's  rear 
and  the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  were  moved  up  to  Mas- 
sie's  support.  And  here  occurred  a  bad  break  in  the  glorious 
record,  past  and  future,  of  the  Sixty-third.  At  this  moment 
the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  in  column  of  fours,  were  in 
a  partly  sunken  road  intently  watching  Colonel  Massie's 
charge  and  waiting  orders  from  Stuart  and  Gordon,  both 
then  and  there  in  person.  The  Sixty-third's  attention  was 
all  to  the  front  on  Massie.  Close  to  their  immediate  right 
there  was  an  elevation  of  some  length  through  an  open  field, 
which  rising  ground  absolutely  cut  off  from  their  view  Cus- 
ter's and  Davies'  Brigades,  now^  confronted  by  the  Ninth  and 
charged  by  Massie.  This  presence  of  the  Ninth  in  their 
front  and  Massie's  charge  and  Fitz  Lee's  coming  columns 
filled  these  Federal  officers  with  desperation,  and  they  acted 
well  in  the  face  of  the  N^inth  and  Massie's  men,  which  each 
thought  and  officially  reported  to  be  "a  brigade"  on  their 
front  and  flank.  Custer  charged  to  the  front  with  two  regi- 
ments, formed  by  squadrons,  and  Davies  by  regiments  to  his 
right  and  left.  The  Sixty-third  and  Fifty-ninth's  right  flank 
was  most  un^^^sely  and  totally  unprotected,  when  suddenly 
the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania,  in  regiment  front,  led  by  Gen- 
eral Davies,  fell  like  a  tornado  on  the  Sixty-third  and  Fifiy- 
ninth,  over  the  open  elevation  which  had  concealed  them,  and 
both  the  Fifty-ninth  and  Sixty-third  broke  in  confusion  to 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  577 

their  left  until  the  Seventh  Virginia,  most  opportunely  com- 
ing up,  charged  the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  on  their  left 
flank,  and  they  fled.  Our  regimental  bugler,  F.  R.  Kose, 
and  Sergeant-Major  Charles  Haigh,  both  of  Company  A, 
Sixty-third  Regiment,  two  as  intelligent  and  brave  boys  as 
ever  wore  the  gray,  were  off  some  distance  to  the  right  of  the 
Sixty-third  and  saw  the  impending  danger  and,  with  that 
quickness  to  see  and  act  which  fitted  them  and  so  many  of  our 
Southern  men  in  the  ranks  to  command,  they  both  hastened 
to  prepare  the  Sixty-third  for  the  terrible  onslaught,  but  they 
were  too  late.  They  are  both  now  living  in  Fayetteville,  N. 
C.  They  both  saw  better  than  any  one  else  the  whole  affair 
and  they,  together  with  others  now  alive  and  there  present, 
claim  that  it  was  impossible  for  the  Sixty-third  to  have  ^e^- 
sisted  the  impetuous  rush  of  the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania 
down  that  slope,  placed  as  the  Sixtj^-third  was  in  that  road. 
Privates  G.  A.  Thompson  and  J.  B.  Hollingsworth,  of  Com- 
pany A,  were  wounded  and  W.  L.  Jennings,  of  Company  A, 
was  captured,  but  his  captor  did  not  take  his  saber  from  him, 
and  when  the  Seventh  Virginia  came  to  the  rescue,  Jennings 
used  it  freely  upon  his  captor  and  took  him  prisoner.  Pri- 
vate Ham.  S.  Alexander,  of  Company  F,  Sixty-third  Regi- 
ment, brother  of  the  Hon.  S.  B.  Alexander,  when  wheeling 
suddenly  to  make  that  retreat,  had  his  horse  to  fall  on  his  leg 
and  was  unable  to  extricate  himself.  He  thus  lay  until  the 
Pennsylvanians  inished  back  in  retreat,  when  Alexender  lev- 
eled his  rifle  on  a  Federal  private  who  had  been  dismounted 
in  the  melee,  and  actually  took  him  prisoner  and  made  him 
pull  the  fallen  horse  off  his  leg.  All  this  shows  that  the  met- 
tle of  the  men  of  the  Sixty-third  was  not  broken,  if  its  ranks 
had  been.  If  ever  a  break  in  face  of  the  enemy  was  excusa- 
ble, this  one  was.  But  it  was  quickly  all  over  and  the  regi- 
ment reformed  and  ready  for  action.  The  second  great  cav- 
alry fight  at  Brandy  Station  then  occurred  and  the  Federal 
cavalry  had  all  retreated  across  the  Rappahannock  by  9  p.  m. 
and  we  bivouacked  the  night  of  11  October  near  Brandy  Sta- 
tion.    Vol.  48,  pp.  440,  460,  386  and  390. 

On  the  morning  of  the  12th  in  accordance  with  General 

37 


578  North  Carolina  Troops,  18G1-'65. 

Ii.  E.  Lee's  instructions,  General  Stuart  proceeded  with 
Gordon's  brigade  and  other  cavah-y  to  protect  the  right  flank 
of  our  infantry  column  moving  by  Rixeyville  toward  War- 
renton.  Gordon's  Brigade  crossed  the  river  at  Warrenton 
Sulj)hur  S]U"ings  about  sunset  and  moved  to  Warrenton 
that  night  and  occupied  the  town  and  bivouacked  near 
there.  At  this  crossing  of  the  river  the  Sixty-third  was 
in  a  glorious  charge  of  which  General  Stuart,  innocent- 
ly and  inadvertently,  of  course,  gives  all  the  praise  to  the 
Twelfth  Virginia.  But  the  Sixty-third,  was  certainly  in 
that  charge  as  men  now  living  well  know.  With  the 
Twelfth  Virginia,  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  "charged 
first  up  to  the  piers  of  the  bridge.  It  was  discovered  that  it 
had  been  taken  up  thus  exposing  them  to  a  dangerous  fire 
from  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  side.  Nothing  daunted  in 
purpose,  however,  they  turned  about  and  took  the  road  to  the 
ford  below,  which  they  plunged  into  in  the  face  of  the  enemy's 
fire  without  halt  or  hesitation,"  and  thus,  with  the  Twelfth 
Virginia,  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  forced  that  cross- 
ing most  valiantly. 

General  Gordon  strangely  reports  this  "sunset"  crossing  as 
of  the  Hazel  river.  His  statement  about  moving  on  "to  War- 
renton that  night"  shows  his  error.  It  was  the  Hedgeman 
river  of  upper  Rappahannock.  Vol.  48,  pp.  444-445  and 
460. 

AUBURN. 

On  the  morning  of  the  13th,  our  army  was  concentrated 
about  Wan-enton,  holding  the  roads  from  the  east,  the  enemy 
being  in  that  direction  and  as  far  south  as  Fayetteville. 
About  10  a.  m..  General  Stuart  was  directed  by  General  Lee 
to  make  a  reconnoisance  eastward  to  Catlett's  Station.  He 
proceeded  with  Lomax's,  Funston's  (Jones'),  and  Gordon's 
Brigades,  via  Auburn,  where  he  crossed  the  Fayetteville  and 
Greenwich  road,  Greenwich  being  about  five  miles  north- 
east of  Auburn.  At  Auburn  he  left  Lomax  to  guard  his  rear 
and,  advancing  towards  Catlett,  soon  discovered  an  immense 
park  of  Federal  wagons  extending  for  miles  south  of  Cat- 
lett's, and  great  columns  of  the  enemy  moving  toward  Bristol 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  579 

up  tlie  railroad  and  also  via  the  Weaverville  and  Greenwich 
road,  which  latter  road,  converging  north  west  from  Catlett's, 
met  at  Greenwich  the  road  we  crossed  at  Auburn  and  thus 
made  a  triangle  with  its  apex  at  Greenwich  and  its  base  at 
Cedar  Run,  flowing  from  west  of  Auburn  east  towards  Weav- 
erville, just  north  of  which  run,  near  Stuart's  left,  as  he  re- 
tired from  Catlett's,  was  the  road  from  Auburn  to  Catlett's, 
and  along  this  road  for  several  miles  a  mill  race.  As  soon  as 
Stuart  made  his  discovery  of  the  situation  at  Catlett's  he 
quickly  sent  Major  Venable  of  his  staff  to  inform  General 
Lee,  so  that  a  night  attack  might  be  made  in  great  force  at 
Catlett's,  and  retired  towards  Auburn.  When  he  neared 
Auburn,  about  dark,  he  found  that  Lomax  had  been  driven 
off  and  that  the  enemy's  Third  Army  Corps  and  two  bri- 
gades of  Kilpatrick's  Cavalry,  with  wagons  and  artillery 
were  on  the  road  we  had  crossed  in  the  morning.  Stuart 
had  tw^o  brigades  of  cavalry  and  seven  pieces  of  artillery 
and  there  was  but  one  place  to  cross  the  Run,  and  that  at 
Auburn,  which  was  now  in  full  possession  and  immediate 
use  of  the  enemy.  We  were  absolutely  cut  off  from  Gen- 
eral Lee,  whom  Stuart,  at  once,  informed  of  his  perilous  con- 
dition, by  disguised  volunteers  sent  through  the  lines  of  the 
Third  Army  Corps,  in  hope  that  relief  would  come  by 
daylight,  at  least.  As  at  Jack's  Shop,  every  man  in  the  ranks 
was  taken  into  Stuart's  confidence  at  once  and  told  of  the  sit- 
uation. It  w^as  soon  evident  that  the  enemy  had  no  knowledge 
in  the  world  of  our  presence.  Stuart  massed  his  men  for  an 
attack,  the  Sixty-third  ISTorth  Carolina  being  dismounted 
and  placed  in  line  of  battle.  Night  favored  us  and  we  "went 
into  silent,  sleepless,  cheerless  bivouac."  All  night  long 
we  could  clearly  hear  the  tramp  and  the  talk  and  the  rumble 
of  the  wagons  and  artillery  of  the  enemy  along  the  road  in 
our  front.  But  everybody  had  faith  that  Stuart  would  come 
out  all  right.  A  contemporaneous  correspondent  wrote  of  our 
situation  thus :  "Not  a  word  was  allowed  except  in  whispers, 
not  a  spark  of  fire  could  be  struck,  while  through  the  long 
night  we  stood  there  listening  to  the  sounds  of  that  mighty 
column  of  armed  foes  passing  near  by  us.  Anxiously  we 
waited  the  morrow,  wondering  and  whispering  conjectures  of 


580  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

the  result  of  our  strange  situation.  The  horses  and  mules 
seemed  to  feel  the  necessity  for  quiet  and,  though  they  had 
not  been  fed  since  morning,  refrained  from  their  usual  de- 
monstrative cries.  All  waited  for  the  morning ;  and,  oh,  the 
wild  waking  of  that  morning!" 

Just  before  day  General  WaiTen's  Federal  Corps  and 
Gregg's  Division  of  cavalry  came  tO'  Auburn  with  orders  to 
cross  the  run  behind  the  Third  Corps,  turn  to  the  right  and 
move  on  the  road  to  Catlett's  immediately  on  our  left,  thus 
adding  to  the  difficulties  of  the  mill  race  and  run,  his  column 
along  the  base  of  the  triangle.  He  first  crossed  over  Gen- 
eral Caldwell's  Division,  with  the  batteries  of  Captains 
Ricketts,  Arnold  and  Ames,  and  placed  all  just  in  our 
front,  facing  Warrenton  and  rear  to  us,  on  a  hill  top  which 
was  soon  blazing  and  lighted  up  with  their  camp  fires 
around  which  they  were  plainly  seen,  cheerfully  preparing 
their  breakfasts,  and  then  General  Hays'  Division  crossed 
and  took  position  immediately  on  our  left.  The  cordon  was 
closing.  The  heavy  mists  and  fog  of  the  morning  still  con- 
cealed us  in  the  gray  dawn  while  by  their  big  camp  fires  we 
could  see  the  enemy  below  us  as  plainly  as  at  high  noon.  Af- 
ter the  bright  breakfast  scene  had  progressed  some  time,  vol- 
leys of  musketry  were  heard  on  the  road  towards  Warrenton 
and  Stuart  thought  that  General  Lee,  on  his  night  messages, 
had  attacked.  Feeling  that  the  hour  had  come  as  well  as  the 
man,  still  totally  unobserved  and  absolutely  unexpected, 
Stuart  opened  his  seven  guns,  all  at  the  same  moment,  upon 
Caldwell's  Division  of  infantry  and  artillery  and,  as  Stuart 
himself  reports,  "rained  a  storm  of  cannister  and  shell  upon 
the  masses  of  men,  muskets  and  coffee  pots."  It  was  an  awful 
sight,  a  fearful  sound  of  shrieking  shell  and  screaming  sol- 
diers. One  shell  killed  seven  men  at  the  first  fire.  General 
Warren  himself  reports.  But,  bad  for  us,  what  was  thought 
to  be,  and  in  fact  were,  Lee's  guns  entirely  ceased  their  firing 
as  soon  as  Stuart  opened.  For  some  cause  Lee's  advance  was 
not  hastened.  Caldwell's  veterans  soon  splendidly  recovered 
from  their  consternation  and  his  lines  moved  out  on  our  front 
and  each  of  our  flanks,  while  Rickett's  Battery  fired  furiously 
on  our  seven  small  guns,  which  thundoringly  answered  back. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  581 

Hays  attacked  on  our  left  and  we  beat  his  skirmishers  back 
badly  with  the  Sixty-third's  dismounted  men,  who  fought  des- 
perately. Among  our  killed  was  George  Andrews,  of  Com- 
pany r.  Hays  then  moved  forward  the  Twenty-sixth  ISTew 
York  and  the  Twelfth  ISTew  Jersey  Infantry.  Our  position 
was  clearly  untenable;  but  for  us  to  escape,  that  advancing 
infantry  must  be  stopped.  Gordon  ordered  the  old  Ninth  to 
charge  and,  as  General  Hays  reports:  "The  rebel  cavalry, 
led  by  Colonel  Thomas  Ruffin,  charged  furiously."  That 
was  a  famous  but  a  fatal  charge.  The  gallant  Ruffin  was  mor- 
tally wounded  and  about  fifty  men  were  killed  and  wounded, 
but  its  purpose,  to  allow  our  escape,  was  effected.  The  seven 
guns  were  limbered  up  and,  at  the  head  of  our  two  little  bri- 
gades of  cavalry,  were  galloped  to  the  rear  and  then  to  the 
right  of  Hay's  Division  before  he  could  attack  again ;  the 
mill  race  was  bridged  by  us,  the  Run  crossed  as  best  we 
could  and  turning  up  it  to  our  right  again,  we  crossed 
the  Fayetteville  and  Greenwich  road  where  Warren's 
Corps  had  lately  marched  and  captured  a  number  of 
his  stragglers.  We  brought  out  safely  all  our  artillery,  every 
ordnance  wagon  and  ambulance  and,  if  the  infantry  lines 
from  Warrenton  had  advanced,  as  Stuart  expected,  we  woidd 
have  captured  that  whole  corps  or  its  annihilation  would  have 
been  complete.  Of  this  affair  General  Stuart  wrote  General 
Lee :  "My  extrication  from  this  embarrassing  situation  mth 
the  comparatively  small  loss  which  I  sustained  is  due,  under 
Providence,  to  the  gallant  officers  and  men  of  my  command, 
who,  upon  this  trying  occasion,  which  thoroughly  tested  their 
soldierly  character,  exhibited  nerve  and  coolness  which  en- 
titled them  to  the  highest  praise  from  their  commander." 

General  Warren  reports  to  General  Meade:  "Its  result 
was  alike  complimentary  to  my  own  command  and  the  force 
I  encountered."     Vol.  48,  pp.  238,  239,  289,  357,  447,  461. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th,  Stuart's  entire  cavalry  com- 
mand, except  Young's  Brigade,  pursued  the  retreating  en- 
emy to  Manassas  Junction.  Near  the  junction  the  Sixty- 
third,  dismounted,  with  other  regiments,  made  a  fierce  at- 
tack on  them,  which  lasted  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  and 
drove  them  across  Bull  Run,  their  dead  and  wounded  being 


582  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

left  on  the  field.  About  this  time  Stuart  learned  of  a  large 
train  of  tlie  enemy's  wagons  which  had  not  yet  crossed  Bull 
Run.  They  were  protected  by  a  large  force  of  cavalry  and 
some  artillery.  We  were  soon  up  with  them  and  Gordon  at- 
tacked their  front  with  the  Sixty-third,  and  other  dismounted 
men  and  Beckham's  artillery,  Stuart  charged  them  in  flank 
with  the  Twelfth  Virginia  and  they  were  driven  in  precipi- 
tate flight  across  Bull  Run,  and  we  bivouacked  that  night 
near  Manassas.     VoL  48,  pp.  449-450. 

Next  morning  Stuart  took  Hampton's  Division  on  a  long 
detour  of  reconnoissance  by  Groveton,  crossed  Bull  Run  and 
bivouacked  near  Stone  Castle;  continued  this  march  on  the 
17th  by  Gum  Springs  to  Frying  Pan  church,  where  the  Sixty- 
third  and  other  dismounted  men  for  two  hours  or  more  briskly 
fought  General  Sedgwick's  infantry,  whom  Stuart  found  in- 
trenching Little  River  turnpike.  The  purpose  of  the  trip 
being  acquired  in  this  information  we  returned.  It  was  af- 
terwards learned  that  this  attack  in  their  rear  greatly  discon- 
certed the  enemy  and  caused  the  whole  Federal  force  at  Cen- 
treville  to  fall  back  towards  Alexandria.  That  night  we  biv- 
ouacked near  Little  River  turnpike  and  on  the  18th  moved 
back  to  Gainesville  and  learned  of  the  retrograde  movement 
of  our  army  after  the  affair  at  Bristoe,  General  Lee,  finding 
further  northward  movement  useless  in  the  attempt  to  turn 
Meade's  right  flank.  The  night  of  the  18th  we  camped  near 
Hay  Market  and  Stuart  learned  of  Kilpatrick's  advance  to- 
ward Warrenton  with  his  division  of  cavalry  and  six  pieces  of 
artillery  and  a  column  of  infantry.     Vol.  48,  pp.  450~45L 

"buckland  races." 

Stuart  at  once  notified  General  Fitz  Lee,  now  near  Auburn, 
of  the  enemy's  advance  and  to  come  to  his  support.  To  delay 
Kilpatrick  for  Lee's  an'ival,  Hampton's  Division,  dis- 
mounted, fought  him  fiercely  along  Broad  Run,  the  Sixty- 
third  doing  its  part  manfully.  Lee  soon  answered  that  he 
was  coming  and  suggested  that  Stuart  fall  back,  as  if  in  mod- 
erate retreat,  toward  Warrenton,  to  draw  Kilpatrick  on  so 
that  he  could  get  full  in  Kilpatrick's  rear  and,  when  that 
was  efi^ected,  he  would  fire  sicrnal  sruns  of  artillery.     Stuart 


^ttS  ^i^'n^L^"^ 


-3:^ 


^■^'^■i^l-^ 


.^v^J"' 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  583 

readily  and  quickly  assented.  And  we  slowly  began  that 
memorable  retreat,  so  puzzling  to  our  men,  along  the  turn- 
pike via  ISTew  Baltimore  towards  Warrenton.  We  kept  on 
going  backwards,  just  enough  resistance  being  made  to  keep 
Kilpatrick  from  suspecting  Stuart's  purpose.  Kilpatrick 
grew  bolder  and  actually  boasted  to  citizens,  on  the  road,  that 
he  would  ''catch  Stuart  before  he  got  to  Warrenton."  We 
fell  back  faster  and  the  men  along  our  lines  asked  wonder- 
ingly  what  General  Stuart  could  mean  by  retreating  so  and 
almost  no  fighting.  But  Stuart  knew  and  that  was  enough. 
He  must  keep  his  own  secret  now.  He  was  listening  intently 
as  we  neared  Chester  Hill,  only  two  and  a  half  miles  from 
Warrenton,  and  only  a  small  line  of  our  skinnishers  iighting 
and  falling  back  behind  our  retreating  column.  Suddenly 
there  is  one  loud  '"boom"  after  another  of  artillery  toward 
Buckland,  which  told  Stuart  that  Lee  was  in  their  rear.  Im- 
mediately we  wheeled,  under  Stuart's  own  orders,  and  aston- 
ished the  enemy  with  a  ferocious  attack,  Gordon's  Brigade, 
including  the  Sixty-third,  anxious  for  the  fray,  was  in  the 
centre,  on  the  pike,  and  Young  and  Rosser  on  their  flanks. 
They  fought  stubbornly  at  first  but  notliing  could  resist  the 
impetuous  charges  of  the  Sixty-third  and  other  North  Caro- 
linians and  those  boasting  columns  broke  in  confusion.  They 
soon  learned  that  Lee  was  in  their  rear  and  their  rout  became 
complete.  For  miles  and  miles,  back  through  iS'ew  Balti- 
more and  on  to  Buckland  and  across  Broad  Run  to  Hay  Mar- 
ket, we  pursued  them  relentlessly  and  almost  resistlessly, 
"the  horses  at  full  speed  the  whole  distance."  We  captured 
hundreds  of  prisoners  and  eight  wagons,  including  General 
Custer's  headquarters  wagon  with  all  his  personal  effects  and 
ofiicial  papers,  and  one  of  their  writers  at  the  time  described 
it  as  "the  deplorable  spectacle  of  7,000  cavalry  dashing  rid- 
erless, haltless  and  panic-stricken"  through  the  ranks  of  their 
infantry.  The  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania,  too,  was  in  that 
panic  and  rout.  The  Sixty-third  rode  and  cut  and  slashed 
into  their  ranks  furiously,  and  they  sadly  learned  as  the  Sixty- 
third  joyously  found  that  "there  is  retribution  in  history." 
Stuart  wrote  General  Lee:  "I  am  justified  in  declaring  the 
rout  of  the  enemy  at  Buckland  the  most  signal  and  complete 


584  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

that  any  cavalry  has  suifered  during  the  war."  He  laugh- 
ingly spoke  of  the  run  as  the  "Buckland  Races,"  and  his 
troopers,  with  a  smile,  always  so  think  and  talk  of  it.  On  20 
October  we  leisurely  followed  the  retrogade  movement  of  our 
army  and  established  our  pickets  on  the  south  bank  of  the 
Rappahannock  and  on  the  Hazel  river.  Vol.  48,  pp.  451; 
452,  461  and  411. 

Everything  was  quiet  until  7  November,  when  dire  disaster 
came  to  Hays'  and  Hoke's  Brigades  at  Rappahannock  Sta- 
tion that  fateful  Saturday  night.  Sunday  and  Sunday  night 
General  Lee  withdrew,  via  Stevensburg,  south  of  the  Rapi- 
dan,  Hampton's  Cavalry,  as  usual,  acting  as  rear  guard. 
Near  Stevensburg,  on  Sunday,  the  8th,  Hampton's  Division 
had  a  fight  with  the  enemy's  advance  guard  and  held  them  in 
check  for  the  protection  of  our  retreating  army.  The  fight 
was  on  when  Hampton  rode  along  our  lines  for  the  first  time 
since  he  was  wounded  at  Gettysburg.  The  men  cheered  him 
gladly  and  wildly.  The  Sixty-third  did  its  part  splendidly 
at  Stevensburg  and  on  to  the  river  as  mounted  skirmishers. 
Lee's  infantry  crossed  south  of  the  Rapidan  that  day  never  to 
recross  it  and  again  the  Sixty-third  acted  well  its  part  as 
"rear  guard  of  the  grand  army"  of  Northern  Virginia. 

THE  EIGirTEENTH  PENNSYLVANIA  PAID  OFF  IN  FULL. 

At  early  dawn  of  18  November,  Hampton  with  a  small  de- 
tachment of  picked  men  from  the  Ninth  and  Sixty-third 
North  Carolina  crossed  the  Rapidan  at  Ely's  Ford  on  a  little 
prospecting  tour  of  his  own.  The  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania, 
by  some  strange  fatality  of  war,  under  that  inexorable  law  of 
retribution,  was  on  picket  at  the  forks  of  the  roads  leading 
to  Ely's  and  Germanna  fords,  a  short  distance  northwest  of 
Ely.  They  were  at  their  breakfast;  sixty  of  them  had  just 
gone  down  the  Germanna  road  with  Lieutenant  Whitaker  on 
an  "important"  mission  for  General  Custer,  "when,"  sud- 
denly, as  that  same  Federal  General  Davies  reports,  "their 
whole  outpost  was  driven  in  upon  them,  mixed  and  struggling 
with  a  dense  column  of  rebel  cavalry."  Nearly  the  entire 
regiment  was  captured  and  among  them  a  Federal  paymaster 
who  had  come  down  there  to  "pay  them  off."  The  Sixty- 
third  tdok  liiiu  and  his  pay-roll  and  his  funds,  which  green- 


Sixty-Thtrd  Regiment.  585 

backs  the  captors  equally  divided  among  themselves ;  and 
thus  the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  was  "paid  ofi"  and  driven 
off  in  dismay  and  our  old  score  and  sore,  made  near  Botts' 
house,  was  forever  settled  and  healed.  Our  force  then  went 
down  the  Germanna  road  and  disposed  of  Lieutenant  Whita- 
ker  and  his  sixty  men  by  capture  and  dispersion.  A  squad- 
ron of  the  Fifth  New  York  was  down  at  Gennanna  Ford  on 
picket.  They  at  once  had  very  and  more  important  business 
elsewhere  and  all  escaped  down  the  river.  With  "83  horses, 
10  mules,  1  ambulance,  1  hospital  wagon,  1  army  wagon,  1 
forge"  and  a  host  of  prisoners,  all  of  the  Eighteenth  Penn- 
sylvania, Hampton  recrossed  the  Rapidan  at  Germanna  Ford 
about  10  :30  a.  m.  And  the  Sixty-third  ISTorth  Carolina  and 
the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  then  and  there  agreed  never 
again  to  refer  to  the  aifair  between  us  at  John  Minor  Botts'. 
It  was  a  final  settlement  between  gentlemen  and  both  sides 
prefer  tO'  hear  no  more  talk  about  our  matters  by  outsiders. 
The  Sixty-third  and  the  Eighteenth  are  satisfied  and  all 
others  must  be.     Vol.  48,  p.  656. 

Parker's  store. 

On  26  November  General  Meade  made  a  great  display  of 
force  and  movement  south  of  the  Rapidan,  by  fords  from 
Ely's  to  Jacob's.  General  Lee  moved  to  meet  him.  "Hamp- 
ton's Division,  with  General  Stuart,  present,  preceded  the 
advance  of  the  main  body."  About  0  o'clock  next  morning 
General  Stuart  pushed  forward  with  Gordon's  Brigade,  met 
the  enemy's  advance  near  New  Hope  church  and,  in  an  une- 
qual contest,  fighting  on  foot,  kept  the  enemy  back  some  dis- 
tance from  Mine  Run  till  the  arrival  of  Heth's  Division,  and 
Hampton  having  come  up  with  Young's  Brigade,  the  greater 
portion  of  which  also  deployed  as  skirmishers,  the  enemy  was 
dislodged,  the  Sixty-third  having  done  its  part  of  the  fighting 
fully  and  well.  On  the  29th  General  Stuart  attacked  the  en- 
emy near  Parker's  store  with  Rosser's  Brigade  most  success- 
fully, but  reinforcements  coming  up  against  him,  General  Gor- 
don, who  was  fast  marching  to  the  firing  on  a  road  intersecting 
the  Orange  and  Fredericksburg  plank  road,  about  one  mile 
east  of  Parker's  store,  was  ordered  by  Stuart's  couriers  to 


586  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

"move  up  ra])i(lly  ;  that  llio  enemy  was  pressing  back  Rosser." 
We  went  forward  at  a  gallop.  The  ISFineteenth  North  Carolina 
and  a  portion  of  the  Sixtv-third  were  dismounted.  A  charge 
was  immediately  ordered  "which  was  done  in  handsome  style 
by  the  dismounted  men,  driving  the  enemy  from  the  railroad 
cut,  across  the  plank  road,  out  of  their  camps  and  scattering 
them  through  the  woods,  capturing  a  number  of  prisoners, 
some  horses,  overcoats,  blankets,  gims  and  their  camp  equip- 
age." We  were  then  soon  relieved  and  ordered  to  camp. 
"In  the  meantime  the  Sixty-third  had  been  ordered  back  with 
the  prisoners  and  most  of  the  artillery."  Vol.  48,  pp.  827, 
898  and  902-903. 

Meade  retired  across  the  Rapidan  by  the  same  fords  he 
crossed  and  we  went  into  winter  quarters  near  Milford  Sta- 
tion, on  the  Fredericksburg  Railroad,  and  picketed  the  Rap- 
idan at  Jacob's  and  other  fords  near  it,  thirty  miles  from  Mil- 
ford.     Long,  weary,  winter  work  well  done. 

In  the  latter  part  of  December  General  Stuart,  in  person, 
inspected  our  camp  and  condition.  He  wrote  to  General 
Hampton :  "I  desire  to  express  my  high  gTatification  at  the 
good  order  and  military  discipline  in  Gordon's  and  Young's 
Brigades  during  my  recent  visit  to  them."  In  February, 
1864,  the  Sixty-third  was  sent  to  their  homes  in  North  Caro- 
lina for  fresh  horses  for  the  coming  campaign.  VoL  60,  pp. 
1100  and  1143. 

Many  North  Carolina  homes  had  been  saddened  never  to  be 
brightened,  but  the  children  of  the  men  of  the  Sixty-third 
Regiment  were  given  a  high  heritage  by  its  great  campaigns 
of  1863. 

PERSONAL    INCIDENTS. 

At  Middleburg  Lieutenant  Ward,  of  Company  H,  was 
wounded  and  disabled  for  the  war,  and  Corporal  Flemming 
was  wounded  in  the  foot  and  Sam  Howard  in  the  face,  but 
they  continued  on  duty  three  days. 

That  night,  17  June,  at  Middleburg,  W.  H.  Hobson,  of 
Company  H,  a  nephew  of  Governor  Morehead  and  cousin  of 
our  Santiago  Hobson,  while  acting  as  vidette,  was  cut  off. 
All  thought  him  captured.     But  about  10  o'clock  he  came  in 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  587 

with  two  prisoners.  He  found  them  up  in  a  tree,  trying  to 
make  observations  of  our  camps  by  our  fires,  got  between- 
them  and  their  guns  leaning  against  a  rock  wall,  made  them 
come  down  to  him  in  sullen  surrender  and  brought  them  out 
and  delivered  them  to  our  provost  guard. 

Under  that  terrible  artillery  fire  at  Upperville  many  men 
and  horses  were  killed  and  wounded.  Among  them  Captain 
Booe,  of  Company  H,  was  disabled  by  wounds  for  the  war. 
The  same  shell  that  hurt  Captain  Booe  also  wounded  Henry 
Miller,  of  that  splendid  company,  and  killed  his  horse. 

In  that  fateful  charge  at  Upperville,  Company  H  was  in 
front,  at  Colonel  Evans'  side  when  he  was  mortally  wounded 
and  his  horse  killed,  and  it  suffered  fearfully,  as  this  list 
shows :  Lieutenant  Pearson's  horse  was  severely  wounded ; 
W.  H.  Hobson  wounded  three  times,  captured  and  horse 
killed ;  J.  B.  Foard,  horse  wounded ;  G.  W.  Fry,  wounded  and 
captured  and  horse  killed ;  Thos.  Bracken,  wounded  and  cap- 
tured and  horse  killed;  Cope  Wynn,  wounded  and  captured 
and  horse  killed ;  John  Kerr,  Henry  Jones,  Henry  Wood, 
Henry  Minor  and  David  Todd,  all  killed  and  horses  killed  or 
captured ;  Ellis  Lakey  and  F.  A.  Beaty,  wounded  and  cap- 
tured and  horses  killed ;  F.  A.  Arnold,  Joseph  Brandon  and 
J.  D.  Hodges  had  horses  wounded.  This  is  taken  from  a 
written  record  made  at  the  time  and  if  any  one  thinks  it  is 
merely  fun  to  ride  at  the  head  of  a  charging  cavalry  column 
let  him  read  this  list  and  think  over  it. 

Company  H  was  a  famous  company,  and  all  its  survivors 
now  lovingly  testify  that  to  Lieutenant,  after^vards  Captain, 
C.  W.  Pearson,  the  company  owed  more  for  its  fame  than  to 
any  one  else.  He  was  as  brave  as  the  bravest.  Always  faithful 
and  true  and  ready  for  any  duty  he  was  foremost  in  as  many 
splendid  scenes  of  the  Sixty-third  as  any  man  in  the  regiment. 
But  when  written  to  by  his  old  company  comrades  recently, 
for  a  sketch  of  the  company  and  some  special  acts  of  his  own 
for  this  history,  with  his  own  hand  he  wrote  out  and  sent  to 
his  men  thirty-two  pages  of  accurate,  instructive  and  interest- 
ing history  and  incidents  of  the  company,  but  never  mentions 
his  own  name  once.  And  in  his  letter  to  them,  accompanying 
the  paper,  he  writes :     "For  your  sake  as  well  as  that  of  the 


688  North  Carolina  Troops,   18C1-'65. 

old  company,  I  regret  that  I  can  recall  no  act  of  special  merit 
or  bravery  of  my  own ;  on  all  occasions  Company  H  was  never 
called  for  in  vain."  But  true  history  loves  such  men  too 
much  to  let  them  be  concealed  behind  their  own  modesty  and 
his  men  specially  request  that  the  foregoing  mention  of  him 
be  made.  Company  H  and  its  officers  were  just  representa- 
tive men  of  the  Sixty-third  in  making  its  great  history,  but 
I  am  truly  sorry  that  all  other  companies  and  officers  have 
not  done  as  well  as  H  in  helping  to  record  that  history. 

Lieutenant  Moore,  of  Company  C,  was  captured  on  the  An- 
tietam.  Lieutenant  Gibson  and  Green  Bingham,  of  Company 
r,  were  both  severely  wounded  in  the  fight  at  Jack  Mountain ; 
and  John  Cahill,  of  Company  F,  shot  through  and  through 
Avith  liis  carbine  while  both  were  mounted,  a  large,  grand 
looking,  gallant  Federal  officer,  leading  their  charge  on  Jack 
Mountain  who  tried  to  ride  down  and  saber  Cahill.  This 
officer  died  in  our  regimental  surgeon's  chair  that  night. 
John  Cahill  was  a  jdain,  big,  fat  country  boy,  but  it  was 
the  unanimous  opinion  of  all  officers  and  men  of  Company 
F  that  "John  Cahill  was  the  very  best  soldier  in  Company 
F,"  and  Company  F  was  just  as  good  as  any  company  in 
the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regiment.  But  when  I 
urged  him  yesterday,  in  a  meeting  of  some  members  of  Com- 
pany F  to  tell  me  some  special  act  of  his  to  record  here,  he 
laughed  that  big,  jovial  laugh  we  had  heard  so  often  in 
camp  and  even  along  the  line  of  battle,  and  then  said,  seri- 
ously and  thoughtfully  and  sadly  to  me :  "Well,  I  declare,  I 
don't  know  a  thing  in  the  world  to  tell  you."  I  say  "sadly," 
because  such  heroes,  who  immortalized  the  Army  of  Northern 
Virginia,  are  fast  passing  away  and  we  just  can't  get  them 
to  tell  their  deeds  for  history.  Others  present  knew  and  told 
al)out  his  shooting  the  Federal  officer  on  Jack  Mountain. 
Cahill  then  concurred  in  their  statement  and,  with  evident 
satisfaction,  added :  "But  he  is  the  only  man,  I  am  glad  to 
say,  that  I  ever  knew  I  killed  during  the  war."  There  are 
too  many  others  in  Company  F  almost  as  good  soldiers  as 
Cahill  for  me  to  name  them  all  here.     I  am  sorry  I  can  not. ' 

On  the  retreat  from  Gettysburg,  J.  D.  Hodges,  of  Com- 
pany IT,  was  a  picket  on  the  Antietam  and  was  cut  off  by 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  589 

Kilpatrick's  cavalry.  He  made  every  effort  to  join  his  regi- 
ment and,  in  his  movements,  rode  up  on  two  Federal  cavalry- 
men coming  out  of  a  farm  house.  He  knew  that  Kilpatrick's 
forces  were  all  around  him,  but  he  leveled  his  carbine  on  them 
and  ordered  them  to  surrender.  They  did  so  and  he  was 
doing  his  best  to  take  them  out,  they  protested  all  the  while 
that  their  men  would  see  him  and  fire  on  him  and  kill  them 
all.  And  finally  he  was  seen  and  surrounded  by  a  squad  of 
Kilpatrick's  men  and  one  ''boy  in  gray"  was  made  very  sad 
and  two  ''boys  in  blue"  very  happy. 

Company  I  lost  fourteen  men  captured  and  several  killed 
while  on  the  picket  line  on  Antietam. 

Captain  N.  P.  Eankin,  of  Company  I,  had  command  of  the 
Sixty-third's  dismounted  skirmishers  that  terrible  night  at 
Auburn.  Then,  as  always,  he  was  efi&cient,  capable  and 
brave.  After  the  regiment  had  mounted,  from  that  fierce 
firing  line,  for  our  withdrawal,  among  the  foremost  and  most 
helpful  men  in  the  dangerous  and  difficult  task  of  bringing 
out  from  that  triangle  the  heavy  ordnance  wagons  of  Gor- 
don's Brigade  was  a  firstrclass  fighting  private  of  Company  I, 
D.  B.  Coltrane.  All  night  and  till  we  withdrew  he  was  on 
the  Sixty-third's  line  of  battle.  He  is  now  the  gentlemanly, 
courteous  cashier  of  the  Concord  I^ational  Bank,  Concord, 
'N.  C,  to  which  position  he  has  risen,  from  the  war's  poverty 
on  all  Southerners,  by  the  same  courage  and  character  that 
succeeded,  in  the  face  of  adversity,  in  bringing  out  our  bri- 
gade's ammunition  at  Auburn.  Sergeant  E.  D.  Hines,  of 
Company  I,  was  conspicuous  for  gallantry  on  the  Sixty- 
third's  line  of  battle  at  Auburn  and  was  always  brave  and 
faithful.  Sergeant  Robt.  A.  Davidson,  son  of  A.  Brevard 
Davidson,  of  Charlotte,  N.  C,  was  captured  at  Jack's  Shop 
and,  in  our  mounted  pursuit  of  Kilpatrick,  after  he  was 
beaten  back  at  Jack's  Shop,  John  Cahill  was  severely  shot 
in  the  hip,  and,  except  for  this  wound,  he  never  missed  a 
single  duty  during  the  war. 

Lieutenant  J.  C.  Hines,  a  brave  and  efficient  officer  of  Com- 
pany Gr,  was  captured  at  Jack's  Shop  and  was  a  prisoner  dur- 
ing the  entire  war.  For  one  year  he  was  one  of  the  500  Con- 
federate officers  placed  under  the  fire  of  our  guns  of  Fort 


590  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

Suniptcr,  on  Morris  Island  near  Battery  Wagner.  For 
month  and  months  he  and  his  fellow  prisoners  were  almost 
starved  to  death,  his  only  rations  being  one  pint  of  spoiled 
meal  and  one  pickle  per  day  by  orders  of  one  Col.  Holiday. 
And  thns,  by  his  imprisonment,  he  suffered  for  the  South 
far  more  than  many  in  our  ranks. 

At  Jack's  Shop,  Lemuel  Johnston  Bailey,  of  Company 
H,  was  also  captured  and  died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Point  Look- 
out, 7  January,  1864.  He  was  a  school  boy  soldier,  bright 
and  beautiful,  brother  of  Thos.  B.  Bailey,  of  Mocksville.  Of 
all  the  young  lives  willingly  laid  as  sacrifices  of  love  on  the 
altar  of  the  South,  none  was  better,  or  braver,  or  purer  than 
Lem.  Bailey's. 

One  long  night  and  the  following  day  in  December,  1863, 
a  boy  picket  stood  out  in  the  bitter  cold  watching  Jacob's 
ford  on  the  Rapidan.  There  was  near  to  his  right  a  house 
on  the  overlooking  hill,  evidently  once  a  prosperous,  happy 
home,  but  now^  a  very  "bleak  house,"  all  desolate  and  shorn 
by  war  of  every  comfort,  only  the  bare  necessaries  of  life 
left.  In  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  a  woman,  most 
plainly  dressed  in  deep  mourning,  with  all  the  tender- 
ness and  refinement  of  the  best  Southern  womanhood 
about  her,  came  from  that  house  to  that  picket,  and,  after 
being  halted  and  readily  allowed  to  approach,  she  took  from 
its  cover  a  plate  on  which  was  only  a  small  bit  of  com  bread, 
a  little  piece  of  fat  bacon,  just  about  the  size  of  the  first  two 
fingers  together  of  a  man's  hand,  and  some  parsnips,  all  beau- 
tifully neat  and  perfectly  cooked,  and  then  said:  "I  have 
been  noticing  you  down  here  all  day ;  you  made  me  think  of 
my  boy,  who  is  in  our  army,  and  to  whom  some  otlier 
mother  will  be  kind,  as  we  all  love  to  be  to  our  soldiers,  and  I 
came  to  bring  you  a  part  of  our  little  dinner."  With  a  royal 
sense  of  true  propriety  and  politeness,  she  uttered  not  a  word 
of  apology  for  the  "little  dinner,"  not  a  word  of  explanation 
al)out  the  war's  ravages,  but  all  w\as  said  and  done  with  the 
sublime  grace  of  a  Southern  mother  courageously  confronting 
cruel  calamity.  This  little  incident  is  recorded  here  that 
it  may  be  known  that,  way  off  on  the  outposts,  in  the  en- 
emy's pitiless  presence,  the  Southern  woman  never  abated  her 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  591 

love  and  loyalty  to  the  South  and  the  Southern  soldier,  which 
fact,  all  through  the  war,  was  the  truest  and  strongest  inspira- 
tion of  that  soldier's  valor  and  virtue. 

"God  bless  the  Women  of  the  South/' 

CAMPAIGT^    OF    1864. KEASlSEMBLIISrG    AND    KETUKN    TO    RICH- 
MOND. 

The  regiment  temporarily  disbanded  at  Henderson,  N.  C, 
in  March,  1864,  that  each  man  might  go  tO'  his  ho-me  for  a 
new  horse,  or  the  recuperation  of  the  one  he  had  and  himself. 
This  was  a  wise  and  economical  act  on  the  parti  of  our  pov- 
erty-stricken and  staggering  Confederate  Government.  It 
was  a  great  and  helpful  blessing  tO'  our  war-wearied  men  and 
animals.  It  must  be  borne  in  mind  and  always  remembered 
that  the  Confederate  cavalryman  furnished  his  own  horse 
and  never  received  nor  expected  pay  for  his  loss,  unless  he 
was  "actually  killed  in  battle  or  died  of  wounds"  received  in 
battle.  It  was  so  written  in  the  bond  of  our  agreement  of 
love. 

After  a  stay,  all  too  short,  at  our  respective  homes  until 
about  15  April,  each  man  of  the  regiment  reported  in  person 
with  his  horse  to  his  own  Captain  at  some  place  designated, 
when  we  parted  at  Henderson,  and  from  that  place  we 
marched,  by  companies,  to  Richmond,  Va.,  and  reunited  as  a 
regiment  in  splendid  condition  and  numbering  over  500  ef- 
fective mounted  men  and  officers. 

ORDERS   TO   REPORT. 

At  Richmond  we  received  the  following  "orders,"  and  im- 
mediately acted  thereon : 

"Adjutant  and  Inspector  General''s  Office^ 
Richmond,  2  May,  1864. 
Special  Orders  No.  102. 

The  Fifth  Regiment,  JSTorth  Carolina  Cavalry,  now  in  tem- 
porary service  near  this  city,  will  immediately  proceed  to 
the  headquarters  Army  of  J^orthem  Virginia  and  report  to 
General  R.  E.  Lee,  commanding,  etc.,  for  assignment  to  duty 
with  Brigadier-General  Gordon's  Brigade."  Vol.  68,  p.  940. 
General  Lee's  headquarters,  when  we  reported,  were  near 


592  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

New  W^rdierville,  on  the  plank  road  a  short  distance  north- 
west from  Spottsjlvania  (Jonrt  House;  and  General  Gordon's 
headquarters,  under  Hampton  then,  2  May,  were  near  Mil- 
ford,  Va.  Vol.  68,  p.  941  and  048.  Gordon's  Brigade,  then 
in  Hampton's  Division,  consisted  of  the  Ninth,  Nineteenth 
and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  (First,  Second  and  Fifth 
Cavalry),  as  it  did  immediately  afterwards  in  W.  H.  F.  Lee's 
Division.     Vol.  67,  p.  1027. 

TRANSFER  FROM  HAMPTON^S  TO  W.   II.   F.   LEE^S  DIVISION. 

On  30  April,  1864,  were  issued  "Special  Orders  No.  118, 
Department  of  Northern  Virginia."  The  part  of  these  or- 
ders aijplicable  to  Gordon's  Brigade  was  as  follows : 

"In  accordance  with  instructions  from  the  War  Depart- 
ment, the  brigades  of  Brigadier-Generals  Gordon  and  Cham- 
bliss  are  detached  respectively  from  Hampton's  and  Fitz. 
Lee's  Divisions  of  cavalry,  and  will  constitute  a  new  division 
under  the  command  of  Major-General  W.  H.  F.  Lee." 

Tliese  "special  orders,"  being  considered  "unimport.ant," 
are  not  ])ublished  in  "Official  Records,"  but  this  extract  was 
kindly  furnished  me,  as  it  is  given,  by  General  F.  C.  Ains- 
worth,  U.  S.  A.,  Chief  of  Record  and  Pension  Office,  War 
Department. 

The  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  afterwards  became  very 
much  attached  to  General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  and  found  him  a  fine 
cavalry  commander ;  but  not  such  a  man  or  commander  as 
HamjDton,  whom  we  loved  personally  and  officiall3^  There 
was  sad  regret  on  our  part  as  there  was  with  General  Hamp- 
ton at  this  transfer.  Hampton's  order  in  executing  this 
transfer  is  on  page  945,  Vol.  68,  and  is  now  quoted  in  full  to 
show  his  estimate  of  the  Sixty-third  and  his  attachment  on 
that  account  tO'  this  regiment: 

"Headquarters  Hampton's  Division  Cavalry, 
"Cavalry  Camp^  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 

"Milford,  5  May,  1864. 
"Brigadier-General  J.  B.  Gordon,  Commanding  Cavalry  Bri- 
gade: 
"General: — In  pursuance  of  Special  Orders  No.  118,  De- 
partment of  Northern  Virginia,  of  30  April,  and  of  instnic- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  593 

tions  from  Major-General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  commanding  cav- 
alry, yon  are  directed  to  proceed  without  delay  with  your 
command  to  the  vicinity  of  Shady  Grove,  where  you  will  con- 
centrate your  brigade  and  report  for  further  orders  to  Major- 
General  Stuai-t.  I  am  directed  by  Major-General  Hampton, 
in  communicating  the  above  orders,  to  express  to  you,  and 
through  you  to  your  whole  brigade,  the  surprise  with  which 
he  has  received  the  orders  and  the  pain  it  causes  him  to  exe- 
cute them.  He  indulges  the  hope  that  his  wishes  may  be  con- 
sulted, and  that  a  new  assignment  may  be  made  as  soon  as  the 
present  emergency  shall  have  passed,  which  will  return  your 
brigade  to  his  division  and  give  him  back  the  troops  to  whom 
he  has  become  so  attached  and  whom  he  has  learned  to  trust 
in  times  of  danger  and  trial. 

"Indulging  this  hope,  he  refrains  from  saying  farewell, 
but  will  watch  the  performance  of  officers  and  men  in  the  ap- 
proaching contest  mth  the  same  anxious  interest  as  if  they 
were  imder  his  o^\^l  command,  confident  that  if  your  regi- 
ments should  be  eventually  returned  to  him  they  will  bring 
back  unsullied  banners  and  a  record  of  glory  increased  and 
illustrated  by  new  achievements  in  the  coming  campaign. 

"I  am.  General,  veiy  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"Theo.  G.  Barker^ 
"Major  and  Assistant  Adjutant-General." 

Thus  we  see  that  the  illustrious  Hampton  had  become  "at- 
tached" to  and  had  "learned  to  trust  in  times  of  danger  and 
trial"  the  Sixty-third  ITorth  Carolina  which,  by  this  order, 
he  places  side  by  side  ^^'ith  the  Kinth  and  l^ineteenth  in  his 
attachment  and  estimate  of  merit,  without  the  slightest  dif- 
ference as  to  either.  A  great  tribute  of  love  and  confidence 
to  our  regiment  from  a  very  great  source. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  WILDERNESS. 

The  foregoing  orders  and  our  execution  of  them  placed  the 
Sixty-third  right  on  the  ground  for  the  great  battle  of  the 
Wilderness.  General  Grant  crossed  the  Rapidan  4  May  with 
the  intention  of  an  immediate  forward  movement  by  his  front, 

38 


694  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

to  Richmond.  His  instructions  to  General  Meade  were: 
"Lee's  Anny  will  be  your  objective  point.  Wherever  Lee 
goes,  there  yoii  will  go  also."     Vol.  60,  p.  828, 

The  battle  began  early  on  5  May  and  raged  furiously  all 
day,  and  was  renewed  at  5  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  6th, 
and  continued  with  unabated  fury  until  darkness  set  in,  each 
army  holding  substantially  the  same  position  they  had  on  the 
evening  of  the  5th.  General  Grant,  Vol.  67,  p.  18.  Not- 
withstanding his  statement  as  to  "holding  substantially  the 
same  position,"  the  world  now  knows  that  the  South  won  a 
gi'eat  victory  at  the  Wilderness.  And  that  instead  of  going 
"wherever  Lee  goes,"  as  ordered,  Meade,  under  General 
Grant,  began  his  famous  movement  via  Spottsylvania  by  Lee's 
right  flank,  on  nightf  of  7  May,  after  a  loss  of  17,666  men  in 
two  days.  Vol.  67,  p.  188.  If  he  intended  to  go  by  Lee's 
right  flank,  at  first,  why  this  awful  sacrifice  ?  In  this  great 
battle  the  Sixty- third  fought  most  of  the  6  th  near  White 
Hall,  close  to  the  Catliarpin  road. 

This  action  on  our  part  was  under  tlie  immediate  super- 
vision of  General  Gordon,  who  was  continually  riding  and 
walking  along  the  dismounted  lines  of  the  Nineteenth  and 
Sixty-third,  the  only  two  regiments  of  his  engaged.  He 
thought  "from  the  number  and  manner  of  firing  and  reports 
of  ofiicers"  that  we  were  fighting  infantry.  Vol.  68,  p.  961. 
The  firing  on  our  regiment  was  terrific.  Willis  L.  Miller,  of 
Company  F,  of  Davidson  County,  was  killed  here  and  many 
others  of  our  regiment  were  killed  and  wounded.  He  was 
a  splendid  boy  soldier.  Atid  one  of  the  most  touching  scenes 
I  ever  witnessed  was  Captain  John  R.  Erwin  writing  next 
morning  to  the  boy's  father  of  his  death. 

GENEEAL  LEE^S  RELIANCE  ON  HIS  CAVALKY. 

May  7,  1864,  Colonel  Taylor,  General  R.  E.  Lee's  Assist- 
ant Adjutant-General,  wrote  General  Stuart:  "General  Lee 
directs  me  to  say  that  ho  wishes  you  would  make  an  exami- 
nation and  thoroughly  inform  yourself  about  the  roads  on 
our  right,  which  it  would  be  advisable  or  necessaiy  for  us  to 
follow,  should  tlie  enemy  continue  his  movement  toward 
Spottsylvania  Court  House,  or  should  we  desire  to  move  on 
his  flank  in  that  direction.     Find  out  about  the  roads  which 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  595 

the  infantry  would  take,  and  upon  which  our  artillery,  etc, 
could  be  thrown  around.  *  *  *  ^q  relies  upon  you  to 
keep  him  accurately  informed  of  the  enemy's  movements, 
slioidd  they  he  in  the  direction  above  indicated."  Vol.  68, 
p.  969.  The  italics  are  mine  and  the  letter  is  quoted  to  show 
the  importance  of  our  cavalry,  in  the  face  of  much  dispar- 
agement by  the  uninformed.  And  in  this  view  this  letter  is 
a  part  of  the  history  of  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina. 
And  now  see  the  result  of  Stuart's  Cavalry  work  along  the 
lines  of  that  letter.  In  his  report  of  the  terrible  battle  of 
Spottsylvania,  General  Grant  says :  ''On  the  night  of  the 
7th  the  march  was  commenced  toward  Spottsylvania  Court 
House,  the  Fifth  Corps  moving  by  the  most  direct  road.  But 
the  enemy  hawing  become  apprised  of  our  movement^  and 
having  tlie  shorter  line,  was  enabled  to  reach  there  first." 
Vol.  67,  p.  19.  To  same  effect  are  General  Sheridan's  words 
at  top  of  page  789,  Vol.  67.  Italics  in  last  quotation  mine. 
We  all  know  the  result.  General  Grant  lost  18,399  men  at 
Spottsylvania.  Vol.  67,  p.  188.  How  much  the  cavalry 
under  Stuart,  in  conforming  to  General  Lee's  letter,  aided 
in  tliis  no  one  knows.  I  merely  give  the  facts.  We  were 
not  in  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania  at  all,  but  we  aided  in  this 
antecedent  Avork. 

Near  White  Hall,  on  8  May,  General  Gordon  received 
the  ''orders"  of  transfer  to  Major-General  W.  H.  F.  Lee's 
Division  and  reported  to  him  that  day.  This  division 
now  consisted  of  Chambliss'  Virginia  and  Gordon's  North 
Carolina  Brigades.  Gordon's  Brigade  now  consisted  of  only 
the  Ninth,  Nineteenth  and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina 
(First,  Second  and  Fifth  Cavalry),  the  Fifty-ninth  North 
Carolina  (Fourth  Cavalry)  having  been  assigned  to  Dear- 
ing's  Brigade.  The  Sixty-third  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
S.  B.  Evans.     VoL  67,  p.  1027. 

Sheridan's  raid. 

On  the  morning  of  9  May  General  Sheridan,  from  the 
vicinity  of  Alrich's,  on  the  plank  road  to  Fredericksburg,  be- 
gan his  raid  on  Richmond,  around  the  right  of  Lee's  Army. 
He  had  with  him  his  whole  corps,  three  divisions  of  cavalry,  at 


596  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

least  12,000  eflfective  mounted  men  and  one  brigade,  six  bat- 
teries, of  artillery"  under  command  of  Captain  James  M.  Rob- 
ertson, of  the  regular  United  States  Army.  He  moved  via 
Cliilesburg  and  Beaver  Dam,  at  which  latter  place  he  de- 
stroyed large  and  valuable  Confederate  ration  and  medical 
supplies.     Vol.  67,  pp.  787-790  and  285. 

It  was  absolutely  necessary  for  some  cavalry  to  be  present 
with  General  Lee's  Army  and  Hampton's  Division  and  Cham- 
bliss'  Brigade  were  left  there  for  duty.  So  to  contend  with 
this  great  invading  force  and  direct  attack  upon  the  capital  of 
the  Confederacy,  for  that  was  the  ultimate  purpose  of  the 
raid,  its  JiigJiest  liopc  and  aim,  Stuart  could  command  only 
three  brigades,  Lomax's  and  Wicldiam's,  Fitz.  Lee's  Division, 
and  Gordon's  imperfect  brigade,  and  of  artillery  only  John- 
ston's Battery  and  a  section  of  Hart's.  All  told  not  over  four 
thousand.  Vol.  1  North  Carolina  Regiments,  p.  429.  Vol. 
67,  p.  104.5.  Sheridan  reported  his  cavalry  force  at  10,000, 
but  it  was  inuch  more,  according  tO'  their  organization  re- 
turns. Sheridan  had  tliree  entire  divisions,  Stuart  had  three 
incomplete  brigades.  General  Stuart  harrassed  him  in  rear 
and  on  his  flank  with  Fitz.  Lee's  forces,  until  Gordon  could 
come  up,  which  we  did  promptly.  By  forced  marches,  Stuart 
put  Fitz.  Lee's  two  brigades  in  Sheridan's  front  at  Yellow 
Tavern  on  the  Brook  Turnpike  at  an  early  hour  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  11th,  and  at  once  began  the  battle  of  Yellow  Tav- 
ern. About  the  same  time  Gordon  attacked  his  rear  fero- 
ciously at  Goodall's  Tavern,  near  Ground  Squirrel  Church, 
Devin's  Federal  brigade  burned  the  Ground  Squirrel  bridge 
over  the  South  Anna  river  in  the  early  morning  of  the  11th, 
Vol.  67,  p.  834  and  p.  846,  to  impede  our  progress,  and  it 
would  have  direfully  delayed  almost  any  other  man  than  Gor- 
don. He  knew  or  quickly  found  an  old,  steep-banked,  almost 
impassable  ford.  As  I  remember  it,  it  seems  to  me  that  the 
tops  of  the  banks  were  at  least  fifteen  feet  from  the  water.  Of 
course  they  were  not  Gordon  knew  that  Stuart  wanted  him 
and  that  Richmond  needed  him  over  that  river  fast.  He  gal- 
loped to  this  ford  with  the  Sixty-third  in  front,  pointed  to  it 
and  told  us  that  it  was  our  only  place  of  crossing,  gave  the  or- 
der "Forward  !"  and  with  a  mighty  plunge  he  led  the  way,  and 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  597 

over  that  old  ford  every  man  of  his  brigade  followed  him. 
Some  were  seriously  hurt,  but  we  were  out  there  expecting  to 
get  hurt.  We  were  not  "squirrel"  hunting  just  then,  even 
there.  In  a  few  minutes  we  were  all  up  the  high  hill  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  where  the  enemy  had  camped  and  in 
full  sight  now  of  their  rear  guard,  whose  skirmishers  were 
firing  on  us  as  we  crossed  that  ford  and  were  driven  off  by  our 
charge  up  that  hill.  Vol.  67,  p.  846.  Our  regiment  was 
all  quickly  dismounted,  except  one  squadron.  Company  F 
was  in  the  lead  of  the  regiment,  and  as  we  walked  up  the 
road  in  colunin  of  fours  the  fire  was  fierce  from  their  skir- 
mishers and  Lieutenant  Gibson,  at  the  head  of  the  com- 
pany, was  badly  wounded.  In  splendid  style  we  swung  out 
into  line  on  the  right  of  that  road  and  went  at  their  dis- 
mounted men  with  a  steady  step  and  fire,  and  drove  them 
back  in  disorder  and  "confusion."  On  page  864,  Vol. 
67,  we  read:  "May  11 — Started  from  Goodall's  Tavern, 
First  Maine  as  rear  guard.  It  became  necessary  to  dismount 
tlie  whole  regiment  tO'  hold  back  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy 
while  the  column  moved  on.  On  withdrawing  these  dis- 
mounted men,  the  enemy  charged,  both  mounted  and  dis- 
mounted, and  caused  the  regiment  to  fall  back  with  some  con- 
fusion and  considerable  loss."  That  "strong  force"  was  just 
four-fifths  of  our  regiment  "fighting  on  foot,"  for  one  squad- 
ron was  then  mounted  and  no  mounted  charge  was  made  until 
the  dismounted  men  drove  them  back.  That  First  Maine  was 
a  superb  regiment.  There  was  no  better  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  But  a  part  of  the  Sixty-third  !N^orth  Carolina  beat 
them  "back  with  some  confusion  and  considerable  loss"  at 
Goodall's  11  May,  1864.  They  quickly  had  another  force  in 
front  of  our  dismounted  line  and  while  we  were  driving  them 
also  with  a  rattling  fire  from  their  men  and  ours  that  grand 
old  First  Maine  was  in  the  saddle  for  coming  events  on  horse- 
back. Gordon  then  charged  past  our  left  with  the  Ninth 
North  Carolina  and  that  squadron  of  the  Sixty-third.  It 
was  hand-to-hand,  saber  to  saber,  in  deadly  close  conflict  be- 
tween the  Ninth  North  Carolina  and  that  squadron  of  the 
Sixty-third  on  our  side,  and  the  First  Maine,  now  remounted, 
and  the  Tenth  New  York,  Vol.  67,  p.  870,  on  their  side;  and 


598  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

in  a  few  moments  the  First  Maine  and  the  Tenth  New  York 
"fell  back  with  some  more  confusion  and  considerable  loss" 
before  our  sabers  also.  Men  will  not  stand  long  the  cold  steel 
and  clash  of  the  saber.  One  side  or  the  other  gives  way 
quickly  as  did  Sheridan's  splendid  soldiers  before  these  two 
North  Carolina  regiments  in  those  glorious  charges  and  coun- 
ter-charges at  Ground  Squirrel  Church. 

We  kept  up  the  fight  on  their  rear,  pressing  them  hard  con- 
tinuously. General  Gregg,  commanding  their  Second  Divis- 
ion, says:  "On  the  11th,  near  Ground  Squirrel  Church,  this 
division,  marching  in  rear,  was  attacked  by  Gordon's  Brigade 
of  rebel  cavalry.  The  attacks  of  the  enemy  were  repeated 
duriug  the  entire  day,  thus  forming  a  part  of  the  general  en- 
gagement with  the  enemy  at  Yellow  Tavern."  Vol.  67,  p. 
853.  "This  division,"  mark  you.  And  our  attacks,  on  their 
rear,  were  as  victorious  as  they  were  "repeated." 

At  Yellow  Tavern,  in  their  front,  Stuart  made  for  hours 
a  terrible  fight  and  his  last,  while  the  North  Carolina  Brigade 
fought  them  fiercely  in  their  rear.  But  the  odds  and  every 
hope,  could  we  have  realized  it,  were  all  against  us  from  the 
start  in  that  fatal  fighting  of  11  May  at  Yellow  Tavern,  and 
Wickham  and  Lomax  had  to  give  way  before  the  over^vhelm- 
ing  hosts  and  their  defeat,  gloriously  resisted  by  them  and 
lessened  by  Gordon,  was  made  most  direful  by  General  Stu- 
art's death-wound. 

It  seems  to  me  that  every  reader  of  this  history  will 
be  interested  in  the  story  of  Stuart's  fall  and,  therefore,  I 
give  it  and  General  R.  E.  Lee's  general  order  on  his  death. 

Colonel  Eussell  A.  Alger,  Colonel  of  the  Fifth  Michigan 
Cavalry,  on  8  July,  1864,  reports  it  thus:  "Arriving  at  a 
point  commanding  a  hill  in  rear  of  rebel  battery,  my  atten- 
tion was  called  by  Captain  Judson,  of  tliis  regiment,  to  an 
ofiicer,  accompanied  by  a  large  staff  and  escort,  carrying  a 
battle  flag,  who  was  just  coming  on  to  the  hill  from  the  rear. 
This  officer  was  shot  from  his  horse  by  Private  John  A.  Huff, 
Company  E,  formerly  of  Berdan's  Sharpsliooters.  He  was 
immediately  carried  to  the  rear  by  his  staff.  About  thirty 
minutes  later  the  hill  was  carried,  and  a  woman  and  a  negro 
informed  me  that  General  Stuart  had  been  shot  on  the  hill 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  599 

mentioned,  and  first  brought  to  their  house  and  afterward 
carried  awaj  in  an  ambulance."  And  Colonel  Alger  further 
says :  "I  regret  to  report  that  Private  John  A.  Huff,  Com- 
pany E,  the  man  mentioned  who  wounded  General  Stuart, 
has  recently  died  of  wounds  received  at  Haw's  Shop  on  28 
May."     Vol.  67,  pp.  828  and  829. 

"HeADQUAETEES   AeMY   ISTOETHEEN    VlEGINIA^ 

20  May,  1864. 
General  Orders  No.  JfJf. 

The  commanding  general  announces  to  the  army  with 
heartfelt  sorrow  the  death  of  Major-General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart, 
late  commander  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  of  the  Army  of  North- 
ern Virginia.  Among  the  gallant  soldiers  who  have  fallen 
in  this  war.  General  Stuart  was  second  to  none  in  valor,  in 
zeal  and  in  unfaltering  devotion  to  his  country.  His  achieve- 
ments form  a  conspicuous  part  of  the  history  of  this  army, 
with  which  his  name  and  services  will  be  forever  associated. 
To  military  capacity  of  a  high  order  and  all  the  noble  virtues 
of  the  soldier,  he  added  the  brighter  graces  of  a  pure  life, 
guided  and  sustained  by  the  Christian's  faith  and  hope.  The 
mysterious  hand  of  an  Allwise  God  has  removed  him  from  the 
scene  of  his  usefulness  and  fame.  His  grateful  countrymen 
will  mourn  his  loss  and  cherish  his  memory.  To  his  com- 
rades in  arms  he  has  left  the  proud  recollection  of  his  deeds, 
and  the  inspiring  infiuence  of  his  example. 

R.  E.  Lee,  General." 

"His  achievements,"  as  we  have  well  seen,  were  in  part 
the  work  of  the  Sixty-third  ISTorth  Carolina.  This  "General 
Order"  is  on  page  800,  Vol.  69. 

But  Yellow  Tavern  was  to  Sheridan  what  Guilford  Court 
House  was  tO'  Cornwallis.  One  more  like  it  w^ould  have 
ruined  him  and  his  hosts.  He  knew  it  and  began  his  mid- 
night retreat  with  the  spires  of  Richmond  in  sight  and  her 
church  "bells  heard  ringing."  Vol.  67,  p.  834.  And  it  was 
this  regiment  and  other  North  Carolinians  who  were  blasting 
the  highest  hope  and  aim  of  Sheridan  and  his  raid  and  saving 
Richmond.     Our  regiment  never  think  or  speak  of  it  vainglo- 


600  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

rio'usly,  but  always  with  sorrow  for  the  dead  and  the  defeat 
in  front  at  Yellow  Tavern,  but  history  must  record  that  it  was 
another  case  of  'Tickett  or  Pettigrew."  If  Gordon  and  his 
North  Carolinians  had  not  pressed  him  as  they  did,  Sheridan 
would  surely  liave  gone  into  Richmond  11  May,  186Jf. 

Among  our  mortally  wounded  at  Ground  Squirrel  Church 
were  Lieutenant  Samuel  Ilanner,  of  Company  I,  and  Pri- 
vate K.  Davis  Kerr,  of  Company  F,  and  of  course,  many 
others  whose  names  I  cannot  recall. 

The  following  appeared  in  the  Richmond  Enquirer  of  12 
May,  and  was  copied  in  a  JSTorth  Carolina  paper  of  May, 
1864,  from  which  I  now  copy: 

"Individual  instances  of  daring  are  numerous  and  we  hope 
not  to  be  invidious  in  mentioning  an  instance.  In  the  charge 
the  Yankee  colors  at  one  time  being  almost  in  reach.  Lieu- 
tenant Lindsay,  of  the  Fifth  North  Carolina,  dashes  at  them 
and  grapples  with  the  color-bearer.  As  he  reaches  for  them, 
an  expert  shift  from  one  hand  to  the  other  by  the  color-bearer, 
saves  them  from  his  grasp,  but,  with  well-plied  stroke  of  the 
sabre,  he  almost  unhorses  the  bearer,  who,  bleeding,  reels,  but 
gathers  his  equilibrium,  and  by  means  of  the  fleetness  of  his 
horse,  saves  himself  with  his  devoted  Yankee  bunting. 

"Another  instance  is,  also,  worthy  of  publicity.  Private 
Frank  Brown,  of  Company  H,  Fifth  North  Carolina  Cavalry, 
a  mere  stripling,  dashes  into  the  heavy  ranks  of  the  First 
Maine  Regiment  and  encounters  an  athletic  Yankee  Captain, 
who,  with  a  stunning  blow  with  his  broad  sabre,  knocks  the 
lad  from  his  horse ;  at  the  same  instant  the  Yankee  Captain's 
horse  was  shot  from  under  him.  Just  as  this  brave  lad  was 
rising  from  the  ground,  his  eye  caught  the  situation  of  his  an- 
tagonist, and,  raising  the  butt  of  his  gun,  he  commenced  club- 
bing the  Yankee,  who  lustily  cried  out  for  quarter." 

Frank  Brown  accepted  his  surrender  and  went  with  him, 
12  May,  as  a  "special  guard"  by  reason  of  his  own  wound,  to 
Libby  Prison,  in  Richmond,  and  there  in  person,  turned  him 
over  tO'  our  authorities. 

I  am  assured  that  Frank  Brown  dismounted  and  with  car- 
bine leveled  on  them,  also  captured  four  privates  of  the  First 
Maine  that  same  day  and  three  horses,  one  of  which  was  given, 


SixT!f-THiRD  Regiment.  601 

there  in  the  fight,  to  Lieutenant  Kerr  Craige,  of  Gordon's 
staff,  and  another  to  Captain  C.  W.  Pearson,  of  Company  H, 
both  of  whom  had  their  horses  killed  there. 

This  same  captain  of  the  First  Maine,  seeing  one  of  his 
own  company  privates  surrender  to  Private  J.  B.  Foard,  of 
Company  H,  Sixty-third  North  Carolina,  and,  in  the  zeal  and 
intensity  of  his  own  valorous  fighting,  being  unconscious  of 
the  exact  situation,  called  out  to  his  man,  naming  him :  "What 
in  the  thunder  does  that  mean  ?"  Just  then  Frank  Brown 
and  the  Captain  met.  Brown,  in  marching  the  Captain  to 
the  rear,  overtook  Foard  and  his  prisoner,  when  the  latter 
politely  said:  "Captain,  what  in  the  thunder  does  this 
mean  ?" 

And  there  seems  then  to  have  been  a  mutual  understand- 
ing between  them  as  to  what  it  did  mean. 

A  member  of  the  First  Maine,  in  this  same  conflict,  was 
in  the  very  act  of  shooting  Sergeant  A.  N.  Campbell,  of  Com- 
pany H,  when  the  latter,  with  a  tremendous  "right  cut  against 
cavalry,"  knocked  the  gun  out  of  his  hand  and  took  him  pris- 
oner. Captain  Pearson  writes  of  Campbell:  "No  braver 
man  ever  drew  the  breath  of  life." 

S.  F.  Flemming,  of  Company  H,  got  in  this  fight,  a  terri- 
ble saber  cut  on  his  head  and  forehead,  the  scar  of  which 
plainly  shows  to-day.  We  captured  that  day  an  entire  wagon 
load  of  Spencer  rifles  and  their  special  ammunition.  It  was 
a  splendid,  long-range,  breech-loader  and  shot  seven  times 
without  reloading.  I  carried  one  of  them  during  the  re- 
mainder of  my  service  in  the  ranks,  and  was  very  much  at- 
tached to  it. 

BROOK    CHUKCH. 

General  Sheridan  calls  this  "Meadow  Bridge."  In  grat- 
itude, I  guess,  to  the  bridge  that  "carried  him  over"  his  im- 
minent danger  and  disaster  at  Brook  Church. 

The  Brook  Turnpike  above  Richmond  runs  almost  due 
north  and  south.  The  Military  road  at  Brook,  or  Emanuel 
Church,  strikes  it  at  right  angles  from  the  east,  in  which  direc- 
tion this  road  crosses  the  upper  Chickahominy  at  Meadow 
Bridge.     In  his  midnight  retreat  of  11  May,  from  Yellow 


602  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Tavern,  General  Sheridan  took  this  Military  road  at  Brook 
Church  to  escape,  intending  to  cross  the  Chickahominy  and 
move  to  his  right  from  there  to  the  James.  And  this  he  did, 
but  he  surely  had  an  awful  time  of  it  and  a  narrow  escape  at 
Brook  Church. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  Gordon  was  on  his  rear 
at  Brook  Church.  Sheridan  was  met  by  our  forces,  of  cav- 
alry and  infantry,  at  Meadow  Bridge,  which  we  had  de- 
stroyed and  the  river  there  was  otherwise  impassable.  Sheri- 
dan says  some  fords  were  discovered  by  scouts,  but  if  so,  why 
on  earth  did  he  have  such  a  desperate  and  deadly  time  repair- 
ing that  bridge,  as  my  references  will  show  he  did  ?  Sheri- 
dan's rear  occupied  a  strong  position  of  his  own  selection  on 
the  Military  road  which  he  swept  with  canister  constantly. 
Gordon  dismounted  tlie  Ninth  and  Nineteenth  North  Caro- 
lina and  attacked  him  fiercely,  and  sent  his  Aide,  Lieutenant 
Kerr  Craige,  intO'  Richmond  for  some  artillery  and  to  pro- 
pose to  the  officer  in  charge  of  that  portion  of  the  city  de- 
fences a  combined  attack  on  Sheridan's  flanks.  The  Sixty- 
third  was  held  in  reserve  in  mounted  column,  under  fire, 
just  off  1o  the  right  of  the  Military  road,  going  east.  With 
our  regiment,  as  we  all  knew,  Gordon  intended  to  charge  those 
batteries  up  the  Military  road  after  he  got  some  supports  from 
Eichmond.  x\nd  that  charge,  which  he  would  have  led  in 
person,  would  have  been  about  the  last  of  our  regiment.  In  a 
few  minutes  some  artillery  came.  And  oh!  such  artillery! 
It  was  the  most  beautiful  in  all  its  appearances  that  we  ever 
beheld.  The  smoke  of  battle  had  never  been  about  it.  He 
placed  it  to  the  slight  oblique  right  and  front  of  our  regiment 
on  the  elevation  of  some  old  entrenchments.  It  fired  one 
time.  Immediately  one  or  more  of  Sheridan's  guns  were 
turned  on  it — canister  for  the  first  time  in  its  history  rattled 
around  those  beautiful  guns  and  among  its  wheels  and  every 
man  about  the  battery  flew  into  the  ditches  of  those  old  en- 
trenchments. Gordon  was  furious.  He  raved  and  begged. 
He  called  it  "Band  Box  Artillery,"  which  would  have  oc- 
curred only  to  him,  possibly,  under  such  a  fire.  But  those  ar- 
tillerists ''held  the  trenches  faithfully"  against  Richmond's 
invaders.     Some  fer\v  of  them  could  not  even  stand  tbat  and 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  603 

came  through  the  woods  by  us.  We  laughed  at  them,  ridi- 
culed them  and  asked  them  to  go  back  and  man  their  guns. 
But  they  looked  at  us  as  if  they  thought  we  were  surely  crazy. 
Gordon  became  utterly  disgusted  and  went  back  at  a  gallop 
right  into  the  fire  down  that  Military  road  and  there  he  re- 
ceived the  wound  which  ended  his  life  and  brilliant  career  six 
days  later.  The  battle  was  raging  furiously  at  Meadow 
Bridge  on  Sheridan's  front  and  right  flank.  The  command  of 
the  brigade  now  devolved  on  Colonel  Andrews,  of  the  Nine- 
teenth, as  ranking  officer.  The  Sixty-third  was  dismounted  to 
join  in  the  attack  on  foot.  Company  F  was  in  front  of  that 
column.  The  order  was  to  cross  the  road,  still  swept  by  canis- 
ter, and  form  on  its  left.  Captain  Erwin  looked  calmly 
around  at  us  and  said :  "Come  on  boys."  He  led,  and  over 
the  road  the  regiment  went  and  formed  in  line  of  battle.  We 
advanced  fast  to  a  horizontal,  wide  board  fence,  which  looked 
literally  perforated,  and  after  short  firing,  on  our  part,  the  en- 
emy disappeared.  Sheridan  had  broken  over  at  Meadow 
Bridge  and  escaped.  Sheridan  himself  says,  on  page  791, 
Vol.  67,  "The  enemy  considered  us  co^mpletely  cornered,  but 
such  was  not  the  case."  Well,  of  course,  none  of  us  knew  for 
certain,  but  those  of  us  who  were  there  will  never  cease  to  be- 
lieve that  if  he  had  not  broken  over  at  Meadow  Bridge,  just 
when  he  did,  that  he  and  his  men  would  have  been  given  quar- 
ters in  Ivichmond  for  the  rest  of  the  war. 

He  also  says,  page  801,  of  his  raid:  "The  result  was  con- 
stant success  and  the  almost  total  annihilation  of  the  rebel 
cavalry."  This  shows,  I  regret  to  say,  how  unreliable  his 
statements  are,  as  he  soon  had  full  proof  of  by  that  same 
"rebel  cavalry." 

That  the  reader  may  see  what  a  desperate  state  they  were 
in  at  Meadow  Bridge,  I  refer  to  Vol.  67,  pp.  791,  813-814, 
819,  835,  879  and  880.  He  lost  625  men  on  his  raid  and 
1,003  horses.  Vol.  67,  p.  185,  and  Vol.  68,  p.  851.  We  had 
no  sufficient  force  to  follow  Sheridan,  and  it  was  useless  as, 
after  his  passage  of  the  Chickahominy,  he  could  easily  con- 
nect with  Butler  on  the  James,  as  he  did,  near  Haxall's  Land- 
ing on  14  May. 

Our  great  loss  at  Brook  Church  was  the  gallant  and  glori- 


604  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

our  James  B.  Gordon.  The  Fifth  loved  him  as  its  com- 
mander during  the  Gettysburg  campaign  and,  as  his  entire 
brigade  did,  for  his  splendid  courage  and  merit  in  all  re- 
spects. He  was  the  Murat  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 
ginia, and  had  he  lived  he  would  have  added  increased  lustre 
to  our  North  Carolina  Cavalry.  I  want  to  identify  him  with 
his  home  and  people  so  that  we  can  hold  him  in  closer  relation 
in  this  way  and,  therefore,  I  state  that  his  sister  was  the 
mother  of  Messrs.  R.  N.  and  James  Gordon  Hackett,  of 
Wilkes.  That  county  was  rather  famous  for  such  cavalry- 
men—Colonel W.  H.  IT.  Cowles  was  born  and  now  lives  there. 

KENNON^S     LANDII^G^     OR     WILSOX^S     WHARF. 

The  attack  on  Kennon's  Landing  was  the  most  useless  sac- 
rifice of  time  and  men  and  liorses  made  during  the  war. 

The  brigade  was  camped  23  May  near  Hanover  Junction, 
recuperating  a  little  from  the  teiTil)le  ride  and  fighting  of  the 
Sheridan  raid.  Late  that  afternoon  an  order  came  to  each 
Captain  for  a  "detail  of  picked  men  for  specially  dangerous 
work."  The  Sixty-tliird  furnished  about  225  men  and 
ojfficers,  under  command  of  Major  McNeill.  There  surely 
were  not  over  1,000  men  on  the  expedition,  from  our  bri- 
gade. Wilson's  Wharf  was  a  fortified  post  of  gi-eat  natural 
and  artificial  strength  on  the  James  river,  below  City  Point, 
and  consequently  fully  in  the  enemy's  lines.  It  was  forty- 
seven  miles  in  a  straight  line,  by  best  military  maps,  from 
Hanover  Junction.  It  consisted  of  a  fort  built  in  semi-circle 
form  on  a  bluff  of  the  river  with  each  end  resting  on  the 
James,  with  heavy  parapets  and  a  canal  of  water  tlie  entire 
front  of  the  half  circle.  There  was  open  ground  for  several 
hundred  yards  all  around  the  fort  covered  with  abattis  and 
large  fallen  pine  trees  to  impede  assailants.  If  we  could  ever 
have  taken  it  we  never  could  have  held  it.  The  expedition 
was  under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Fitzhugh  Lee, 
and  originated  with  him,  it  was  said  at  the  time,  to  drive  some 
negro  soldiers  off  Virginia  soil. 

We  left  Hanover  Junction  about  6  p.  m.  on  the  23d  and 
rode  all  night  and  much  of  the  time  at  a  gallop.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  the  24th  we  were  near  the  fort,  but  for  some 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  605 

inexplicable  reason  the  attack  was  delayed.  A  note,  by  flag 
of  truce,  was  sent  in  to  General  Wild,  commanding  the  post, 
demanding  immediate  surrender,  and  saying  if  not  complied 
with,  that  General  Lee  would  not  be  responsible  for  action  of 
his  men  when  the  fort  was  taken.  Wild  answered :  ''We  will 
try  that."  Vol,  68,  p.  269.  It  was  11  o'clock  before  we  be- 
gan to  get  into  position ;  in  the  meantime  the  gunboats  Dawn, 
Pequot  and  the  Atlanta  (ironclad)  were  shelling  us  fiercely 
and  the  fort  was  filling  with  reinforcements.  The  enemy 
also  had  a  small  vessel  named  the  Mayfloiver.  Some  of  our 
forces  wounded  the  captain  and  pilot  of  this  boat.  I  never 
heard  of  any  injury  that  we  inflicted  on  the  ironclad.  We 
had  no  artillery ;  but  with  or  without  artillery,  "no  regiment 
of  our  cavalry  was  afraid  of  those  things." 

The  shells  were  chiefly  100-pounders.  We  could  see  them 
plainly  coming  at  and  over  us ;  great  black  masses,  as  big  as 
nail  kegs,  hurtling  in  the  air  and  making  the  earth  tremble 
under  us  and  the  atmosphere  jar  and  quake  around  us  when 
they  burst.  They  certainly  were  terrifying.  And  under  their 
effect  I  compared  the  ''details"  from  the  Ninth  and  Sixty- 
third.  The  former  was  dismounted  and  ours  mounted,  each 
in  column  of  fours  near  together  under  those  awful  missiles. 
As  one  came  towards  us  and  burst  over  us,  I  saw  those  old 
veterans  of  the  Ninth  looking  up  at  it  with  hon*or,  lean  back 
slightly  and  out  of  line.  Just  such  a  look  and  backward  in- 
cline of  their  bodies  as  I  imagine  the  immortal  sentinel  at 
Pompeii  made,  momentaidly,  when  that  dark,  ashen  death 
fixed  him  erect  at  his  post  for  the  admiration  of  future  ages. 
Captain  IST.  P.  Foard  saw  their  momevent  and,  under  the 
bursting,  crashing  sound  and  mass,  he  said.  "Steady  men, 
steady !"  Possibly  before  the  words  were  uttered  they  were 
erect  as  statues.  At  the  same  second  I  glanced  along  the 
Sixty-third,  in  the  same  line  of  my  vision,  and  every  man  sat 
in  his  saddle  absolutely  motionless.  It  was  no  discredit  to 
the  Ninth,  but  the  contrast  was  glorious  for  the  Sixty-third. 

We  were  soon  put  in  line  of  battle  around  that  fort,  our 
regiment  on  the  extreme  left,  the  enemy's  right  We  were  to 
charge,  at  the  firing  of  a  signal  gun  on  our  left.  We  lay 
there  for  an  hour  or  more  waiting  that  signal,  eating  straw- 


606  North  Carolina  Tkoops,   1801 -'65. 

berries  in  the  fence  comers  and  quietly  talking  of  the  scene  in 
front  of  us ;  and  all  the  while  we  could  plainly  see  platoon 
after  platoon  of  reinforcements  coming  over  the  blnff  into 
the  fort  on  the  decline  next  to  us.  The  shells  from  the  100- 
pounders,  20-pounders  and  12-pounders  were  still  bursting 
over  us  and  other  parts  of  the  line.  Our  regiment  and  some 
others  on  our  immediate  right  in  the  line  were  to  nuike  the 
charge,  A\hile  those  in  front  and  on  left  of  the  fort  were  to 
fire  incessantly  on  tlie  fort  when  the  charge  began.  About 
2:30  or  3  p.  m.,  the  signal  gun  fired  and  the  Sixty-third 
arose  with  a  mighty  yell  for  that  terrible  charge.  We  mounted 
the  high  rail  fence  in  our  front  and  went  straight  and  fast,  as 
the  obstructions  would  permit,  for  that  fort — yelling  and 
firing  as  we  went  and  receiving  fierce  front  and  cross  fires  into 
our  ranks  from  rifics  and  artillery  in  the  fort  and  the  gun 
boats;  we  were  within  thirty  feet  of  the  fort  when  we  saw  the 
utter  hopelessness  of  the  attack.  The  line  halted  a  moment ; 
the  order  to  retreat  was  given  and  we  retired  under  that  awful 
fire  from  the  most  useless  and  unwise  attack  and  the  most 
signal  failure  we  were  ever  engaged  in. 

General  Wild  reports:  ''They  massed  troops  on  our  ex- 
treme right,  concealed  by  wooded  ravines  and  made  a  deter- 
mined charge,  at  same  time  keeping  up  a  steady  attack  all 
along  our  front  and  left  flank.  This  charge  approached  our 
parapet,  but  failed  under  our  severe  cross  fires."  Vol.  68,  p. 
270.  For  naval  reports,  giving  names  of  vessels  engaged 
and  calibre  of  guns,  see  "Official  Records  Union  and  Confed- 
erate Navies,"  Series  1,  VoL  10,  pp.  8Y-91. 

Out  of  the  detail  of  ten  or  twelve  men  from  Company  F, 
W.  S.  Prather  and  Green  L.  Bingham  were  killed  outright; 
Worth  McDonald  and  I  were  wounded.  I  was  shot  through 
the  left  shoulder  within  thirty  feet  of  the  fort,  firing,  at  the 
moment,  I  am  sure  at  the  very  identical  white  man  who  shot 
me.  Worth  McDonald  was  wounded  by  one  of  those  100- 
pounders.  It  passed  at  least  ten  feet  from  him  and  paralyzed 
his  right  arm  by  concussion  of  the  air.  There  was  no  visi- 
ble flesh  injury  to  the  arm,  but  it  fell  useless  to  his  side, 
quickly  turned  black  its  entire  length,  and  he  never  recovered 
the  use  of  it  during  his  life  time.     He  got  an  honorable  dis- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  607 

charge  for  tlie  war  and  I  got  a  furlougii,  5  June,  from  Chini'- 
borazo  Hospital  in  Richmond,  for  three  months,  with  great 
joy  at  the  thought  of  going  home. 

Some  Virginians  charged  imuiediately  on  the  right  of  oiir 
regiment.  As  we  retreated  we  came  to-  a  long,  wide  lagoon  in 
a  ravine,  back  of  where  we  began  the  charge.  The  water  was 
three  to  four  feet  deep.  In  some  way,  unknown  to  me, 
I  attracted  the  attention  of  one  of  those  Virginians,  a  giant 
of  a  fellow.  I  knew  he  was  a  Virginian  by  his  regimental 
designation  ou  his  coat  sleeve.  Of  his  own  motion,  he 
kindly  and  tenderly  offered  to  carry  me  over  that  water.  I 
thankfully  declined  and  said  to  him:  "I  think  that  I  can 
make  it  all  right."  He  looked  down  at  me  and  said :  "Oh ! 
boy  get  on  my  shoulders.''  And  suiting  his  action  to  his 
words,  he  stooped  down  in  front  of  me.  I  put  my  arms 
around  his  neck,  he  put  his  right  hand  under  my  right  knee, 
his  left  holding  his  own  gun,  and  thus,  like  we  used  to  play 
when  children,  he  carried  me  over  that  water  and  almost  to 
the  top  of  the  steep  slope  beyond.  It  has  always  hurt  me  that 
I  never  knew  his  name.  He  stands  in  memory  for  Virginia. 
And  this  is  stated  solely  to  show  and  commemorate  the  cour- 
ageous, absolutely  unselfish,  generous  kindness  of  the  private 
soldiers  of  the  Army  of  ISTorthern  Virginia  in  the  face  of  dan- 
ger to  themselves,  too,  when  showing  it.  There  were  mil- 
lions of  such  acts  that  will  never  be  knowm. 

After  he  let  me  down,  I  walked  a  short  distance  and,  from 
loss  of  blood,  lay  down  in  some  young  corn.  I  heard  some 
one  tell  Major  McISTeill  of  my  condition.  The  Major  came 
to  me  and  asked  me  to  ride  out  on  his  horse,  which  had  just 
been  brought  to^  him  after  he  had  led  our  charge,  and  from 
which  he  dismounted.  I  refused,  he  insisted.  I  refused 
positively,  and  he  sent  a  man  on  his  horse  for  mine  and  stood 
by  me  until  the  horse  came,  put  me  on  it  and  sent  the  man. 
with  me  to  the  surgeon,  while  he  directed  the  men  of  the  regi- 
ment how  to  move  out  ready  for  the  expected  attack  from  our 
rear.  And  it  was  acts  like  this,  of  gentleness  and  love  for  all 
his  men,  which  he  was  continually  doing,  that  caused  the  men 
of  the  Sixty-third  all  to  love  him. 


608  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861 -'65. 

NORTH  AND  SOUTH  OF  THE   JAMES. 

For  some  time  now,  I  did  not  sec  any  of  the  events  that  oc- 
curred and  must  utilize,  in  a  running  way,  my  "Sketches  of 
ITorth  Carolina  Cavaliy  Brigade." 

About  26  May,  1864,  the  Forty-first  North  Carolina 
(Third  Cavalrj^),  arrived  from  Eastern  North  Carolina  and 
in  splendid  condition,  joined  the  brigade  and  our  brigade 
conlmaiider  was  now  Colonel  John  A.  Baker,  of  the  Third,  he 
being  the  senior  Colonel  in  rank.  And  now,  for  the  first  time 
during  the  campaign,  the  Sixty-third  was  associated  with 
three  other  regiments  in  the  brigade  wdiich  was  now  composed 
of  the  Ninth,  N^ineteenth,  Fort^'^-first  and  Sixty-third,  and 
remained  so  to  the  end  of  the  war, 

xVbout  this  time  General  Grant  crossed  the  Pamunkey  near 
Hanovertown.  Colonel  Baker  moved  out  promptly  to  meet 
the  Federal  advance  and  on  27  May  a  short  action  ensued. 
The  enemy  was  strongly  resisted  until  the  Maryland  line  sent 
as  a  support  gave  way  and  we  were  forced  to  withdraw. 

Here  W.  H.  F.  Lee  rejoined  us  and  we  reported  again  to 
him  as  our  division  commander. 

28  May,  the  Sixty-third  took  part  in  the  bloody  action  at 
Haw's  Shop,  but  did  not  get  heavily  engaged.  Vol.  67,  pp. 
829-830,  854  and  1031.     Vol.  69,  p.  362. 

On  30  May,  Brigadier-General  Young  was  temporarily  as- 
signed to  command  of  the  brigade. 

On  the  31st  we  attacked  the  enemy  at  Planovei'  Court 
House  and  drove  them  back  in  handsome  style,  but  they  re- 
ceived large  reinforcements  and  drove  us  back.  Next  morn- 
ing, 1  June,  the  Sixty-third  and  other  cavalry  attacked  them 
furiously  at  Ashland  and  swept  the  enemy's  lines  and  works 
for  more  than  a  mile,  capturing  many  prisoners  and  horses. 
General  Young  was  wounded  and  the  command  fell  a  second 
time  on  Colonel  Baker.  Their  Colonel,  Chapman,  says: 
"The  line  was  advanced  cautiously  and  with  some  difficulty, 
but  had  proceeded  only  a  short  distance  when  the  enemy  at- 
tacked us  in  large  force  in  front  and  flank.  The  line  soon 
gave  back,  retreating  with  considerable  loss  and  closely 
pressed."  Vol.  67,  p.  900.     General  K.  E.  Lee  says:   "Bosser 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  609 

fell  upon  their  rear,  cliarged  down  the  road  toward  Ashland 
bearing  everytliing  before  him.  His  progress  Avas  arrested 
at  Ashland  by  tlie  entrenohments  of  the  enemy.  General 
William  H.  F.  Lee  came  up  at  this  time  with  a  part  of  his 
division  and  a  joint  attack  was  made.  The  enemy  was 
quickly  driven  from  the  place  and  pursued  toward  Hanover 
Court  House  until  dark."  Vol.  67,  p.  1031.  On  3  June 
General  Hampton  fought  the  second  battle  of  HaAvs'  Shop. 
The  ISTineteenth  and  Sixty-third  Regiments  by  their  charges 
elicited  high  praise  from  Generals  Hampton  and  W.  H. 
F.  Lee.  And  General  R.  E.  Lee  says :  "A  part  of  General 
W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Division  drove  them  froin  their  entrenoh- 
ment-s."     Vol.  67,  p.  1032  and  p.  901  gives  Federal  account. 

4  June,  1864,  Brigadier-General  Rufus  Barringer  was  as- 
signed to  command  of  the  brigade.  Vol.  69,  p.  873.  On  6 
June  he  received  his  commission  and  took  command. 

7  June,  brigade  was  detached  to  picket  low^er  crossings  of 
Ghickahominy,  near  Bottom's  and  Long  Bridges. 

On  13  June  General  Grant,  in  his  move  to  the  south  of 
the  James,  forced  in  Barringer's  pickets  at  Long  Bridge,  on 
the  Ghickahominy,  and  effected  a  crossing.  Vol.  67,  pp. 
1035  and  1051.  The  Sixty-third  Regiment  and  rest  of  the 
brigade  was  hastened  to  support,  the  pickets ;  but  the  advance 
was  with  cavalry  and  infantry  and  we  were  driven  back  to 
White  Oak  Swamp,  near  Riddle's  Shop,  where  General  W. 
H.  F.  Lee  joined  us  and  the  Sixty-third  joined  in  a  rattling 
fight  with  the  entire  division  and  held  the  enemy  in  check  till 
our  infantry  came  up  and  relieved  us  late  in  the  day  and  the 
enemy  "were  driven  back  nearly  two'  miles."  Vol.  67,  p. 
1035.'  Vol.  67,  pp.  1052  at  top,  902,  1035  and  Vol.  SO,  p. 
643.  Tlie  Sixty-third  was  then  moved  rapidly  to  the  right 
and  front  tO'  watch  the  enemy's  movements.  With  the  bri- 
gade we  followed  the  enemy  to  Wilcox's  Landing,  fighting 
daily  at  different  points,  espeeially  at  Point  of  Rocks.  Mal- 
vern Hill,  Crenshaw's  and  Herring  Creek.     Vol.  67,  p.  1035. 

]8  June  we  crossed  the  James,  with  the  entire  division 
and  took  position  two  miles  south  of  Petersburg. 

On  21  June,  early  in  the  day,  the  enemy  advanced  rapidly 
39 


610  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

and  most  unexpectedly,  with  infantry  and  artillery  to  seize 
the  Weldon  Kailroad.  General  Barringcr  barcdy  had  time 
to  form  his  line  of  the  ISTinth,  Nineteenth  and  Forty-first  Reg- 
iments in  front  of  the  Davis  Farm.  McGregor's  battery  was 
put  in  position  at  the  Davis  House  on  the  railroad  ;  the  Sixty- 
third,  dismounted,  supported  the  battery.  To  the  left  and 
front  of  the  farm  lay  a  body  of  woods  easily  reached  by  Mc- 
Gregor's guns  and  through  Avhich  the  enemy  would  likely 
pass  in  their  route  for  tlie  railroad.  The  whole  front  line 
was  ordered  to  fall  l)ack  rapidly  to  the  rear  and  narrowest 
part  of  the  wood,  as  soon  as  the  action  should  begin,  and  there 
nuikc  a  stand,  out  of  the  line  of  McGregor's  fire.  McGregor 
was  directed  not  to  fire  until  the  enemy  reached  this  wood. 
The  orders  were  all  executed  well  and  had  the  desired  effect. 
The  enemy  mistook  the  movement  of  our  line  for  a  flight. 
They  poured  into  the  woods  by  thousands.  Suddenly  Mc- 
Gregor's gims  opened ;  for  a  moment  the  heavy  lines  of  the  en- 
emy faltered  and  then  fell  back  under  the  shock  of  this  splen- 
did battery,  but  rallying  quickly  they  again  rushed  forward 
wdien  all  at  once  a  furious,  deadly  fire  from  the  dismounted 
men,  at  short  range,  cut  them  down  by  scores.  The  Federal 
officers  dashed  bravely  forward  and  called  upon  their  men  to 
follow.  But  volley  after  volley  thinned  their  ranks  and  they 
broke  and  fled.  They  left  forty  dead  on  the  field  there  and 
twenty  odd  prisoners,  including  a  Lieutenant-Colonel  and 
two  Captains.  At  one  time  the  opposing  lines  were  so  close 
together  that  prisoners  were  taken  on  both  sides  near  each 
other,  and  thus  Colonel  Baker  and  Lieutenant  Fred.  Foard, 
Aide  to  General  Bannnger,  were  captured.  Lieutenant 
Foard  made  a  daring  and  miraculous  escape  by  jumping  from 
a  car  window  of  a  fast  running  train  between  Washington 
and  Baltimore.  They  were  so  sure  he  was  dead  that  they 
never  slackened  speed ;  and  when  he  soon  returned  he  re- 
ported that  the  enemy's  dead  and  wounded  carried  off  reached 
several  hundred.  It  was  Barlow's  infantiy  division  into 
which  the  dismounted  Sixty-third  fired  tliose  awful  and 
deadly  volleys. 

General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  came  to  our  support  just  at  the 
close  of  the  action  with  the  other  brigade  and  shortly  our  in- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  611 

fantry  arrived  and  pursuit  was  made,  but  the  Federals  liad 
effected  their  escape. 

Wilson's  raid. — blacks  and  whites. 

That  name  was  terribly  typical  of  the  mingled,  motley  mass 
that  Wilson's  invading  ''army  with  banners"  became  in  its 
final,  frightful  fall  and  rout.  The  negroes  flocked  to  him  by 
thousands  and  mingled  their  black  faces  with  his  whites  to 
his  utter  discomfiture  and  ruin — as  such  God-forbidden  com- 
mingling of  races  always  will,  and  his  troopers'  faces  were 
often  black  and  w^hite  with  fear  as  the  sequel  will  show.  The 
name  of  that  place  now  is  Blackstone. 

General  Wilson,  on  page  620,  Vol.  80,  says  that  he  was 
"ordered  to  strike  the  railroad  and  destroy  it  in  the  direction 
of  Burkville  and  Roanoke  (Staunton)  river.  High  Bridge 
on  the  South  Side  &  Roanoke  bridge  (Staunton  river 
bridge)  on  the  Danville  road  were  especially  to  be  aimed 
at.  Having  broken  up  these  roads  as  far  as  possible,  I  was 
authorized  to  cross  into  I^^Torth  Carolina  and  make  my  way 
either  to  the  coast  or  to  General  Sherman  in  I^orth  Georgia. 
If  I  could  not  cross  the  Roanoke  (Staunton)  river  I  was 
left  to  my  own  judgment  what  route  to  pursue  in  retum- 
ing  to  the  Anny  of  the  Potomac  or  the  James  river."  "Fore- 
seeing," he  says,  in  substance,  that  these  grand  purposes 
might  possibly  fail,  he  "wrote  tO'  General  Meade  the  evening 
before  starting  that  he  anticipated  no  serious  difiiculty  in  ex- 
ecuting his  orders,"  but  tliat  Sheridan  must  keep  Hampton 
off  of  him  and  the  Confederate  infantry  kept  so  engaged  as 
"to  prevent  Lee  from  making  detachments."  He  was  assured 
"that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  should  cover  the  Weldon  road 
the  next  day,  the  South  Side  road  the  day  after,  and  that 
Hampton  having  followed  Sheridan  toward  Gordonsville,  he 
need  not  fear  any  trouble  from  him."  How  hard  it  was  to 
teach  them,  at  General  Meade's  headquarters,  anything  about 
Hampton  and  that  the  "rebel  cavalry  was"  not  "almost  totally 
annihilated." 

Where  not  otherwise  stated  the  references  about  Blacks  and 
Whites  will  be  only  tO'  pages  of  Vol.  80,  without  naming 
"Vol.  80." 


612  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

At  3  a.  m.  of  the  2 2d  the  expedition  consisting  of  about 
5,500  cavalry  and  twelve  guns,  began  the  inarch  by  way  of 
Reams  Station,  p.  621.  "The  expedition,"  by  commands  and 
columns,  consisted  of  the  Third  Division,  Wilson's  own  com- 
mand, and  General  "Kautz's  Division"  of  cavalry,  W.  H.  F. 
Lee  made  instant  pursuit,  taking  with  him  Dearing's  Brigade 
and  the  ISTinth,  ISTineteenth  and  Sixty-third  Regiments  of  the 
North  Carolina  Brigade,  and  McGregor's  Battery.  They 
tore  up  and  destroyed  the  railroad  awfully,  there  is  no  doubt 
about  that.  We  struck  their  rear  giiard  at  Reams  Station, 
drove  them  off  and  pressed  them  rapidly  until  long  after 
night.  645,  650.  On  page,  645,  their  Colonel  Chapman 
says :  "From  this  point,  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Division  of  cavalry 
followed  the  rear  of  the  column  closely,  keeping  up  a  con- 
tinual skirmish  until  a  couple  of  hours  after  night-fall." 

The  next  day,  23  June,  we  had  gotten  ahead  of  them  and 
also'  between  their  tw^O'  columns.  General  Lee  was  now  on 
the  north  side  of  the  railroad  at  a  point  where  the  railroad 
and  public  road  cross  each  other,  almost  at  right  angles  and 
in  a  cut  about  four  feet  deep  and  eight  hundred  feet  long. 
On  page  645,  Federal  Colonel  Chapman  says :  "On  the 
morning  of  the  23d  I  moved  my  command  about  an  hour  be- 
fore daylight  and  proceeding  by  the  Cox  road,  we  reached 
Blacks  and  Whites,  and  upon  reaching  a  point  near  Nottoway 
Court  House  where  the  road  crosses  the  railroad  the  head  of 
the  column  came  upon  the  enemy.  Soon  ascertaining  that  it 
was  the  same  force  that  had  followed  the  rear  the  day  previous 
I  made  dispositions  to  meet  the  enemy,  who  advanced  to  the 
attack,  checked  his  advance,  and  subsequently  drove  him  back 
a  considerable  distance.  The  enemy  bringing  up  strong  rein- 
forcements my  line  retired  to  its  original  position  along  the 
railroad,  from  which  repeated  att/Cmpts  of  the  enemy  failed  to 
dislodge  them.  This  engagement  lasted  from  1  p.  m.  until 
dark  and  at  times  was  quite  severe.  My  command  remained 
in  line  of  battle  until  near  daylight,  when,  in  accordance  with 
instructions,  I  quietly  withdrew." 

To  tlie  same  effect  is  General  Wilson's  report  on  page  621, 
and,  on  page  626,  General  Wilson  says :  "The  enemy's  cav- 
alry had  succeeded  in  interposing  themselves  between  the  two 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  613 

divisions  of  mj  command  and  that  in  the  fight  Chapman  got 
'possession'  of  our  batteiy."  And  further:  "This  was  one  of 
the  most  determined  cavalry  engagements  in  which  this  divis- 
ion has  participated,"  where  he  says :  "I  determined  not  to 
renew  the  engagement  until  I  could  hear  from  General 
Kautz." 

N^ow  for  our  view"  of  the  fight.  General  Bearing  was  in 
front,  and  with  the  Nineteenth  iSTorth  Carolina  Regiment  and 
McGregor's  Battery  made  the  first  attack  on  Chapman.  This 
batteiy  was  in  position  on  the  left  of  the  public  road,  as  Gen- 
eral Lee  approached  the  railroad.  The  fighting  was  furious. 
The  I^inth  and  Sixty-third  were  back  some  distance  in  the 
road  by  which  Lee  moved,  the  former  in  front  of  our  short 
train  of  wagons  and  the  latter  just  behind  the  wagons.  Dear- 
ing's  Brigade  began  to  break  and  finally  fled.  General  Lee 
seeing  the  day  going  against  him,  rushed  one  of  his  couriers 
to  the  J^inth  and  Sixty-third  with  an  order  "to  come  to  the 
front  fast."  The  Ninth  got  its  order  and,  as  always,  moved 
off  as  ordered ;  the  same  courier  dashed  by  our  short  wagon 
train  and  gave  the  same  order  to  the  Sixty-third,  marching 
by  twos.  The  order  for  the  Sixty-third  rang  out — "Open 
ranks ;  forward,  gallop,  march."  And  past  those  wagons  the 
Sixty-third  went  in  a  imshing  race  right  after  the  Ninth. 
We  dashed  up  to  the  fight  and  as  the  Ninth  gloriously  rushed 
in  on  the  extreme  left  of  our  line,  the  Sixty-third  was  dis- 
mounted, under  the  fastest  orders  ever  given,  and  rushed 
in  on  the  right  of  the  Ninth.  Dearing's  men  were  fleeing 
in  dismay  before  Chapman's  victorious  lines.  McGregoi*'s 
guns  were  just  about  to  be  captured.  Captain  S.  A.  Grier, 
commanding  the  fifth  squadron,  on  the  left  of  the  Sixty- 
third's  line  and  closest  to  the  Ninth,  says  '^'the  guns  were 
abandoned."  Near  the  extreme  right  of  what  had  been  our 
first  line  there  was  somebody  firing  into  the  foe  and  falling 
slowly  back,  and  who  had  not  fled  with  Dearing.  As  the 
Ninth  and  Sixty-third,  wildly  yelling,  and  firing  furiously, 
went  by  our  guns  and  beat  back  Chapman,  it  was  seen  that  the 
somebody  on  the  Sixty-third's  right  was  Major  W.  P.  Rob- 
erts, commanding  the  Nineteenth  Regiment.  Roberts'  cour- 
age never  failed.     He  saw  everything  in  battle  just  as  light- 


614  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

ning  reads  a  landscape,  absolutely  imperturbed.  He  took  in 
the  situation  at  a  glance.  His  orders  rang  out  clear  and 
strong.  His  regiment  faced  and  wheeled  to  the  left,  the  per- 
sonification of  his  orders.  And  in  a  moment  the  fire  of  the 
Nineteenth  and  the  fire  of  the  extreme  right  of  the  Sixty- 
third  was  pouring  into  Chapman's  left  flank  and  rear. 
The  tide  of  battle  was  turned  and  McGregor's  gims  and  the 
day  were  saved.  Chapman  flew  in  disorder  into  the  railroad 
cut  and  formed  behind  its  banks  and  the  battle  raged  on  till 
darkness  ended  it.  And  during  the  night  he  "quietly  with- 
drew," leaving  his  dead  and  wounded  in  our  hands  so  en- 
tirely that  he  marks  their  number  with  a on  page  645. 

Next  morning  Wilson,  veered  off  to  the  right,  entirely  out 
of  his  intended  course,  driven  from  the  South  Side  Railroad 
and,  by  Hungarytown,  tried  to  reach  Staunton  river  bridge. 
He  did  not  touch  the  South  Side  any  more. 

General  R.  E.  Lee  25  June,  says:  "He  withdrew  from 
General  Lee's  front  at  daylight  on  the  24th,  leaving  liis  dead 
and  wounded  on  the  field,  taking  the  road  tO'  Hungarytown. 
General  Lee  is  still  following  them."     751. 

And  at  Blacks  and  Whites  we  broke  the  backbone  of  Wil- 
son's raid.  But  he  had  high  orders  and  he  was  doing  a  sol- 
dier's best  to  obey  them.  I  am  quite  certain  that,  on  the 
niglit  of  23  June,  1864,  he  totally  abandoned  all  thought  of 
crossing  into  North  Carolina  and  joining  and  strengthening 
General  Sherman  in  North  Georgia. 

On  the  24th  and  25th  we  were  ''still  following  them." 
The  artillery  was  sent  back.  The  North  Carolina  Cavalry 
Brigade  alone  pressed  the  pursuit.  General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  ac- 
companying. They  did  do  some  tearing  up  of  the  Danville 
Railroad  and  burned  also  two  private  mills.     734. 

AVe  were  "following  them"  when  they  reached  Staunton 
river  bridge  "at  6  p.  m.  on  the  25th."     626. 

The  south  side  of  the  river  was  defended  by  the  "Home 
Guard"  with  some  artillery,  who  made  a  gallant  defence  of 
the  bridge.  General  Wilson  tenns  them  "the  militia  of  eight 
counties."  627.  General  Kautz  had  rejoined  him.  Now  let 
General  Wilson  tell  the  tale:  "Our  forces  were  unable  to 
get  closer  than  seventy  or  eighty  yards  to  the  bridge.     After 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  615 

a  determined  effort,  lasting  till  after  dark,  the  attack  was 
terminated  and  the  troops  directed  to  hold  an  advanced  posi- 
tion, covering  the  road  crossing  at  Roanoke  Station.  Simul- 
taneously with  Kautz's  attack  of  the  bridge,  Lee's  cavalry  at- 
tacked our  rear,  under  Chapman,  but  as  usual,  was  held  in 
check  without  any  serious  difficulty  or  loss.  Finding  that 
the  bridge  could  not  be  carried  without  severe  loss,  if  at  all, 
the  enemy  being  again  close  upon  our  rear,  the  Staunton  too 
deep  for  fording  and  unprovided  with  bridges  or  steam  ferries 
I  determined  to  push  no  farther  south,  but  to  endeavor  to  reach 
the  army  by  returning  toward  Petersburg.  Our  position, 
from  the  peculiar  topography  of  the  site,  was  rather  danger- 
ous, and  in  order  to  extricate  the  command  it  became  neces- 
sary to  move  it  by  night.  The  march  was  therefore  begun 
about  midnight."  627.  The  presence  of  Lee's  cavalry 
"close  upon  his  rear"  possibly,  to  some  slight  extent,  caused 
him  to  see  "the  peculiar  topography  of  the  site ;"  certain  it  is 
that  he  did  not  here  exercise  his  own  unaffected  "judgment 
as  to  what  route  to  pursue  in  returning  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  or  the  James  river."  And  oh  !  how  much  worse  that 
"judgment"  was  all  shattered  later  on  by  Hampton  and  our 
infantr)'  at  Stony  Creek,  Sappony  Church  and  Reams  Sta- 
tion, after  the  horrible  heat,  dust,  smoke  and  fights  of  this 
raid  and  pursuit.      Sketches  631,  632  and  633. 

General  R.  E.  Lee,  26  June,  says:  "This  afternoon  Gen- 
eral W.  H.  F.  Lee  reports  that  he  attacked  the  enemy  near 
Staunton  river  bridge  yesterday  afternoon  and  drove  him 
until  dark.  He  also  states  that  the  enemy  was  signally  re- 
pulsed at  the  bridge  the  same  evening  and  retreated  this  morn- 
ing, leaving  about  thirty  of  his  dead  on  the  field."     751. 

The  ISTorth  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade  was  much  dimin- 
ished in  its  effective  force  by  the  awful  heat,  dust  and 
marches  of  the  last  few  days.  Turning  back  the  disabled 
men  and  horses  Lee  renew^ed  the  chase  with  Dearing's  Bri- 
gade and  the  remnant  of  our  brigade.  Most  of  this  force 
moved  on  Wilson's  flank  to  drive  him  into  the  snare  set  for 
him  by  Hampton  at  Stony  Creek  and  Sappony  Church.  But 
Wilson  was  hurt  and  hastened  and  horrified  most  by  a  select 
detail  of  men  and  horses  solely  from  our  brigade,  who  fol- 


616  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

lowed  in  his  immediate  track  and  rear  and  harrassed  him  con- 
tinually. Tliej  could  not  strike  hard,  but  it  was  like  the 
blows  of  enraged  birds  on  the  hawk.  Thej  were  demoralizing 
and  driving.  And  driving  the  enemy  right  into  the  ruin 
prepared  for  them,  when  they  expected  peace  and  rest. 

And  now  let  General  Wilson  talk  again.  He  says,  on  page 
627,  that  on  the  afternoon  of  28  June,  near  Stony  Creek 
Depot,  'Sve  learned  that  the  advance  of  Hampton's  Cavalry 
had  just  arrived  from  Eichmond.  Although  it  was  then 
night,  a  fierce  fight  ensued  lasting  to  nearly  10  o'clock.  It  was 
at  once  apparent  that  the  prospect  of  penetrating  their  line  at 
this  place  was  by  no  means  flattering  and  that  a  new  route 
must  be  chosen."  He  prepared  "for  an  attempt  to  break 
through  the  enemy's  line  between  Reams  and  the  Six  Mile 
House.  For  the  first  time  I  then  learned  that,  contrary  to 
my  expectations,  no  part  of  the  Weldon  Railroad  was  in  pos- 
session of  the  infantry  investing  Petersburg,  and  that  instead 
of  my  command  being  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  our  lines 
the  enemy  held  the  road  and  interposed  a  strong  force  to  pre- 
vent our  junction."  *  *  *  jJe  tried  another  '"route," 
when  "a  large  force  of  infantry  in  line  of  battle  was  re- 
ported advancing  with  a  heavy  line  of  skirmishers  deployed 
across  the  fields  through  which  I  proposed  passing.  I  found 
not  less  than  a  brigade  of  infantry  with  gims  in  position.  My 
scouts  soon  reported  the  movement  of  troops  toward  our  ex- 
treme left  flank.  Seeing  no  possible  chance  of  getting 
through  to  our  lines  by  this  route  and  fearing  the  loss  of 
my  entire  command,  I  ordered  the  immediate  destruction 
of  the  wagons  and  caissons  and  that  the  wliole  force  should 
move  by  the  stage  road.  At  Stony  Creek  the  bridge  being 
bad  and  the  creek  unfordable,  at  one  time  the  situation  was 
critical  in  the  extreme.  The  negi'oes  who  had  joined  our 
columns  in  large  numbers  on  all  parts  of  the  route  added 
greatly  to  tlie  embaiTassment.  *  "  *  During  the  night 
the  flankers  of  Chapman's  Brigade  met  the  enemy's  scouting 
parties  and  brought  in  prisoners  who  said  that  Chambliss' 
Brigade  had  left  Stony  Creek  that  morning  to  intercept  us. 
This  caused  my  column  to  expedite  its  movements.  Its  ad- 
vance reached  the  Blackwater  to  find  the  bridge  gone  and  the 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  617 

stream  utterly  iinfordable.  I  immediately  began  the  repair 
of  the  bridge  and  soon  had  it  fit  for  crossing  by  file,  but  the 
materials,  having  been  partly  burned,  gave  way.  It  was 
promptly  repaired,  but  after  crossing  a  few  more  men  again 
failed.  'New  string  pieces  were  cut  from  the  woods  and  by 
3  a.  m.  it  was  again  covered  with  rails  and  ready  for  use. 
The  whole  command  was  over  by  6:15  a.  m.,  and  the  bridge 
destroyed."  ISTow  was  not  that  an  awful  time  in  the  darkness 
of  the  night  to-  have  his  bridge  breaking  under  him  twice  and 
precipitating  into  the  Blackwater  his  now  terrified,  blanched- 
faced  troopers,  who  had  started  out  "to  cross  into  North  Car- 
olina and  make  their  way  either  to  the  coast  or  to^  General 
Sherman  in  North  Georgia  ?"  Why  it  was  worse  than 
"Buckland  Races."  But  that  is  the  picture  that  General 
Wilson  himself  draws,  by  my  scattering  quotations  of  his  own 
words  on  pages  627,  628,  629  and  630. 

Wilson  left  Kautz  to  his  own  fate  and  of  that  fate,  in 
part,  Kautz  says :  "As  we  pursued  no  road,  but  marched  by 
compass,  passing  most  of  the  way  through  timber  and  heavy 
undergrowth,  the  artillery  could  not  be  brought  through.  It 
was  hauled  off  the  field  and  finally  abandoned  in  a  swamp, 
where  the  carriages  mired,  and  could  not  be  extricated.     732. 

He  lost  all  of  his  guns.  "iSTot  a  wheel  was  saved ;  moun- 
tain howitzers  and  all  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy."  735. 
"As  we  pursued  no  road,  but  marched  by  compass,  passing 
most  of  the  way  through  timber  and  heavy  undergTowth,  the 
artillery  could  not  be  brought  through.  It  was  hauled  off 
the  field  and  finally  abandoned  in  a  swamp,  where  the  car- 
riages mired,  and  could  not  be  extricated.     732. 

JSTow  was  not  this,  marching  hy  a  compass,  through  dense 
timber  and  heavy  undergrowth  and  swamps,  on  ^'^no  road  at 
all"  a  peculiar  exercise  of  one's  "own  judgment  as  to  what 
route  to  pursue  in  returning  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  ?" 
It  was  almost  as  much  so  as  "the  peculiar  topography  of  the 
sight"  at  Staunton  river  bridge. 

And  from  the  remnant  of  our  brigade  at  Staunton  river, 
who  followed  in  that  final  pursuit  in  Wilson's  immediate 
track  and  rear,  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  furnished 
m€re  men  than  all  the  other  regiments  put  together.     So  says 


618  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

Lieutenant  Wiley,  of  Company  F,  Captain  S.  A.  Grier,  of 
Company  D,  and  otliers  now  living.  And  Lieutenant  Wiley 
says,  that  by  his  own  personal  knowledge  of  all  that  transpired 
when  the  selection  of  men  and  horses  for  that  pursuit  was 
made,  Company  F,  of  the  Sixty-third,  furnished  more  men 
and  horses  than  any  other  company  in  the  brigade ;  and  that 
this  fact  was  generally  spoken  of  then. 

And  Lieutenant  Wiley  write-s:  '^  led  a  detachment  of 
Company  F  in  the  immediate  rear  of  Wilson  from  Staunton 
river  until  they  were  driven  into  our  infantry.  This  de- 
tachment, at  one  time  charged  Wilson's  rear  and  captured  sev- 
eral men  and  horses.  John  Jamison,  still  living,  was  in  that 
detachment." 

George  E.  Earnhardt,  of  Company  H,  writes :  "Captain 
]\IcKellar  and  some  other  officer,  I  do  not  remember,  were  ap- 
pointed, at  Staunton  river,  to  select  men  and  horses  for  the 
immediate  pursuit  on  Wilson's  rear.  It  was  more  a  selection 
of  horses  than  men.  Horses  able  to  make  rapid  and  contin- 
uous pursuit.  Company  H,  and  I  suppose  all  other  compa- 
nies of  the  regiment,  passed  single  file  before  these  officers 
and  they  selected  the  horses."  Sergeant  Ratcliff,  of  Company 
D,  Sixty-third,  captured  in  that  rear  pursuit  of  Wilson  a 
That  night  the  Sixty-third  camped  on  the  Darbytown  road. 
Federal  Colonel  on  a  magnificent  gray  horse,  which  he 
swapped  to  General  Barringer  and  the  General  rode  it  till  he 
was  captured.  My  recollection  is  that  the  Colonel's  name 
was  Crook,  as  I  heard  afterwards.  At  Blacks  and  Whites, 
T.  0.  Serves  was  mortally  wounded  and  "Joe"  Blackwelder 
badly  shot,  both  of  Company  F,  with  others  I  do  not  know. 

BACK  AND  FORTH  OVER  THE  JAMES. 

On  28  July  the  Sixty-third  marched  north  of  the  James 
to  help  meet  a  move  of  Federal  cavalry  against  Richmond, 
joined  in  the  affairs  at  Fuzzle's  Mills  and  Riddle's  Shop  and 
then  returned  to  our  old  position  eight  miles  south  of  Peters- 
burg. 

On  14  August  we  were  again  summoned  north  of  the  James. 
Marching  day  and  night  the  Sixty-third  reached  the  Charles 
City  road  early  on  the  15th  and  met  the  Federal  cavalry,  ad- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  619 

vanced  to  White's  Farm  within  six  miles  of  Richmond  and 
took  part  in  the  action  there.  We  found  a  strong  party  near 
Fisher's  Farm.  General  BaiTinger  was  ordered  by  Major- 
General  Lee  tO'  drive  them  off.  He  put  in  the  Sixty-third 
Regiment  which  ran  the  enemy  clear  across  White  Oak 
Swamp  back  to  their  infantry  supports  near  Wilcox's  house. 
Early  next  morning  a  Virginia  regiment  guarding  the  swamp 
was  routed  and  General  Chambliss  killed  trying  to  rally  them 
and  the  enemy  rushed  forward  victorious  to  White's  Tavern. 
General  Lee  came  up  with  our  brigade  and  by  his  great  per- 
sonal courage  rallied  the  Virginians  and  the  Sixty-third  with 
the  bi-idage  attacked  the  enemy  who,  after  an  obstinate  and 
bloody  struggle,  now  broke  in  rout  and  confusion  and  were 
driven  back  thus  for  several  miles,  many  being  killed  and 
wounded  and  about  200  prisoners  captured.  At  last,  se- 
curing a  strong,  safe  position  for  their  artillery,  they  made 
a  desperate  stand.  But  just  in  the  nick  of  time  Gregg's 
Texas  infantry  brigade  and  Gary's  South  Carolina  Cavalry 
Brigade  came  up  fast  from  the  direction  of  Fuzzle's  Mill 
and  struck  the  Federal  left.  Their  rout  was  now  com- 
plete, the  enemy  was  driven  violently  into  and  across  White 
Oak  Swamp,  a  number  of  men  and  horses  perished  in  the 
mire  and  water,  and  a  great  many  prisoners  and  animals 
were  captured.  Here  Charlie  Brem,  a  brave  and  gallant 
boy  soldier  of  Company  F,  Sixty-third  Regiment,  actually 
lost  his  boots  in  the  mire  by  the  eagerness  of  his  individual 
pursuit  of  the  fleeing  foe.  But  they  say  that  he  borrowed  a 
pair  from  a  stranger  right  there.  Vol.  87,  pp.  217-220,  241- 
244  and  248. 

These  were  two  bloody  days  for  the  brigade  which  lost 
about  125  in  killed  and  wounded. 

POPLAR    SPRI]SrG    CHURCH. FIRST    REAMS    STATION. 

We  found,  on  the  17th,  that  the  main  body  of  Federal  cav- 
alry had  returned  south  of  the  James  and  we  hastened  there. 
The  enemy  had  taken  the  Weldon  railroad  and  there  was  an 
attempt  by  infantry  and  cavalry  to  retake  it,  21  August. 
Our  brigade  was  on  the  extreme  right  and  moved  along  the 
path  leading  from  Poplar  Spring  Church  to  the  railroad. 


620  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

The  Forty-first  and  Sixty-tliird  regiments  were  put  in  to 
charge.  They  carried  the  works  in  their  front  in  the  most 
gallant  and  heroic  manner — sweeping  everything  before 
them.  Major  McNeill  went  within  a  few  yards  of  the  rail- 
road, when  he  found  that  the  attack  had  failed  on  the  part 
of  the  infantry  on  tlie  left  and  that  his  position  was  untenable. 
Both  regiments  then  fell  back  in  order  under  a  heavy  fire. 
The  enemy  took  the  offensive ;  but  the  Ninth  and  Nineteenth 
formed  on  each  flank  of  the  retiring  regiments  and  the  enemy 
were  checked.  At  dark  the  whole  force  withdrew.  The  loss 
of  the  brigade  was  sixty-eight  in  killed,  wounded  and  missing, 
of  which  fully  one-half  were  from  the  Sixty-tliird  Regiment. 
Vol.  88,  pp.  353-360,  etc. 

REAMS  STATION. 

On  25  August  there  was  a  combined  attack  by  our  infantry 
and  cavalry.  Hampton  moved  with  all  the  cavalry,  except 
the  North  Carolina  Brigade,  against  the  advance  of  the  en- 
emy at  Malone's  Bridge.  Barringer,  with  his  own  brigade, 
advanced  up  the  Halifax  road  toward  Malone's  Crossing. 
The  attack  by  Hampton  at  Malone's  Bridge  forced  the  Fed- 
eral cavalry  in  flight  across  the  railroad.  Barringer  was  or- 
dered to  cut  them  off,  but  he  failed  to  strike  them.  His  line 
of  march,  after  this  cavalry,  brought  him  square  against  the 
enemy's  rear  near  Reams  Station.  A.  P.  Hill  was  then  ad- 
vancing on  our  right  flank  and  Hampton  attacking  in  front. 
General  Barringer  seeing  his  advantage  here,  placed  the 
Forty-first  Regiment  to  protect  the  rear  and  attacked  quickly 
at  Tucker's  Farm  with  the  Ninth  dismoimted,  closely  sup- 
ported by  the  Nineteenth  and  Sixty-third.  The  enemy  were 
driven  in  consternation,  some  prisoners  captured  and  their 
forces  thrown  into  confusion.  The  position,  of  course,  was 
critical  and  he  withdrew  and  rejoined  Hampton  at  Malone's 
Crossing,  with  all  his  brigade,  except  Company  H,  of  the 
Sixty-third,  which  he  left  alone  on  picket  under  Hampton's 
order  "to  picket  the  road  strongly,"  a  most  complimentary, 
but  fully  deserved  assignment  to  duty,  under-  the  order,  and 
the  danger  of  the  duty.  Now,  it  is  best  to  let  General  Hamp- 
ton tell  the  rest :     "At  5  p.  m.  the  artillery  of  General  A.  P. 


te;*- 


1—      '      i/,  Confederate 


^\  Mt^'P^.  '  '  '  ,.'y^'-f-""i  /Confederate,  ,  Confederate,  * 


Scale:  1  Inch  =  600  K/(«ds. 


PLAN 

OF 

BATTLEFIELD 


REAMS'   STATION. 

AllfTUSt  25th,  1SG4. 


""'*'^ 


°>.rZ^^ 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  621 

Hill  opened  fire  and  I  at  once  ordered  an  advance  of  my 
whole  line,  which  was  then  formed  across  the  railroad  at  Ma- 
lone's  Crossing.  This  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  the 
enemy  gave  way.  They  were  driven  to  their  v/orks  near 
Reams  Station,  giving  up  several  positions  which  they  had 
fortified.  *  *  *  jji  ^j^^  meantime,  seeing  that  General 
Hill  was  forcing  tlie  enemy  back  from  the  west  side  of  the 
railroad  into  their  works  around  the  Station,  I  withdrew  all 
my  force  from  that  side  of  the  road  and  formed  a  line,  with 
CJhambliss'  Brigade  on  the  left,  tlie  ISTorth  Carolina  Brigade 
in  the  centre,  and  Yonng's  Brigade  on  the  right.  *  *  * 
The  line  being  formed,  the  commanding  officers  were  directed 
to  keep  the  left  flank  on  the  railroad,  advancing  slowly,  while 
the  right  swung  round  to  strike  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  who 
were  in  position  behind  the  railroad  bank,  and  in  a  work 
which  ran  east  perpendicularly  to  the  railroad  for  some  dis- 
tance ;  then  turning  north  kept  parallel  with  the  railroad,  en- 
veloping Oak  Grove  Church.  The  gi'ound  over  which  my 
troops  advanced  was  very  difficult,  and  it  had  been  rendered 
more  sO'  by  the  enemy,  who  had  cut  down  the  timber.  Tn 
spite  of  this,  and  under  a  heavy  fire  of  artillery  and  musketry 
the  line  advanced  steadily,  driving  the  enemy  intO'  his  works. 
Here  he  made  a  stubborn  stand,  and  for  a  few  moments 
checked  our  advance,  but  the  spirit  of  the  men  was  so  fine 
that  they  charged  the  breastworks  with  the  utmost  gallantry, 
carried  them  and  captured  the  force  holding  them.  This 
ended  the  fighting  of  the  day,  my  men  having  been  engaged 
for  twelve  hours.  After  the  fight.  General  Hill  directed  me 
to  put  my  command  in  the  trenches  to  cover  the  withdrawal 
of  the  infantry.  This  was  done  *  *  until  6  :30  the  next 
morning  when,  *  *  J  left  General  Butler  to  remove  our 
wounded  and  to  collect  arms."  Vol.  78,  p.  942 ;  pp.  223-229 
and  245. 

Our  charge  was  witnessed  by  our  infantry  and  they  greeted 
the  cavalry  with  cheer  after  cheer  as  we  gave  this  crowning 
triumph  to  that  ever  memorable  day. 

General  R.  E.  Lee  wrote  to  Governor  Vance  the  letter  so 
appropriately  quoted  by  Colonel  Cheek  on  page  471  of  Vol. 
1,  of  these  histories.     The  words  "the  23d  ultimo,"  in  Colo- 


622  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

nel  Cheek's  copy,  is  correctly  "the  25th  ultimo"  in  "Official 
Records"  Vol.  88,  p.  1206.  And  the  Sixty-third  respect- 
fully claims  her  "part  in  the  operations  of  the  cavalry,"  men- 
tioned in  that  letter  by  General  Lee. 

HAMPTON''s   "beef   RAID." 

This  was  the  greatest  and  most  successful  achievement  of 
the  cavalry  of  the  Aniiy  of  Northern  Virginia  during  the  en- 
tire war  and  in  it  the  Sixty-third,  as  always,  bore  a  gallant 
and  prominent  part.  To  the  wearied  reader,  may  be  a  mere 
short  outline  would  be  sufficient  with  a  reference  to  Hamp- 
ton's report  but  most  of  our  people  can  never  see  "Hampton's 
Report"  and  I  could  not  do  justice  to  the  Sixty-third  by  such 
a  mere  outline  alone.  And  again  it  is  best  just  to  let  Hamp- 
ton tell  it  by  extracts,  made  here  and  there,  from  his  report 
on  page  944,  Vol.  87.  His  report  is  dated  27  September, 
1864,  and,  in  part,  is  as  follows: 

"On  the  morning  of  the  14th  instant  I  moved  with  the 
division  of  W.  H.  F.  Lee  and  brigades  of  Rosser  and  Bearing 
and  Colonel  Miller,  of  South  Carolina,  with  100  men,  do^vn 
the  west  side  of  Rowanty  Creek  to  Wilkinson's  Bridge  and 
bivouacked  that  night.  The  object  was  tO'  capture  a  large 
herd  of  cattle  near  Coggins'  Point,  on  the  James  river.  It 
was  necessary  to  pass  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy  and  force  his 
lines  at  some  point.  I  selected  Sycamore  Church,  in  Prince 
George  County,  as  the  point  to  attack,  as  being  the  most  cen- 
tral, the  nearest  to  the  cattle,  and  the  one  where  the  largest 
force  of  the  enemy  was  camped.  By  dispersing  them  here  I 
made  it  impossible  for  them  to  concentrate  any  force  in  time 
to  interfere  with  the  main  object  of  tlie  expedition.  Left 
Wilkinson's  Bridge  at  an  early  hour  on  the  15th  and  by  a 
rapid  march  reached  the  Blackwater  at  Cooke's  Bridge.  The 
bridge  had  been  destroyed,  as  I  was  aware,  and  I  chose  that 
route  on  that  account,  as  the  enemy  would  not  look  for  an 
approach  from  that  quarter.  The  command  halted  here  to 
rest  and  feed,  while  the  engineer  party  constructed  a  new 
bridge.  The  command  moved  at  12  midnight.  General  Lee 
was  directed  to  move  by  the  Law^yer's  road  to  the  Stage  road, 
at  which  point  he  would  encounter  the  first  pickets  of  the  cai- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  623 

emy.  Theses  he  was  tO'  drive  in,  and  to-  move,  then,  to  occupy 
the  roads  leading  from  the  direction  of  the  enemy  tO'  Syca- 
more Church.  With  Rosser's  Brigade  I  moved  on  by-roads 
direct  toward  Sycamore  Church.  Eosser  was  charged  with 
the  duty  of  carrying  the  position  of  the  enemy  here  and  was 
directed  after  accomplishing  this  tO'  push  forward  at  once  to 
secure  the  cattle.  At  5  a.  m.,  on  the  16th,  Rosser  made  the 
attack.  The  enemy  had  a  strong  position,  and  the  approaches 
to  it  being  barricaded  he  had  time  to  rally  in  the  roads  around 
his  camp,  when  for  some  timei  he  fought  as  stubbornly  as  I 
have  ever  seen  him  do.  But  he  was  completely  routed, 
leaving  his  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field  and  his  camp  in 
our  hands.  As  soon  as  the  attack  was  made  at  the  church, 
General  Lee  on  the  left  and  General  Dearing  on  the  right  at- 
tacked the  enemy  most  successfully,  and  established  them- 
selves rapidly  and  firmly  at  the  points  they  were  ordered  to 
secure.  Having  captured  the  whole  herd  of  cattle,  I  with- 
drew everything  before  8  a.  m.  The  different  columns  were 
united  before  reaching  the  Blackwater,  and  all  dispositions 
made  to  protect  our  captured  property.  General  Lee  brought 
up  the  rear.  After  seeing  everything  across  the  Blackwater 
I  moved  toward  the  plank  road,  but  before  reaching  it  was 
notified  by  General  Rosser  of  the  approach  of  a  heavy  force  of 
the  enemy  do^\'n  that  road.  I  ordered  him  to  hold  the  road 
at  Ebenezer  Church  and  I  at  once  sent  the  cattle  by  Hawkins- 
ville,  crossing  the  plank  road  two  miles  in  rear  of  my  line  of 
battle  and  placed  them  quickly  across^  the  ISTottoway  river  at 
rreeman's  Ford.  The  enemy  attacked  Rosser,  I  sent  Mil- 
ler and  Dearing  to  him.  I  determined  to  pass  tO'  the  rear  of 
the  enemy  with  General  Lee's  division,  in  order  to-  attack  him 
there.  But  it  became  too  dark  to  make  the  movement  advan- 
tageously, and  I  directed  General  Lee  to  reinforce  Rosser  and 
to  protect  our  right.  These  orders  were  promptly  carried  out 
in  the  midst  of  an  attack  from  the  enemy,  who  were  repulsed 
along  the  whole  line.  Several  assaults  were  made  on  me,  but 
always  with  a  like  result.  I  moved  the  command  to  their 
former  bivouac,  on  the  Rowanty,  halting  for  the  night. 

"The  next  day  the  command  returned  tO'  their  old  quar- 
ters, after  an  absence  of  tliree  days,  during  which  they  had 


624  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

marched  upwards  of  one  hundred  miles,  defeating  the  enemy 
in  two  tights,  and  bringing  from  his  lines  in  safety  a  large 
amount  of  captured  property,  together  with  304  prisoners. 

"Of  the  2,486  cattle  captured,  2,468  have  been  brought  in 
and  I  hope  to  get  the  few  remaining  ones.  My  loss  was  ten 
killed,  forty-soveoi  wounded  and  four  missing. 

''I  beg  to  express  my  entire  satisfaction  at  the  conduct  of 
officers  and  men.  Major-General  Lee  and  Brigadier-General 
Dearing  carried  out  my  orders  and  wishes  most  skilfully,  pro- 
tecting the  flanks  and  covering  the  main  attack,  thus  contrib- 
uting greatly  to  the  successful  issue  of  the  expedition.     *     * 

"I  cannot  close  my  report  without  notice  of  the  conduct  of 
the  scouts  who'  were  with  me.  Sergeant  Shadburne,  who  gave 
me  the  information  about  the  cattle,  acted  as  guide  to  General 
Rosser,  accompanied  the  leading  regiment  in  its  charge,  kept 
his  party  always  in  the  front,  and  acted  with  conspicuous  gal- 
lantly." 

Coggins'  Point  is  just  seven  miles  below  City  Point,  the 
base  of  operations  of  General  Grant's  anny.  At  City  Point 
Grant  got  all  his  supplies.  And  City  Point  was  General 
Grant's  headquarters. 

Cogginsi'  Point  is  just  twelve  and  a  half  miles  a  little  south 
of  northeast  from  Petersburg.  It  was,  therefore,  right  in 
the  rear  centre  of  the  enemy's  lines.  This  magnifies  the 
achievement.  There  was  notliing  ra^h  in  it.  It  was  effected 
by  gi'eat,  cool  courage  and  daring  after  long,  careful  consum- 
mate consideration.  And  every  young  North  Carolinian  in 
stiidying  such  acts  and  their  heroes  should  learn  a  great  les- 
son for  life  from  this  way  Hampton  had  of  doing  everything. 
]S[othing  in  his  line  of  duty  w-as  too  small  to  study  and  mas- 
ter. "Genius  is  the  capacity  for  taking  infinite  pains,"  said 
one  of  the  world's  greatest  geniuses,  the  poet,  Goethe.  Every 
gi'eat  result,  whatever  it  may  be,  is  simply  careful,  intense 
{houglit  in  concrete,  visible  form.  This  act  burst  upon  the 
M'orld  like  a  meteor.  But  it  had  all  been  thought  out  and  its 
wonderful  success  prepared  for.  And  the  lioy  or  girl  who 
expects  success  in  any  thing  without  first  learning  to  think 
Avell,  will  be  a  failure  sure. 

Before  5  September,  1864,  the  phms  were  all  accurately. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  625 

exactly  laid  by  Hampton's  great  scout  "Shadbume."  The 
whole  Army  of  ISTorthem  Virginia  and  most  all  in  the  Army 
of  the  Po'tomac  knew  that  name  Shadbume.  It  meant  terror 
to  the  enemy  as  much  as  Mosby's  did. 

On  page  1235,  Vol.  88,  dated  5  September,  1864,  begins  a 
long  report  from  Shadburne  to  Hampton  giving  in  almost  in- 
finitesimal detail,  an  accurate  picture  in  works  of  everything 
an  eagle  would  see  poised  over  Coggins'  Point.  Hampton 
knew,  by  that  report,  everything  he  wanted  to  know.  He  saw 
the  situation  just  like  the  eagle  would  and  he  knew  exactly 
how  to  swoop  down  on  his  prey. 

Hampton  had  been  in  conference,  as  he  was  in  duty  re- 
quired, with  General  R.  E.  Lee  about  it.  On  page  1242,  Vol. 
88,  under  date  of  9  September,  1864,  General  R.  E.  Lee  wrote 
Hampton :  "I  am  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  coun- 
try to  say  how  you  can  return  if  embarrassed  with  cattle. 
*  *  *  Let  your  movement  depend  upon  the  report  of 
your  scouts.  Should  time  permit,  a  personal  conference 
would  be  more  satisfactory."  And  I  feel  sure,  from  my 
would  be  more  satisfactory."  The  affair  was  guarded 
with  perfect  secrecy,  until  Hampton  struck.  I  affiirm  as  a 
fact,  corroborated  to-day  by  the  evidence  of  D.  B.  Coltrane 
and  Denson  A.  Caldwell,  that  no  one  but  Hampton,  R.  E. 
Lee  and  Hampton's  scouts,  unless  it  was  Hampton's  own 
generals,  hneic  anything  about  Hampton's  purpose  till  Ros- 
ser  made  the  attack  at  5  a.  m.  on  the  16th.  Great  men 
don't  talk  of  their  great  purposes  till  as  acts  they  speak 
for  themselves.  All  this  shows  the  importance  and  mag- 
nitude of  the  grand  result.  In  it  the  Sixty-third  N"orth 
Carolina  Regiment  acted  a  splendid  part  in  fighting  and 
as  solitary  picket  at  one  time,  at  Sycamore  Church  on 
"the  roads  leading  f  roan  the  direction  of  the  enemy."  This  was 
one  of  the  Sixty-third's  high  trusts  alone,  the  whole  affair  de- 
pending on  its  faithful  performance  and  then,  afterwards,  as 
often  before,  the  Sixty-third  with  "General  Lee  brought  up 
the  rear."  And  right  here  comes  in  an  illustration  of  the 
beautiful  necessity  of  these  histories  to  unfold  the  glories  hid- 
den in  general  words.  Please  re-read  the  last  sentence  quoted 
40 


626  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

from  Hampton's  report — "Sergeant  Shadbimie  acted  as  guide 
to  General  liosser ;  accompanied  the  leading  regiment  in  its 
diarye.  Kept  tiis  jxirty  always  in  tlie  front,  and  acted  with 
conspicuous  yalhinlry."  Well  now  pray  what  has  that  got  to 
do  with  the  Sixty-third  Xortli  Carolina  Kegiment  ?  somebody 
will  ask.  Well,  just  lift  that  si)lendid  picture  of  Shadburne, 
standing  modestly  behind  it;  and  there  right  beside  Shad- 
burne,  as  he  has  been  for  years  till  he  is  as  great  as  Shad- 
burne,  stands,  as  one  of  ''his  party,"  a  young  boy,  Julian 
Shakespeare  Ilari-is,  of  Cabarrus  County,  and  of  Company 
F,  Sixty-third  Kortli  Carolina  Regiment.  For  weeks,  every 
night  and  often  in  the  day  in  Federal  uniform  with  his  life  in 
his  hand,  Shakespeare  Harris  w^alked  with  Shadbume  in  the 
enemy's  camps  as  one  of  ''his  party"  and  they  together  made 
that  word-map  by  which  Hampton  captured  2,486  splendid 
beef  cattle,  which  fed  tlie  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  for 
months  with  fresh  beef  which  it  hardly  knew  the  taste  of  and 
added  another  glory  to  the  fame  of  the  Sixty-third  North 
Carolina  Regiment. 

As  a  private  of  Company  F,  and  as  "one  of  Hampton's 
scouts,  in  every  duty,  there  was  not  anyiuhere  a  bett-er  soldier 
nor  one  who  did  more  daring,  desperate  deeds  than  "Shake" 
Harris. 

Nothing  ever  so  startled  and  shocked  the  Army  of  the  Poto- 
mac as  the  capture  of  their  beeves.  As  can  be  readily  seen 
by  theii"  telegrams  and  reports  of  officers  to  each  other  from 
General  Grant  down  to  the  liumblest  officer  connected  with 
the  affair.  T  A\isli  F  could  take  space  to  copy  some  of  them, 
wliich  are  full  of  fright  and  consternation  and  ignorance. 
These  telegTams  and  reports  begin  early  on  16  September  and 
run  for  days.  All  through  them  a])pear  "BaiTinger's  Bri- 
gade" and  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regiment  is  men- 
tioned. They  run  from  p.  852  to  p.  935  of  Vol.  88.  On 
which  latter  page,  20  Septcmlx'r,  four  days  after  he  heard  of 
our  "rich  haul,"  as  he  calls  it,  on  page  853,  General  Grant, 
with  evident,  uncooled  irritation,  writes  to  General  Meade: 
"The  ease  witli  which  our  men  of  late  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy  would  indicate  that  they  are  rather  willing  pris- 
oners." 


Sixty-Third  Regimekt.  627 

About  this  affair  General  R.  E.  Lee  wrote  General  Hamp- 
con  as  follows:  "You  will  please  convey  to  the  officers  and 
men  of  your  command  my  thanks  for  the  courage  and  energy 
with  which  they  executed  your  orders,  by  which  they  have 
added  another  to  the  list  of  important  services  rendered  by 
the  cavalry  during  the  present  campaign."      Vol.  87,  p.  952. 

m'dowell's  farm. 

On  the  morning  of  29  September  the  enemy  advanced  on 
the  Vaughn  road  and  drove  back  our  pickets  and  forces  there 
to  Hatcher's  Run.  Here  he  was  driven  back  to  McDowell's 
farm,  where  the  fight  becoming  ''a  serious  one,"  General  Lee, 
under  Hampton's  orders,  moved  to  the  fight  Barringer's  Bri- 
gade, then  en  route,  to  the  north  side  of  the  James.  The 
Nineteenth  and  Sixty-third  alone  were  put  into  the  action, 
with  our  small  forces  then  engaged,  and  drove  back  the  Fed- 
eral Cavalry  for  more  than  a  mile  tO'  Wyatt's,  capturing  a 
Major  and  twenty  other  prisoners. 

General  Hampton  says :  ''General  Lee  brough  up  Barrin- 
ger's Brigade  and  at  once  ordered  an  attack.  This  was  made 
promptly  and  most  successfully.  The  troops  behaved  as  well 
as  possible  and  they  were  well  led  by  their  officers.  The 
picket  line  was  re-established."  Vol.  87,  p.  947.  The  fol- 
lowing day  the  enemy  captured  Fort  McRae,  which  was  re- 
taken by  General  Heth  and  two  Virginia  Regiments  of  Lee's 
Division  and  to  the  results  here  the  enemy  "attributed  the 
failure  of  their  whole  movement  on  this  side  of  the  James 
river."  Vol.  87,  p.  948.  The  Sixty-third  and  our  brigade 
took  an  unimportant  part.  ISTpt  being  in  action  at  all,  but 
moved  here  and  there  as  needed  and  kept  in  the  trenches  day 
and  night. 

BOYDTON  PLANK  EOAD, 

On  27  October,  1864,  on  the  Boyd  ton  Plank  Road,  near 
Wilson's  house,  occurred  one  of  the  most  important  actions 
and  greatest  victories  that  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina 
Regiment  was  ever  engaged  in. 

Burgess  Mill  is  seven  miles  from  Petersburg,  almost  exactly 
southwest  on  Hatcher's  Run.     This  stream  flows  almost  ex- 


628  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

actly  southeast  from  above  Burgess'  Mill  to  and  beyoi.d 
Monk's  Neck  Bridge,  past  Armstrong's  Mill,  which  is  about 
half  way  between  Burgess'  Mill  and  Monk's  Neck  Bridge, 
which  is  five  miles  from  Burgess'  Mill  and  eight  and  a  half 
miles  from  Petersburg.  White  Oak  Road  runs  exactly  west 
from  Boyd  ton  Plank  Boad,  which  it  strikes  about  half  a  mile 
south  from  Burgess'  jMill.  The  South  Side  Railroad  runs  al- 
most parallel  to  White  Oak  Road  and  three  miles  north  of  it 
And  Wilson's  House  was  about  two  miles  from  Burgess'  Mill 
right  on  the  Plank  Road,  and  east  side  of  it.  These  are  the 
points  of  interest  connected  with  this  great  battle,  which  was 
fought  chiefly  on  the  Plank  Road  or  near  it,  in  territory  the 
form  of  an  elliptical  loop,  with  one  end  of  "our  left  resting  on 
Burgess'  mill-pond,"  thence  running  around  theWilson  House 
and  the  other  end  near  Armstrong's  Mill  and  above  it.  From 
this,  any  one,  with  an  ordinary  map  locating  Petersburg,  can 
make  a  sketch  of  the  scene.  Fine  sketches  are  on  pp.  233  and 
435  of  Vol.  ST.  And  the  reader  will  also  find  a  map  with 
this  history  of  the  Sixty-third.  All  references  under  this 
heading  are  in  Vol.   87,  so  that  page  alone  will  be  given. 

The  enemy  crossed  Hatcher's  Run  early  in  the  morning  of 
27  October,  at  Annstrong's  Mill  and  Monk's  Neck  Bridge, 
p.  949.  Hampton.  His  forces  consisted  of  two  and  a  half  army 
corps  of  infantry,  including  half  of  Hancock's  great  veteran 
coq3s,  which  held  the  heights  at  Gettysburg,  pp.  230  and  434; 
Gregg's  Division  of  cavalry,  pp.  231  and  608,  and  twenty  en- 
tire batteries,  pp.  154-159.  This  force  signifies  great  im- 
portance. Generals  Grant  and  Meade  were  there  in  person 
on  the  Boydton  Plank  Road,  near  the  Wilson  House  with 
General  Hancock  about  2  p.  m.,  pp.  231  and  232.  This  sig- 
nified very  great  importance.  And  the  movement's  ultimate 
object  across  White  Oak  Road  to  destroy  the  South  Side  Rail- 
road and  make  a  tremendous  advance  on  our  right  flank,  was 
the  supreme  importance.     Pages  230-231. 

'^Phe  principal  forces  engaged  on  the  enemy's  side  were  Han- 
cock's infantry  and  Gregg's  division  of  cavalry  and  Craw- 
ford's Division  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  pp.  231,  497  and  608,  and 
also  much  artillery,  p.  408  ? 

Hampton  had  Butler's  and  Lee's  Divisions  and  Young's 


1 1- 1'%§'1!^®''^-'' 


A-Position  of  63^^ 
P^r-i i 3  lly  across 


, PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 

A8T0R.  LENOKJM* 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  629 

Brigade  of  cavali*y,  pages  953  and  954.  Butler's  left  rested 
"on  Burgess'  mill-pond,"  949,  along  the  upper  and  northern 
line  of  the  ellipse  and  joined  on  Lee's  left  at  tlie  curve  of  the 
loop,  which  crossed  the  Boydton  Plank  Road,  next  came 
Young,  along  the  lower  line  of  the  loop  to  a  point  about  one- 
fourth  of  its  length  from  the  Rttu,  where  this  imaginaiy  line 
reached  the  Quaker  Road  and  thus  Hampton's  "line  then  en- 
veloped tlie  enemy  from  a  point  on  the  Quaker  Road  to  Bur- 
gess' Mill-pond,"  as  he  says  on  page  953.  The  space,  along 
the  line  of  the  elliptical  loop  from  the  Quaker  Road  to-  Arm- 
strong's Mill  was  covered  by  some  of  General  Heth's  infantry, 
and  our  lower  lines  of  envelopment  being  above  the  crossing 
at  Armstrong's  Mill  and  the  Run  between  there  and  Burgess' 
Mill  not  being  fordable  and  there  being  no  bridge  between 
these  mills,  Hampton  and  Heth  had  them  completely 
surrounded.  They  had  them  iji  exactly  the  same  situation 
that  Stuart  was  in  at  Auburn,  only  they  were  entirely  sur- 
rounded. And  Heth  had  also'  a  force  of  infantry  on  their 
right  flank,  across  the  Run,  at  Burgess'  Mill.  They  were 
badly  surrounded.  Developments  during  the  night,  as  well 
as  the  statement  of  prisoners,  showed  that  the  enemy  had  his 
line  on  three  sides  of  our  position."  507.  Lee  had  only  the 
Ninth  and  Sixty-third  Regiments  of  our  brigade  on  the  line 
with  Beale's  Brigade  on  the  right  of  the  ISTinth.  The  sixty- 
third  was  on  the  Plank  Road  at  the  curve,  most  of  it  on  the 
left  or  west  of  the  road  a  small  part  on  the  east  side  where  it 
joined  its  right  to  the  left  of  the  Kinth.  I  was  sent  with 
these  regiments  to  place  them  and  know  exactly  where  they 
were.  McGregor's  Battery  was  in  the  Plank  Road  between 
the  two  parts  of  the  Sixty-third.  Fighting  had  been  going  on 
before  these  dispositions  were  made,  but  the  fury  of  it  arose 
about  the  time  they  were  consummated. 

Before  the  "battle  was  on"  fully  Lee  had  attacked  Gregg's 
rear  as  Gregg  was  marching  up  the  Quaker  Road  to  the  Plank 
Road  and  Hampton  had  attacked  him  furiously  in  front  with 
Butler.  While  engaged  thus,  Hampton,  on  pp.  949  and  953 
says :  "I  saw  his  cavalry  cross  the  Plank  Road  into  the 
White  Oak  Road,  and,  fearing  an  advance  on  the  South  Side 
Railroad,  I  rapidly  transferred  Butler  to  the  White  Oak 


630  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Road  and  at  once  forming  line  across  it,  repulsed  the  enemy. 
The  skirmish  line  of  the  enemy  was  advancing  up  this  road 
when  we  reached  it.  When  Butler  was  withdrawn  I  ordered 
Lee  to  move  promptly  to  the  Plank  Road  to  attack  them." 
Gregg's  cavalry,  with  our  old  friends  of  the  First  Maine, 
were  advancing  down  that  road  now  on  their  great  move.  The 
Ninth  and  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regiments  stopped 
them  right  there  at  Wilson's  House.  And  quickly  then  the 
battle  was  on  in  all  its  fury.  Again,  on  pages  949  and  953, 
Hampton  says:  ''Being  soon  after  this  informed  that  our 
infantry  would  attack  the  enemy,  I  prepared  to  join  in  this 
attack  and  as  soon  as  musketry  told  that  onr  troops  were  en- 
gaged Butler  was  ordered  to  charge  with  his  whole  line.  But- 
ler's men  charged  gallanth^  across  an  open  field  and  drove  the 
enemy  rapidly  towards  the  Plank  Road.  In  this  charge, 
while  leading  the  men  and  cheering  them  by  his  words  and 
example,  Lieutenant  Thomas  Preston  Llampton,  Aide-de- 
Camp,  fell  mortally  wounded  and  Lieutenant  Wade  Llamp- 
ton, who  was  acting  on  my  staff,  received  a  severe  wound. 
Lee  attacked  with  gTeat  spirit,  driving  the  enemy  rapidly  and 
handsomely  to  Bevill's  House." 

All  along  the  line  everywhere  the  fighting  was  teriific  and 
furious.  The  enemy  fought  with  the  courage  of  the  best  vet- 
erans in  the  Northern  Army  and  that  was  as  fine  courage  as 
the  world  ever  saw,  and  they  fought  with  that  courage  urged 
on  tO'  fury  by  the  recognized  desperation  of  their  situation. 
The  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  and  others  fought  as  tha^ 
Northern  courage  had  assisted  in  teaching  their  inborn  valor 
how  to  fight.  And  that  meant  the  hest  fighting  the  world 
ever  saw.  It  meant  ruin,  to  the  "early  morning's"  defiant 
foe.  All  along  their  lines  they  were  trying  to  reinforce  each 
other  when  driven  in  at  one  point  and  another.  On  page  609, 
General  Gregg  says :  "The  attack  of  the  enemy  on  the  right  of 
the  Second  Corps  toward  Hatcher's  Run,  caused  me  to  dis- 
mount all  the  available  regiments  of  the  Second  and  Third 
Brigades  and  push  them  rapidly  to  that  point  of  attack."' 
But  he  needed  them  back  mighty  quick.  On  same  page,  re- 
ferring to  A\"hat  was  going  on  where  the  Sixty-third  was,  he 
says :    "Repairing  to  this  point  I  found  the  onomy's  cavalry 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  631 

dismounted,  attacking  strongly  aided  by  the  fire  of  four  rifled 
guns.  I  sent  for  all  of  my  available  regiments.  The  First 
Maine  came  at  a  run,  and  at  once  became  heavily  engaged.  The 
attack  of  the  enemy  was  veiy  determined  and  made  in  large 
force  but  the  troops  engaged  in  resisting  it,  although  much  in- 
ferior in  numbers  (of  course),  could  not  be  beaten  back,  save 
inch  by  inch.  In  response  to  my  request  for  such  other  of 
my  regiments  as  could  be  spared,  Major-General  Hancock 
sent  them  to  me  rapidly.  These  regiments  coming  up  suc- 
cessively as  fast  as  their  legs  could  carry  them,  entered  the 
fight  and  at  dark  the  enemy  retired."  And  this  is -the  first 
time  we  ever  heard  that  "we  retired."  McGregor's  gims 
rushed  right  along  up  the  Plank  Road,  in  line  with  the  Six- 
ty-third Regiment  in  that  work,  firing  as  they,  the  guns, 
charged  with  us.  It  was  actually  a  charge  by  artillery.  But 
in  face  of  "the  enemy  retired,"  on  same  page.  General  Gregg 
says:  "At  10:30  p.  m.,  the  division  began  moving  (back) 
by  the  road  u]?on  wliich  it  had  advanced  in  the  morning." 
x\nd  thus  he  "retired"  at  midnight.  On  page  235,  General 
Hancock  says :  "I  desired  to  send  infantry  to  Gregg's  as- 
sistance, seeing  that  he  was  being  pressed  very  vigorously, 
but  I  feared  a  renewal  of  the  attack  in  my  front.  *  *  * 
About  5  o'clock  p.  m.  I  sent  to  communicate  to  General  War- 
ren or  Crawford  what  had  occurred  and  that  unless  the 
Fifth  Corps  moved  up  and  connected  with  me,  I  could  not 
answer  for  the  result.  *  *  *  ]\j;y  command  had 
been  moving  and  fighting  till  after  dark,  and  as  a  conse- 
quence was  in  considerable  disorder."  ^N'evertheless  when  he 
got  to  writing  his  report  he  thought  he  had  gained  a  "victory." 
For,  on  page  236,  he  says:  "Reluctant  as  I  was  to  leave  the 
field,  and  by  doing  so  lose  some  of  the  fruits  of  my  victory,  I 
felt  compelled  to  order  a  withdrawal  rather  than  risk  disas- 
ter by  awaiting  an  attack  in  the  morning,  only  partly  pre- 
pared." And  that  is  the  first  time  that  the  Sixty-third  iSTorth 
Carolina  Regiment  ever  heard  that  Hancock  and  Gregg  and 
Crawford  gained  a  "victoi'y"  on  the  Boydton  Plank  Road 
27  October,  1864.  On  page  457,  Major  Bingham,  of  Gen- 
eral Hancock's  staff,  said :  "The  attack  had  not  succeeded" 
and  General  Mott  said  :     "The  rebels  had  turned  and  doubled 


632  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

up  his  right  flank."  On  page  647,  Lieutenant  Garvin,  in  re- 
porting cause  of  a  loss  of  a  caisson,  says:  "Toward  evening 
I  could  neither  find  division  nor  brigade  headquarters.  The 
dismounted  cavalry  and  the  infantry,  men  and  officers,  were 
running  through  my  section.  I  put  on  a  guard  and  turned 
them  aside.  The  led  horses  of  the  Second  Brigade  were  in 
the  same  field  with  me,  and  the  shelling  of  the  enemy  was  so 
severe  as  to  force  the  led  horses  of  the  cavalry  into  another 
field.  I  followed  the  led  horses.  *  *  *  Finding  noth- 
ing but  turmoil  and  frightened  infantry,  and  no  brigade  head- 
quartersf  I  went  to  Captain  Harper,  who  told  me  to  stay  in 
the  field.  He  was  not  on  duty,  but  had  the  general's  escort 
with  him."  I  guess  that  Lieutenant  Garvin  did  not  think 
that  his  folks  had  won  a  "victory." 

ISTow  why  did  not  we  ruin  them,  encompassed  with  it  as 
they  were  ? 

Let  General  Hampton  tell  it.  On  page  950,  he  says: 
"We  had  driven  the  enemy  in  on  all  the  roads  and  he  was 
massed  on  the  field  around  the  houses  of  Bond  and  Burgess. 
The  night  having  grown  very  dark  and  a  heavy  rain  coming  on 
I  was  forced  to  pause  in  my  attack,  but  I  ordered  the  line  held 
all  night,  so  that  we  might  attack  at  daylight  the  next  morn- 
ing." And  on  page  953,  he  says:  "It  Avas  not  until  12:30 
a.  m.  that  I  knew  of  the  withdrawal  of  our  infantry,  and  I 
then  allowed  a  portion  of  my  command  to  leave  the  line." 
The  enemy  had  floAvn.  Pemiitted  to  do  so  by  "the  with- 
drawal of  our  infantry."  Intelligent  soldiers  take  in  a  situa- 
tion very  quickly  and  there  were  few  men  of  the  Sixty-third 
who  did  not  feel  sure  that  night  that  we  would  "bag  them  all 
in  the  morning."  Hampton  pursued  in  the  morning  and 
until  the  victorious  enemy  "fell  back  behind  his  infantry 
lines."  Page  050.  On  31  October,  1864,  General  R.  E.  Lee 
wrote  Hampton  about  this  great  battle:  "In  a  letter  to  Gen- 
eral Hill  to-day  I  expressed  my  gratification  at  the  conduct  of 
the  troops  in  general  and  of  the  cavalry  in  particular,  desir- 
ing him  to  communicate  my  thanks  to  you  and  your  com- 
mand. I  am  much  pleased  to  leara  from  your  letter  of  their 
admirable  behavior."     p.  954. 

So,  on  what  General  Robert  E.  Lee  said,  the  Sixty-third 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,   LENOK    AND 
TILOEN  FOUND  AT  ION8. 


-4  Position  G.V'Hegtat 
Helfw/r/ii'/ir/!  IPlyh'cn's 
cuLum/icfime  up. 

\ 

OuvUrfUM  rjT 


MAP  OF  BELFIELD  RAID. 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  633 

North  Carolina  Regiment  will  continue  to  keep  on  our  old 
tattered  and  ''furled"  battle  flag  ''Boydton  Plank  Road — 
Victory.''^ 

WAREElSr^S  RAID  TO  BELFIELD. 

On  page  24,  Vol.  87,  under  date  7  December,  1864,  Gen- 
eral Grant  writes :  "General  Warren,  with  a  force  of  about 
22,000  infantry,  six  batteries,  and  4,000  cavalry,  started  this 
morning  with  the  view  of  cutting  the  Weldon  Railroad  as  far 
south  as  Hicksford."  All  references  under  this  heading  ^^dll 
be  to  Vol.  87,  so  page  alone  is  given. 

Hampton  started  immediately,  the  same  day,  with  only 
Butler's  and  Lee's  Divisions  of  cavalry  to  thwart  this  "view." 
Page  950.  I  shall  now  quote  in  its  entirety  what  is  said  in 
my  "Sketches,"  about  this  concluding  event  of  1864,  inter- 
spersing it  with  quotations  from  General  Hampton's  official 
report.  So  that  the  Sixty-third  Xorth  Carolina  may  end  the 
year  in  generous  "charity"  with  the  brigade. 

"We  struck  this  rear  guard  on  the  Halifax  Road,  just  be- 
yond the  I^ottaway  river.  After  skirmishing  General  Hamp- 
ton withdrew  and  moved  on  the  enemy's  right,  making  a 
forced  march  via  Wyatt's  bridge  to  Belfield,  and  we  thus  got 
ahead  of  the  enemy  at  the  latter  place." 

On  page  951,  Hampton  says:  "At  2  a.  m.  on  the  9th,  my 
command  was  in  motion  and  the  head  of  my  column  very  near 
Belfield  at  daylight.  I  at  once  made  dispositions  to  defend 
Hicksford  and  the  railroad  bridge  over  Meherrin,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Colonel  Gamett,  who  commanded  the  post  at  that 
point.  The  enemy  moved  on  slowly  and  captiously,  and  he 
did  not  make  his  appearance  before  Belfield  until  3  p.  m.  The 
troops  of  Colonel  Garnett  assisted  by  the  batteries  of  Hart  and 
McGregor,  opened  fire  rapidly  and  with  effect  on  him,  driving 
him  back  promptly."  He  ought  to  have  added  that  the  Sixty- 
third  North  Carolina  Regiment,  occupying  a  position  between 
"the  troops  of  Coloned  Gamett"  in  their  breastworks  on  each 
side  of  the  road,  in  advance  of  the  works,  ac7'0ss  the  road  lead- 
ing into  Hicksford  and  north  of  the  river,  aided  "in  driving 
him  back  promptly."  That  is  the  truth  of  history,  as  D.  B. 
Coltrane  and  others,  who  were  in  that  fight,  well  know. 


634  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  terrible  nights  of  cold  and  rain  and 
sleet  our  regiment  ever  saw.  The  ground  and  trees  next 
morning  Avere  all  covered  with  ice,  under  whose  weight  great 
lindis  broke  and  crashed  to  the  earth  along  our  route.  \nd  all 
that  night  Colonel  W.  P.  Roberts,  with  the  Nineteenth  North 
Carolina  Regiment,  picketed  and  guarded  the  Meherrin  above 
Hicksford,  while  others  slept,  as  well  as  they  could. 

And  those  "troops  of  Colonel  Gamett,"  who  were  they  ? 
Principally  '"Junior  Reserves" — 17-year-old  boys  from  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia.  Prominent  among  them,  the  Seven- 
tieth and  Seventy-first  North  Carolina  Regiments.  And  oh ! 
how  those  boys  did  fire.  They  seemed  to  be  taking  thei?' 
"Christmas"  then,  in  fire  works  at  least.  They  made  their 
lines  lurid  in  the  darkness.  And  a  courier  had  to  be  sent 
down  to  til  em  "to  stop  their  firing." 

The  next  morning  I  saw  those  same  boys  following  in  the 
pursuit,  some  of  them  almost  absolutely  barefooted.  A  scene 
pitiable  I  saw  among  them,  too.  As  I  rode  past  their  march- 
ing line,  I  noticed  that  every  other  boy  had  a  tin  cup  in  his 
little  hand,  holding  it  as  if  he  feared  to  spill  something.  I 
said :  "What  have  you  in  that  cup  ?"  "Sorghum  for  two."  I 
could  not  realize  it  and  again  further  on  I  repeated :  "What 
have  you  in  that  cup  ?"  "Sorghum  for  tAvo."  The  time 
will  come  when  readers  of  these  pages  will  not  know  what 
"sorghum"  was.  It  was  North  Carolina  made  molasses.  And 
I  know  that  this  is  not  the  history  of  the  Sixty-third  North 
Carolina  Regiment.  But  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina 
saw  it  and  its  sight  was  inspiration  to  us  veterans,  old  and 
young,  tO'  higher  heroism.  And  it  is  told  to  show  what  the 
homes  and  the  hearts  of  the  South  endured  in  our  civil  war. 

N'ow  to  a  renewal  of  the  "Sketches."  "General  Hampton 
repulsed  the  Federal  troops  and  saved  the  railroad  bridge  at 
that  place.  N^ext  morning  we  found  that  the  enemy  had  left 
and  were  beating  a  hasty  retreat.  General  Hampton  made 
a  detour  by  way  of  Three  Creeks  to  strike  their  flank.  We 
barely  struck,  on  its  right  flank,  their  rear  giiard." 

Hampton,  page  951,  sa^'s:  "General  Lee  charged  with 
one  regiment,  throwing  a  part  of  the  regiment  down  and  a 
part  up  the  road.     The  cavalry  of  the  enemy  which  was  met 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  635 

was  driven  on  rapidly,  with  loss  and  in  confusion  and  the  in- 
fantry of  the  rear  guard  was  gallantly  charged." 

And  herein  will  follow  other  illustrations  of  the  need  of 
these  histories.  The  "Sketches"  say:  "General  Barringer, 
in  person,  then  charged  their  rear  guard  with  two  squadrons 
of  the  First  Cavalry,  Captain  Dewey  and  Lieutenant  Todd, 
and  effectually  routed  them.  Captain  Dewey  followed  and 
rushed  them  pell-mell  on  to  their  infantry  supports  and 
then  the  infantry  were  charged  and  dispersed ;  but  the 
gallant  Dewey  finding  his  force  too  weak  for  the  heavy  odds 
now  against  him,  was  compelled  to  retire.  These  two  squad- 
rons acted  in  the  most  daring  manner.  They  killed  and 
wounded  several  of  the  enemy  and  took  a  number  of  prison- 
ers." 

Again  on  page  951,  Hampton  says:  "The  pursuit  on  our 
part  continued  during  the  remainder  of  the  day.  At  Morris' 
Mill  we  drove  him  from  the  bridge  and  pushing  on  soon  met 
some  cavalry,  charging  and  dispersing  them.  The  leading 
squadron  of  the  Third  Cavalry  (Forty-first  I^orth  Carolina) 
dashed  into  the  main  body  of  the  enemy,  who  were  found  pre- 
paring tO'  go  into  camp.  Finding  their  whole  force  there  I 
withdrew  to  Morris'  Mill,  two  miles  back  to  bivouac." 

The  "Sketches"  say:  "The  Third  Cavalry  (Forty-first 
North  Carolina)  was  now  passed  to  the  front  and  the  pursuit 
vigorously  pressed.  About  9  o'clock  at  night.  Captain  Har- 
ding, of  Company  K,  got  the  enemy's  rear  guard  fairly 
started  and  charging  them  over  two  miles,  forced  them  back 
precipitately  into  their  camps.  His  zeal  led  him  too  far  and 
into  a  furious  fire  from  the  enemy's  interior  guards.  But 
the  grave  and  skillful  Captain  still  pressed  forward  and,  af- 
ter some  hair-breadth  escapes,  succeeded  in  extricating  his 
command  with  a  loss  of  only  about  a  dozen  men."  Our  com- 
rade, Julian  S.  Carr,  was  in  this  charge,  to  my  personal 
knowledge.  That  "interior  guard"  formed  an  ambuscade  for 
Captain  Harding's  troopers.  They  fired  from  each  side  of 
the  road  into  each  flank  of  those  charging  Carolinians.  I 
know  that  Julian  S.  Carr  was  in  that  charge  and  went  as  far 


636  E'oRTH  CAROLmA  Troops,  1861-'65. 

in  it  as  any  man,  because  I  saw  and  spoke  tx>  him  then  and 
there  and  congratulated  him  on  his  safety. 

On  page  952,  Hampton  says:  "I  sent  one  regiment  at 
daylight  the  next  morning  to  follow  to  the  Nottaway  river" 
*     *     *     and  'Svithdrew  my  force  to  Stony  Creek." 

The  ''Sketches"  say:  "Next  day,  11  December,  our  cav- 
alry all  returned  to  camp,  except  the  Sixty-third  l^orth  Car- 
olina Eegiment,  with  which  General  Barringer  followed  the 
enemy  until  they  crossed  the  N"ottaway,  when  he  gave  up  the 
pursuit.     Thus  ended  the  memorable  campaign  of  1864." 

And,  according  to  the  u-ritten  records,  it  "ended"  with  this 
remarkable  coincidence:  At  White  Hall,  6  May,  1864,  the 
Sixty-third  JSTorth  Carolina  Regiment,  with  the  ISTineteenth, 
was  the  first  regiment,  or  part  of  a  regiment,  of  our  brigade  in 
tattle  and  11  December,  1864,  it  was,  alone,  the  last  regiment 
of  that  great  brigade  to  leave  the  field  and  the  foe  on  the  banks 
of  the  ISTottaway.  And,  according  to  my  "Sketches,"  ap- 
proved by  General  Barringer  and  Colonel  Cheek,  as  has  been 
shown,  at  White  Hall  "our  loss  was  severe,  especially  in  the 
Sixty-third,  which  bore  the  brunt  of  the  action  and  had  eigh- 
teen men  killed  and  wounded."  And  in  saying  this  nor  in 
anything  that  I  have  said,  the  Sixty-third  North  Carolina 
Regiment  would  not  take  one  laurel  from  the  glory-crowned 
brows  of  the  Ninth  and  the  Nineteenth  and  the  Forty-first. 
Their  glory  is  ours  and  ours  is  theirs  in  jointly  glorifying  the 
North  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade. 

On  page  437,  Vol.  1,  of  these  histories,  General  Barringer 
has  summed  up  the  losses  of  the  brigade  for  the  campaigii  of 
1864.  A  child's  calculation  will  show  that  the  "losses"  of 
the  Sixty-third  were  just  fifty-five  rnore  than  any  other  regi- 
ment of  the  brigade. 

And  in  this  connection  T  quote  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  Paul  B. 
Barringer,  Chairman  of  the  Faculty  of  the  University  of 
Virginia,  and  a  son  of  General  Barringer,  written  to  the 
widow  of  General  Barringer  from  the  University  of  Virginia, 
Charlottesville,  Va.,  1  June,  1900.  Dr.  Barringer  writes :  "It 
is  strange,  but  a  fact,  that  of  all  the  men  of  father's  brigade 
buried  at  this  place,  the  old  Sixty-third  furnished  more  than 
the  other  throe  regiments  put  together." 


£ 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  63Y 

And  here  is  another  remarkable  coincidence  from  the  rec- 
ords of  the  grave  and  of  written  history.  And  these  were  the 
dead  of  the  regiments  of  our  brigade  in  the  campaigns  prior 
to  1863.  Thej  were  the  dead  of  Middleburg,  Upperville,  Cul- 
pepper, etc.,  killed  in  1863. 

THE  campaign  OF  1865. 

The  hard  winter  of  1864-'5  bore  heavily  and  sorely  on  the 
Army  of  N'orthem  Virginia,  but  with  especial  severity  on  our 
cavalry.  We  had  to  march  over  thirty  miles,  to  picket  ^^rom 
our  winter  quarters  near  Beliield.  Frequent  movements  oi 
the  enemy  forced  us  to  make  long  and  hard  marches;  the 
country  was  almost  entirely  exhausted  of  both  long  and  short 
forage,  and  raids  of  the  enemy  kept  our  communications  cut 
fully  a  third  of  the  winter.  But  such  was  the  heroic  spirit  of 
the  men  and  such  their  devotion  to  duty  that  they  overcame 
all  difficulties  and,  when  the  campaign  of  1865  opened,  the 
ISTorth  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade  numbered  1,788  officers  and 
effective  mounted  men  in  camp  present  for  duty."  My 
Sketches  and  Vol.  95,  p.  390. 

The  general  reader  can  never  see  the  "Official  Records  of 
the  Union  and  Confederate  Armies,"  to  which  I  have  referred 
so  often  by  citation  of  volume  and  page,  and  instead  of  making 
such  references  now  in  order  that  such  reader  may  see  for 
himself  the  truth  from  another  source  than  my  "Sketches," 
about  the  hardships  of  the  winter  of  1864-'5,  even  at  the  peril 
of  being  considered  painfully  prolix  and  of  being  criticised 
for  "not  sticking  to  my  text,"  I  quote  from  pages  1209-1210, 
Vol.  96,  the  following: 

"Headquarters  Army  of  N"orthern  Virginia^ 

"February,  8,  1865. 
"Hon.  Jaynes  A.  Seddon,  Secretary  of  War,  Richmond,  Va. : 

Sir: — All  the  disposable  force  of  the  right  wing  of  the 
army  has  been  operating  against  the  enemy  beyond  Hatcher's 
Run  since  Sunday.  Yesterday,  the  most  inclement  day  of 
the  winter,  they  had  to  be  retained  in  line  of  battle,  having 
been  in  the  same  condition  the  two  previous  days  and  nights. 


638  ISToRTH  Carolina  Troops^  1861-'65. 

I  regret  to  be  obliged  to  state  that  under  these  circumstances, 
heightened  bj  assaults  and  fire  of  the  enemy,  some  of  the  men 
had  been  without  meat  for  tliree  days  and  all  were  suffering 
from  reduced  rations  and  scant  clothing,  exposed  to  battle, 
cold,  hail  and  sleet.  I  have  directed  Colonel  Cole,  Chief 
Commissary,  who  reports  that  he  has  not  a  pound  of  meat  at 
his  disposal,  to  visit  Richmond  and  see  if  nothing  can  be 
done.  If  some  change  is  not  made  and  the  Commissary  De- 
partment reorganized,  I  apprehend  dire  results.  The  physi- 
cal strength  of  the  men,  if  their  courage  survives,  must  fail 
under  this  treatment.  Our  cavalry  has  to  be  dispersed  for 
want  of  forage.  Fitz.  Lee's  and  Lomax's  Divisions  are  scat- 
tered because  supplies  cannot  be  transported  where  their  ser- 
vices are  required.  I  had  to  bring  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Division 
forty  miles  Sunday  night  to  get  him  in  position.  *  *  * 
"With  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

"E.  E.  Lee, 
"General." 

The  Sixty-third  North  Carolina  Regiment  was  on  that 
march  of  "forty  miles"  that  cold  "Sunday  night,"  which  was 
5  February,  1865. 

CHAMBERLAIN  RUN. 

This  was  the  most  fearful  and  fiercest  battle  we  were  ever 
in.  Tn  order  to  intelligently  understand  it,  other  regiments 
must  be  referred  to,  of  course.  And  so  it  has  been  all  through 
these  writings  of  mine  about  tlie  regiment.  I  could  not 
tell  "the  whole  truth"  without,  often,  mentioning  other  regi- 
ments, men  and  matters.  ISTo  one  regrets  more  than  I  do  this 
expansion  of  my  imperfect  picture  of  the  Sixty-third.  But  it 
would  not  do  to  paint  one  regiment  alone,  however  great,  in 
front  of  Sheridan's  Corps  and  call  it  a  battle ;  others  must  be 
there,  or  the  one  becomes  ridiculous.  Such  a  situation  of  the 
Sixty-third  woadd  also  have  been  awfully  unfortunate  for  it. 
And,  therefore,  I  pray  pardon  for  what  seems  iiTelevant  to 
this  history. 

As  to  the  part  of  the  Ninth  in  the  morning  fight,  Colonel 
Cheek  has  so  well  told  what  it  did  that  I  simply  refer  to  pages 


SixTY-TiriED  Regimext,  639 

472  and  473  of  Vol.  1  of  these  histories.  The  word  "after- 
noon" near  the  top  of  page  473  should  read  "forenoon." 
That  is  self  evident  from  these  two  pages  as  a  whole,  l^ow 
why  was  "Colonel  Mcl^eill  repulsed  at  the  ford,"  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  what  part  did  Colonel  McXeill  and  his  grand  regi- 
ment do  in  that  awful  tragedy  where  he  died  ? 

At  the  same  time  that  Colonel  Cheek  received  his  orders 
for  the  action,  Colonel  Gaines,  of  the  j^^ineteenth,  and  Colonel 
Mcl*^eill  received  theirs,  I  heard  them  given  and  so  did  Frank 
Brown,  now  living.  C^olonel  Cheek  executed  his  magnifi- 
cently and  so  did  Gaines  and  Mci^Teill,  as  far  as  it  was  possi- 
ble for  mortal  mem  to  execute  them.  The  Sixty-third  was  in 
front.  A  small  detail  from  the  Sixty-third  was  sent,  mounted, 
tO'  our  right  as  videttes,  under  Captain  S.  A.  Grier.  Mc- 
J^eill  and  Gaines  were  told  "to  dismount  their  regiments,  go 
to  the  ford,  cross  in  column  of  fours,  the  Sixty-third  to  deploy 
in  line  of  battle  to  the  right  of  and  below  the  ford ;  the  Nine- 
teenth to  follow  and  deploy  fast  in  line  of  battle  to  the  left 
and  above  the  ford,  completing  and  connecting  the  line  be- 
tween Cheek  and  Mcl^eill  and  drive  the  enemy."  Those 
were  the  orders. 

The  road  crossed  that  ford  at  right  angles.  The  water 
there,  "one  hundred  and  fifty  yards"  below  Cheek,  was  much 
above  "the  men's  waists,"  its  depth,  according  to  Colonel 
Cheek,  where  he  was.  Of  course  it  was  much  deeper  with 
us  than  where  the  JSTinth  was,  even  if  it  was  the  ford.  So 
deep,  so  "impassable  by  reason  of  briars  and  swamp  under- 
growth" and  a  bluff  to  the  immediate  right  of  the  ford,  and 
on  our  side  of  it,  and  other  obstructions  of  fallen  timber  on 
both  sides  of  the  stream,  that  it  could  not  be  crossed,  for  bat- 
tle, except  at  the  ford.  It  would  swim  a  horse  twenty  feet 
below  the  ford.  Men  were  shot  down  in  the  ford,  swept  off 
by  the  current  and  actually  drowned  before  their  comrades 
could  pull  them  out.  That  was  the  sort  of  a  place  the  Sixty- 
third  and  ]S[ineteenth  had  to  cross  under  their  orders. 

Across  the  stream,  from  the  road  up  to  Cheek's  right,  was 
a  body  of  small  and  large  timber  extending  forward  almost 
to  the  enemy's  entrenchments ;  immediately  to  the  right  of  the 
road  was  open  ground,  sparsely  wooded,  thirty-five  or  fifty 


640  North  Cakolina  TROors,  1861-'65. 

yards  wide  up  to  the  enemy's  works  and  then  far  dowTi  the 
stream  was  a  body  of  good  sized  timber.  From  the  stream  the 
ground  rose  rapidly  to  the  enemy's  lines  and  works,  which 
were  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  stream  with  their  ex- 
treme left  point  being  almost  opposite  to  what  was  to  be  Mc- 
N^eill's  right.  McNeill's  intended  right,  across  the  creek, 
would  overlap  their  left  slightly.  From  the  place  where  they 
dismounted,  the  Sixty-third  and  Nineteenth  moved  rapidly 
towards  the  ford,  a  large  body  of  Sheridan's  cavalry  was  on 
our  side  of  the  stream,  a  fierce  fight  enmsued  and  they  were 
driven  pell-mell  across  the  ford  back  to  their  works.  In  tliis 
affair  Colonel  Gaines  lost  his  riglit  ann.  Grandly  and  glo- 
riously, with  Colonel  McNeill  in  the  lead,  our  regiment 
crossed  that  ford  under  a  galling,  withering  fire  from  Henry 
rifles,  that  shot  sixteen  times  each  without  loading,  fired  by  an 
entrenched  enemy.  Every  man  held  his  cartridge  box  high 
above  that  seething  water  with  his  left  hand  and  his  rifle  in 
his  right.  They  crossed,  as  ordered,  ''by  fours,"  as  regularly 
as  ever  a  regiment  moved  on  a  parade  ground.  They  had 
learned  to  parade  in  battle.  As  they  crossed,  McNeill  gave 
the  proper  orders  loud  and  clear;  each  company  captain,  as 
his  company  landed,  repeated  the  order  and  quickly  the  regi- 
ment was  in  line  of  battle  to  the  right  of  the  road  waiting  for 
the  Nineteenth  to  cross.  And  just  here,  as  at  Balaklava, 
"somebody  blundered."  "Blundered"  awfully,  but  with  lhe 
best  intention.  To  distract  the  fire  from  our  two  rcg-iments, 
W.  TI.  F.  Lee  ordered  a  Virginia  regiment  to  charge  across  the 
ford  mounted,  just  Avlien  the  Nineteenth  was  steadily,  as 
always,  stepping  forward  to  cross.  Misunderstanding  their 
orders,  only  a  squadron  of  the  Virginians  rushed  over  and  up 
the  incline  of  the  road.  The  Nineteenth  closed  riglit  in  be- 
hind them.  Frank  Brown,  one  of  Barringer's  courier's,  with 
his  hat  in  his  right  hand,  as  he  almost  always  rode  in  battle, 
till  he  got  within  saber  distance  of  the  foe,  rushed,  under  Bar- 
rinffer's  orders,  to  McNeill  to  learn  his  situation.  McNeill 
was  advancing  slowly  for  the  Nineteenth  to  form  on  his  left 
and  the  fire  was  so  furious  that  it  was  better  to  advance  than 
to  stand.  To  Bro^-n's  enquiry.  Colonel  McNeill  coolly  said : 
"Please  tell  General  Barringer  that  T  am  all  right  and  ad- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  641 

vancing  slowly  for  the  Nineteen tli  to  form  on  my  left  that  we 
may  charge  and  carry  those  works.  Ask  him,  please,  to 
hasten  the  I^ineteenth  over."  About  two  companies  of  the 
^Nineteenth  crossed  behind  that  squadron,  just  as  grandly  as 
the  Sixty-third  had.  And  then  that  squadron  broke  and  fled 
back  to  the  narrow  ford.  Our  brigade  color-bearer,  Churchill, 
waving  his  battle  flag  in  his  hand,  Lieutenant  Fred.  Foard, 
General  Barringer's  Aide,  and  I  rushed  at  them  on  the 
enemy's  side  of  the  stream  and  tried  to  rally  them,  and  espe- 
cially to  keep  them  off  the  j^ineteenth.  But  they  were  panic- 
stricken  ;  not  even  appeals  to  "look  at  those  North  Carolinians 
crossing  here/'  could  halt  those  horsemen,  breaking  the  line 
of  the  Nineteenth  and  pushing  them  down  into  the  deep  water 
at  the  lower  side  of  the  ford.  The  enemy  were  so  exultant 
over  their  sight  of  the  fleeing  s([uadron  that  they  advanced 
and  redoubled  their  already  furious  fire  on  McNeill  and  the 
ford,  where  the  column  of  the  Nineteenth  was  now  helplessly 
cut  in  twain  by  that  mingled  mass  of  mounted  men,  while  Mc- 
Neill's ammunition  was  almost  exhausted.  T).  B.  Coletrane, 
standing  near  him,  said :  "Colonel,  I  have  only  two  car- 
tridges; shall  I  use  them  or  hold  them  ?"  "Keep  them;  you 
may  need  them  more  in  a  moment,"  coolly  and  calmly  an- 
swered McNeill,  in  the  face  of  a  well  recognized  and  terrify- 
ing danger.  And  there  he  and  his  regiment  were ;  fighting, 
and  firing  their  last  shot.  And  now  let  Captain  C.  W.  Pear- 
son speak.  In  his  sketch  of  Company  II,  now  before  me,  he 
says :  "The  writer  was  talking  to  Colonel  McNeill,  when  he 
saw  a  man  a  little  to  the  right,  run  from  a  large  pine  tO'  an- 
other pine,  very  soon  a  pufl"  of  smoke  came  from  the  tree,  I 
think  this  shot  killed  the  Colonel,  as  just  at  that  time  he  fell, 
apparently  instantly  killed,  some  of  the  men  picked  him  up 
and  started  back,  but  got  only  a  short  distance,  when  the  en- 
tire line  gave  way.  In  recrossing  the  creek  we  had  to  swim 
under  a  heavy  fire,"  And  this  is  why  "Colonel  McNeill  was 
repulsed  at  the  ford,"  He  was  being  carried  off  dead  in  the 
arms  of  his  loving  men  who  had  fired  their  last  shots  into  the 
swarming  ranks  of  an  overwhelming,  advancing  foe. 

General  Barringer,  mounted  on  his  horse,  right  at  the  ford, 
41 


642  XoRTH  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

watching-  and  directing  all  tlie  movements  of  his  men,  sent 
a  courier  to  form  the  Sixty-third  along"  the  top  of  the  bluff 
down  tlie  stream  as  they  came  up  from  the  water  and  to 
check  the  advancing  foe.  They  were  supplied  with  ammu- 
nition as  (piickly  as  ])ossible;  to  aid  in  which,  the  cartridge 
boxes  of  onr  dead  were  emptied  from  tJieir  dead  bodies;  some 
of  which  I  thus  emptied  myself  for  this  purpose.  And  un- 
der the  lire  of  the  Sixty-third,  the  enemy  went  back  to  their 
works  on  the  ridge,  except  a  few  who  threw  up  a  V-shaped  en- 
trenclmient,  immediately  in  front  of  the  ridge  works,  right 
across  the  road — the  point  of  the  V  being  towards  Chamber- 
lain Run,  as  an  additional  defense. 

General  Barringer,  on  pages  439-44:0,  Vol.  1,  of  these  his- 
tories, well  tells  how  every  generous,  humane  effort  was  made 
to  save  his  men  in  the  afternoon.  He  ouglit  to  have  told,  I 
think,  that  this  effort  was  so  long  tried  with  W.  H.  F.  Lee 
that  Fitzhugh  Lee  came  in  person,  on  his  horse  all  covered 
witli  foam,  and  peremptorily  ordered  this  afternoon  attack, 
delayed  only  for  humanity's  sake.  The  battle  in  the  after- 
noon was,  in  all  its  movements,  like  that  of  the  morning,  ex- 
cept that  tlie  ISrineteenth  crossed  the  ford  first  and  that  Cap- 
tain John  R.  El-win,  of  Company  F,  with  sword  in  hand,  now 
led  the  Sixty-third  across  and  deployed  it  to  the  right  of  the 
road  and  to  the  right  of  the  JSTineteenth  as  magnificently  as 
McNeill  had  done  in  the  morning.  Lockhart,  of  the  ISrine- 
teenth, and  Er^viii,  of  the  Sixty-third,  gave  their  orders  to 
charge  at  the  same  moment  and  grandly,  gloriously,  with  a 
wild  rush  and  yell  they  went  fonvard  over  those  works  and 
drove  Sheridan's  splendid  soldiers  miles  back  to  Dinwiddle 
Court  House.  And  as  General  Barringer  says,  on  page  442, 
Vol.  1,  this  "was  the  last  marked  victory  won  by  our  armies." 
And  in  winning  it  the  Sixty-third  "was  a  great  part." 

Genera]  Barringer,  in  his  account  of  this  battle,  published 
in  the  Concord  Sun,  18  March,  1881,  now  before  me,  says: 
"Frank  Brown,  a  courier,  bore  a  message  to  Major  Lockhart, 
just  as  the  latter  gave  his  order  to  charge.  The  noble  youth, 
entirely  unbidden,  dashed  to  the  head  of  the  column  and  led 
the  charge,  the  only  nuin  on  horseback !  For  a  miracle  he 
escaped    unliurt    and,    returning   promptly    to   his    post,    he 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  643 

shouted,  'We've  whipped  them!     We've  whipped  them!'  " 

And  there  he  further  ^vi-ites :  ''When  the  brave  and  gener- 
ous Lieutenant  Lindsey  fell,  his  brother  sprang  for  a  moment, 
to  his  side.  The  hero  said,  'Turn  me  on  my  face;  then  hurry 
tO'  the  front.'  When  the  ^^irginia  squadron  met  its  fatal  re- 
pulse and  came  rushing  back.  Lieutenant  Fred.  Foard  and 
Paul  Means,  with  my  headquarters  color-bearer,  Churchill, 
dashed  gallantly  to  the  front,  under  a  tremendous  fire  and 
single-handed,  received  the  shock  of  the  advancing  host. 
Means  and  Churchill  were  both  wounded  and  Means'  horse 
was  severely  shot  and  Foard's  nearly  killed." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Shaw  was  killed  at  the  same  time  Col- 
onel MclSTeill  was.  Lieutenant  Lindsey  was  killed.  Captain 
Harris  and  Lieutenants  Nott,  Sockwell  and  Wharton  were 
all  severely  wounded,  and  others  were  killed  and  wounded 
whose  names  I  could  not  get.  A  great  number  of  privates 
were  killed  and  wounded  and  "every  man  in  Company  H, 
except  the  Captain,  was  struck  by  a  ball  during  the  day," 
Captain  Pearson  writes. 

The  battle  gave  immortal  lustre  to  the  Sixty-third,  but  it 
was  at  an  awful  sacrifice  and  saddened  forever  many  a  home. 

Colonel  MclJ^J^eill  fell  with  his  face  to  the  foe  as  the  hero, 
who  has  to  die,  loves  to  fall.  He  was  the  son  of  George  Mc- 
N^eill  and  Minei-va  Puffin,  sister  of  Chief  Justice  Puffin ;  was 
born  23  May,  1825  ;  was  educated  at  Harvard  and  Princeton; 
was  ordained  a  Presbyterian  minister  in  1847,  just  22  years 
of  age.  He  was  not  40  when  he  fell.  The  faith  and  the  fight 
and  the  loyalty  to  his  God  of  the  old  Covenanter  was  all  in 
him  fully.  Many  a  Sunday,  in  our  winter  camps,  I  have 
seen  him  standing  under  the  fluttering  folds  of  the  Confeder- 
ate battle  flag,  with  its  blood-red  field  and  starry  cross,  a  great 
crowd  of  soldiers  in  slouch  hats  and  gray  uniforms  sitting  on 
the  bare  ground  in  front  of  him,  and  heard  him  preaching  to 
them,  as  their  only  salvation,  the  blood  and  the  cross  of  Jesus 
Christ.  Lie  was  as  true  to  the  cross  of  Christ  as  he  was  to 
the  Southern  cross.  Like  Jackson,  he  led  his  regiment  in 
prayer  and  in  battle.  He  was  right  at  the  front  of  the  fight, 
advancing  against  an  advancing  foe  and  "ready"  when  God's 
bugle  called  him.     All  along  war's  weary  way  he  had  "fought 


644  I^ORTH  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

a  good  fight,"  he  had  ''kept  the  faith,"  and  that  awful  glorious 
day,  near  the  hill  top  at  Chamberlain  Run,  to  add  heaven's 
lustre  to  the  splendor  of  his  Colonel's  stars,  he  received  ''a 
crown  of  righteousness." 

That  night  Sheridan  wrote  General  Grant:  "The  enemy's 
cavalry  attacked  me  about  10  o'clock  to-day.  This  attack 
was  very  handsomely  repulsed  by  General  Smith's  brigade 
and  the  enemy  driven  across  Chamberlain's  creek.  *  *  * 
The  enemy  again  attacked  at  Chamberlain  creek,  and  forced 
Smith's  position.  At  this  time  Capehart's  and  Pennington's 
Brigades,  of  Custer's  Division,  came  up,  and  a  very  hand- 
some fight  occurred.  The  enemy  have  gained  some  ground, 
but  we  still  hold  in  front  of  Dinwiddle,  and  Davies  and 
Devin  are  coming  down  the  Boydton  road  to  join  us."  Among 
the  opposing  force  he  names  "W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Cavalry  com- 
mands" and  then  continues:  "The  men  have  behaved  splen- 
didly, v^  vr  vr  This  force  is  too  strong  for  us.  I  will 
hold  out  to  Dinwiddle  Court  House-  until  I  am  compelled  to 
leave."  And  this  was  the  "rebel  cavalry"  that  Sheridan  had 
reported  "the  almost  total  annihilation  of"  just  after  Brook 
Church. 

That  night,  31  March,  General  Grant  wa'ote  General  Sher- 
idan :  "The  Fifth  Corps  has  been  ordered  to  your  support" 
and  "MacKenzie's  Cavalry."  Vol.  95,  pp.  1110  and  1111; 
1117  and  1122-1123  and  1299.      See  also  page  628. 

We  campetl  on  the  battlefield  that  night,  right  at  that  awful 
ford  on  the  side  where  Mcl^eill  fell,  until  about  3  a.  m.  1 
April,  1865,  when,  after  learning  of  the  Fifth  Corps'  move- 
ment on  our  left  flank,  we  recrossed  Chamberlain  Run  and 
marched  to  Five  Forks,  without  seeing  the  enemy. 

Mention  must  be  made  here  of  Colonel  James  L.  Gaines, 
whose  splendid  career  shed  lustre  on  North  Carolina.  He  was 
a  son  of  Matthew  M.  and  Margaret  L.  Gaines,  of  Asheville, 
N,  C.  He  went  to  the  war  as  a  young  private  of  Company  G, 
Ninth  Regiment  (First  North  Carolina  Cavalry).  9  June, 
1863,  we  find  him  Adjutant  of  that  great  regiment  and,  on 
page  726  of  Vol.  44,  Colonel  Baker,  of  the  Ninth,  "thanks  Ad- 
jutant (Lioutcnant  J.  L. )  Gaines  for  his  great  coolness  and 
assistance  rendered  me  in  reforming  my  regiment  and  keep- 


THE  NEWT  York] 
^^BLIC  LIBRARY. 


erland's  J 


INhli   ATlMNS    |i>K    r.'iVIir<_)N    ri.ANK    K'lAl'. 

O  O  O  O  O  O  Coiifcdtrntf  Infnntry  »*n.st  of  Hatcher's  Run 
iiti'l  fr.  .Ill  Viiik'T  Riiuil  ti>  AnnstroliK's  Mill. 

X  X  X  X  X  X  — llHiiiiiton's  C'avalry,  from  BiirK<*ss'  Mill-poiul 
ti<  Vimk.T  Uxnii.  fi3— Point  wliere  the  Sixty-third  KeKiiiieiit 
went  into  action. 


INDIC.VTIMNS  I'l 
A  —  I'l^int  where  Sixty-tliinl  . 
mounted  morninp  of  Siftrcli  :5 
tending  miicli  beyond  I)  nortli 
Regiment.  K  F— Part  of  Fed.- 
teentli  Keu'iments.  M— I'oint  w 
lina  Cavalry  at  dark,  >Iarcli  3 
widdie  C.  H. 


iTION 


-^^^ 


9f 


y\^p  ^HowfKG  ^\ris  or 

BATTLES 

Cf-lAMBEPLAlNRur\l 

Fi  vE  Forks. 


Reams'  Sta. 


BAMBERLAIN   RUN. 

other  North  Carolina  Cavalry  dis- 
B — Ford.    C-D — Federal  works,  ex- 

,  C-F— Part  attacked  by  Sixty-third 

forks  attacked  by  Ninth  and  Nine- 
Col.  McNeill  fell.    H.— North  Caro- 

fter  driving  Sheridan  back  to  Din- 


INDICATIONS  FOR  FIVE  FORKS. 
1-3— Confederate  works  continuous  eastward  to  Petersburg. 
1-8— Line  of  Sixty-third  Regiment  in  open  field.  The  Nine- 
teenth and  Forty-first  were  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the 
Sixty-third.  4 — Nineteenth  and  Forty-first  engaged  in  sabre 
flght.    5— Position  of  Nineteenth  when  Custer  charged. 


Ithe'new  yorkJ 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


A8TOR,  LENOX    AND- 
TILDEN  FOU.-iOATIO+JS. 


Sixty-Thied  Regiment.  645 

ing  them  in  proper  order  to  resist  the  enemy,"  at  the  great  bat- 
tle of  Brandy  Station.  And  on  page  775  of  the  same  volume, 
he  is  by  "General  Orders,"  on  the  "Roll  of  Honor"  for  Get- 
tysburg; then  "Captain  Gaines,  Assistant  Adjutant-General 
of  Baker's  ISTorth  Carolina  Brigade."  In  this  capacity,  he 
remained  on  the  staff  of  the  N^orth  Carolina  Cavalry  Brigade 
until,  for  great  gallanti-y  in  battle,  he  was  made  Colonel  of 
the  Second  North  Carolina  Cavalry,  when  W.  P.  Roberts 
was  made  General  of  Bearing's  Brigade.  Every  man  at  our 
brigade  headquarters  loved  him  and  he  was  an  inspiration  to 
the  entire  brigade  in  battle.  Gaines'  appointment  was  no 
disparagement  of  any  officer  of  the  l^ineteenth.  They  all 
approved  it,  as  far  as  I  know. 

FIVE  FORKS. 

April  1,  in  a  small  open  field,  right  on  the  White  Oak  road, 
slight  scattering  woods  on  the  left  and  heavier  woods  on  the 
right,  with  a  great  open  expanse  in  front  of  this  little  field, 
far  to  its  right  and  left,  the  Sixty-third  N'orth  Carolina  was 
in  some  little,  low  improvised  breastworks,  the  very  last 
on  that  long,  attenuated  line  of  defences,  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia,  from  Richmond  to  Petersburg  and  west- 
ward. General  Grant  had  been  ever  since  the  night  of  7 
May,  1864,  "turning  Lee's  right  flank."  That  night  near 
White  Hall,  Virginia,  the  Sixty-third  ISTorth  Carolina  was 
on  Lee's  Hght  flanh.  1  April,  1865,  was  to  see  that  right 
flank  finally  tunied  and  the  Sixty-third  was  there,  in  the 
post  of  honor,  as  it  ever  had  been,  to  receive  the  last  shivering 
shock  of  that  long,  mighty  move.  The  Forty-first  and  Nine- 
teenth moimted  ^^•ere  in  that  little  field  to  see  us  do  our  part 
and  to  do  theirs.  Pickett's  Division  joined  immediately  on 
to  the  left  of  the  Sixty-third,  also  behind  their  own  far  longer 
and  stronger  breastworks.  Just  about  sundown,  sitting  on  my 
horse  near  the  left  end  of  the  regiment,  I  saw  the  mightiest 
mass  of  men  I  ever  looked  at  in  battle,  in  the  most  perfect 
lines  I  ever  witnessed,  come  fomvard  with  loud  cheers,  waving 
the  beautiful  Stars  and  Stripes,  and  sweep  like  a  storm  over 
Pickett's  works  about  two  hundred  yards  to  our  left.  All 
Pickett's  veterans  between  us  and  these  storming  lines  fled  in 


646  North  Oakolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

utter  rout  and  confusion  down  the  Wliite  Oak  road  right 
back  of  that  little  field  and  in  full  sight  of  us  all.  Fred. 
Foard  dismounted  one^half  of  the  holders  of  our  led  horses 
and  with  them,  by  rallying  shouts  and  threats  tO'  shoot  Pick- 
ett's men,  attempted  to  check  the  rout,  but  all  in  vain.  Those 
great  Federal  lines  in  order  to  envelop  our  forces  to  their  right 
and  front  wheeled  grandly  to  the  riglit  as  they  victoriously 
stormed  Pickett's  works  and  did  not  come  down  on  us  at 
once.  In  front  of  that  little  field,  all  over  that  great  open 
expanse  came  Custer's  great  division,  like  Mamalukes  con- 
verging down  on  the  Sixty-third,  the  Nineteenth  and  the 
Forty-first  North  Carolina.  The  voices  of  Custer  and  his 
officers  rang  out  in  clear,  clarion  tones,  orders  that  every  old 
cavalryman  in  that  little  field  distinctly  heard  and  knew  to 
mean  our  utter  destiiiction  if  executed.  Every  man  in  that 
little  field  knew  that  Pickett  was  routed  and  that  it  could  be 
but  a  short  time  till  that  "army  with  banners"  to  our  left 
w^ould  also  come  down  upon  us.  But  not  a  man  moved  in 
those  little,  low  works.  To  all  appearances  they  were  kneel- 
ing dead.  A  few  moments  before  a  courier  had  ridden  up  to 
Captain  ErAvin,  now  connuanding  the  regiment,  and,  in  low 
tones,  given  him  an  order.  He  rose  and  repeated  it  so  that  his 
entire  little  line  heard  it:  ''Hold  your  fire  till  that  coming 
cavalry  reaches  the  edge  of  the  field  and  till  I  order  it." 
Those  kneeling  men  were  not  dead  ;  they  were  just  obeying  or- 
ders, under  the  most  trying  test  to  a  soldier.  The  Nineteenth 
and  Forty-first  had  their  orders.  They  sat  still  in  their  sad- 
dles, every  man  with  his  sword  or  his  pistol  in  his  hand.  That 
splendid  cavalry  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes  came  on 
grandly ;  they  reached  the  edge  of  the  field,  a  gi'eat,  loud,  bass 
voice,  like  a  speaking  trumpet,  said  "Fire  I"  An  awful  vol- 
ley answered  from  the  rifles  of  the  Sixty-third  and  then  they 
rattled  with  one  continuous  fire.  The  magnificent  riders  "in 
blue"  in  front  of  that  fire  fell  from  their  saddles  and  recoiled 
just  to  come  again.  As  that  "order  to  fire"  was  given  the 
Nineteenth  and  Forty-first  rode  fonvard  into  Custer's  "ser- 
ried ranks"  as  if  they  really  expected  to  "annihilate"  them. 
The  shock  of  the  collision  Avas  terrible.  Orders  rang  out  on 
both  sides  clear-cut  and  loud.     Sabers  rang  on  each  other  with 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  647 

a  cold  steel  ring  that  only  the  bravest  veterans  can  stand. 
Pistol  shots  here  and  there  and  everywhere  emptied  saddles 
and  burnt,  with  powder  flashes,  faces  with  death's  pallor  on 
them.  Each  side  knew  what  was  at  stake,  and  this  saber  slash- 
ing lasted  longer  than  I  ever  saw  one.  A  short,  stout  general 
in  gray,  on  a  big  gTay  horse,  was  riding  here  and  there  in  the 
midst  of  that  frightful  fray,  with  Lieutenant  Fred,  Foard, 
two  couriers,  Brown  and  Means,  and  Color-Bearer  Churchill, 
around  him,  all  that  were  left  of  his  staff;  one  courier  had 
just  gone  to  the  rear  with  a  hand  nearly  shot  off.  He  was 
eagerly  watching  to  the  front,  the  right  and  left.  It  was 
nearly  dark,  he  could  not  see  far.  Custer's  line  had  not  ad- 
vanced a  yard  on  that  little  field.  The  general  in  gray  sent  a 
courier  into  the  woods  to  the  right  who  quickly  told  him  that 
he  was  being  flanked  tliere.  Just  then  W.  H.  F.  Lee,  alone, 
rode  rapidly  into  the  fray  to  General  Barringer's  side.  They 
talked  a  second.  Two  couriers  w^ere  sent  up  the  White  Oak 
Road  to  see  who  was  that  mass  of  men  coming  down  on  our 
left.  They  rode  within  thirty  yards  of  the  coming  platoons. 
One  courier  whispered  tO'  the  other:  "Look  at  their  colors; 
turn  your  horse  slow  and  ride  off  in  a  walk."  They  quickly 
reported :  "It  is  a  great  body  of  Federal  troops."  Lieuten- 
ant Foard  and  the  two  couriers  rode  off  from  Generals  Lee 
and  Barringer  with  orders.  The  iSTineteenth  and  Forty-first 
began  to  retire  slowly.  The  dismounted  Sixty-third  with- 
drew witli  their  faces  to  the  foe,  firing  as  they  fell  back.  And 
as  General  Barringer  writes,  on  page  442  of  Vol.  1,  "At  Five 
Forks  on  1  April  the  last  hope  of  the  Confederacy  went  down 
in  darkness  and  despair."  Under  Captain  Erwin's  slow, 
cool,  steady  orders  the  men  of  the  Sixty-third  mthdrew  and 
lighted  up  that  "darkness"  with  the  flashes  of  their  rifles 
when  the  curtain  fell  there  on  war's  greatest  tragedy.  Vol. 
95,  pp.  1264,  1299  and  1300;  lllY,  1118,  110.5,  sketch  830 
and  1130—1131. 

In  my  "Sketches"  of  1881,  fully  approved  by  General  Bar- 
ringer, appear  these  words :  "Only  the  Second,  Third  and 
Fifth  Regiments  were  present  in  the  open  field."  He,  in  his 
sketch  of  the  jSTinth,  in  Vol.  1,  indicates  that  the  Third  was 
not  in  the  "open  field."     He  wrote  that  sketch  on  his  death 


648  NoKTii  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

bed  as  his  last  love^work  for  the  Ninth,  and  necessarily  not 
with  his  usual  great  care. 

NIGHT   or    1    APRIL. 

God's  blessing  of  night  and  the  valor  with  which  He  had 
endowed  us  to  fight,  alone  saved  the  regiment  from  utter  de- 
struction after  we  left  that  little  field.  As  it  was,  we  went 
into  camp  that  night,  in  good  order,  near  Potts'  Station,  on 
the  South  Side  Railroad,  just  about  two  miles  north  of  where 
^^'e  had  fought  and  "midway  between  Ford's  and  Souther- 
land's  Depots." 

■^'the  retreat." 

To  a  veteran  soldier,  who  loves  his  "cause"  and  his  battle 
flag  fluttering  "Forward"  in  the  breeze,  nothing  is  so  painful 
as  to  hear  his  own  drums  or  his  own  bugles  on  the  firing  line, 
beating  or  blowing  "The  Retreat."  He  has  not  heard  it 
often ;  he  does  not  know  that  call  like  he  does  the  other  "calls." 
He  and  his  comrades  all  along  the  line  throw  up  their  heads 
and  listen  eagerly,  "What  call  is  that?"  That's  "The  Re- 
treat." .  Something  hits  his  heart  hard ;  harder  than  a  shot. 
He  looks  sternly  to  the  front,  sadly  to  the  rear,  thinks  of  some- 
body way  ofl",  and  obeys.  Sunday  moniing,  2  April,  as  two 
of  Barringer's  couriers  were,  under  orders,  moving  fomvard 
through  wide,  open  fields  placing  a  dismounted  skirmish  line 
from  the  Sixty-third  to  meet  the  coming  foe,  a  courier  rode  up 
to  them  and  said  :  "Petersburg  has  fallen,  bring  back  this  line 
slowly  and  join  in  the  retreat."  We  all  retired  and  moved  on 
"the  retreat"  in  perfect  order  and  not  at  all  "with  precipita- 
tion," as  Greneral  Devon  reports  on  page  1124,  Vol.  95. 

And,  as  General  Barringer  says,  "that  night  we  camped 
near  Namozine  Cliurch,  covering  the  extreme  rear  on  that 
line,"  and  that  church  is  less  than  seven  miles  from  Potts',  so 
there  could  not  have  been  much  "precipitation"  on  our  part 
in  retiring  nor  on  tlicir  part  in  attacking  us. 

Now  let  Captain  Charles  W.  Pearson,  Company  H,  of  our 
regiment,  tell  what  occurred  that  day  in  his  o-\\ti  attractive 
words :     "The  brigade  had  been  dismounted  and  was  throw- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  649 

ing  up  defences.  The  road  and  fields  soon  became  filled  with 
retreating  men,  wagons,  ambulances  and  every  description  o£ 
army  hangers-on.  We  were  ordered  to  remount.  The  day's 
formation  put  the  Sixty-third  in  the  rear ;  so  that  we  were  the 
last  to  get  mounted,  in  column  of  squadrons,  Harris'  squad- 
ron, Companies  E  and  H,  being  in  front.  Charging  and  coun- 
ter-charging was  now  going  on.  About  the  time  the  regiment 
was  ready  to  move,  a  heavy  fire  was  opened  on  our  right  flank ; 
the  order  was  given,  'Squadron  right  wheel,  charge!'  The 
movement  was  well  and  steadily  executed,  the  charge  made 
by  Companies  E  and  H,  driving  oft'  the  enemy.  A  general 
retreat  now  began,  the  enemy's  cavalry  making  several 
charges,  which  were  easily  repulsed,  and  ceasing  entirely  as 
night  came  on.  We  soon  came  into  a  large  body  of  old  field 
pines,  where  the  darkness  was  intense,  nobody  could  be  dis- 
tinguished. The  movement  forward  stopped.  Company  H 
was  called  for  and  nobly  responded,  promptly  taking  a  posi- 
tion to  cover  the  rear.  The  way  being  opened,  we  soon  found 
the  cause  of  the  delay.  In  a  boggy  branch,  some  fellow  had 
cut  the  mules  loose  from  his  ambulance  and  left  it  in  the 
mud.  Captain  McGregor  was  getting  his  last  gun  out  of 
the  mud,  raving  like  a  mad  man,  swearing  that  everybody  had 
left  him  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy.  As  we  rode  up  he  was 
told  to  be  easy,  that  there  was  still  one  command  who  would 
stay  between  him  and  the  enemy.  He  asked  what  command. 
When  told  the  Sixty-tliird  I^ortli  Carolina,  he  exclaimed: 
'Thank  God  for  that.  So  long  as  there  are  any  Tar  Heels 
with  me,  I  am  not  uneasy.  Just  give  me  a  little  notice  and 
I  will  melt  these  guns  before  they  shall  have  them.'  His 
was  the  battery  attached  to  W.  H.  F.  Lee's  Cavalry  Division. 
This  being  a  favorable  position,  arrangements  were  immedi- 
ately begun  to  strengthen  the  position,  by  building  a  fence 
across  the  road  and  cutting  such  timber  as  was  convenient. 
Early  next  morning  "To  Horse"  was  sounded  and  we  were 
moved  out  near  Namozine  Church,  which  stood  at  the  cross 
roads.  We  could  hear  the  enemy's  advance  as  our  pickets 
were  driven  in."     Vol.  95,  pp.  1118,  1124  and  1131. 


650  :N'orth  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

namozine  church. 

That  is  the  most  painful  of  all  the  names  in  the  long  his- 
tory of  the  Sixty-third.  Immediately  after  we  reached  that 
church,  just  about  9  o'clock  Monday  morning,  3  April,  1865, 
Generals  Fitzhugh  Lee,  W.  H.  F.  Lee  and  Barringer,  with 
all  their  staffs,  were  sitting  on  their  horses  where  the  Green 
road  and  Ihe  Cousins  road  cross  each  other.  General  Fitz- 
hugh Lee,  commanding  all  the  cavalry,  said  to  General  W.  H. 
F.  Lee,  commanding  Beale's  Virginia  and  Ban-inger's  Bri- 
gades: ''General  Lee,  you  must  leave  our  best  brigade  here 
and  hold  tliis  position  to  the  last.  The  safety  of  our  army  de- 
pends upon  it,  and  I  will  move  on  in  rear  of  the  retreat  with 
the  rest  of  the  cavalry."  I  heard  those  words.  All  there  heard 
them  and  we  all  knew  what  they  signified — the  destruction  of 
the  brigade  chosen.  General  W.  H.  F.  Lee  instantly  turned 
to  General  Barringer  and  said :  "General  Barringer,  you 
have  heard  the  orders;  you  must  do  that  duty  here."  All 
the  other  generals  and  staffs  moved  off  at  once.  The  head  of 
the  enemy's  colunm  was  then  in  full  view.  General  Barrin- 
ger immediately  began  placing  the  l^inth,  jSTineteenth  and  all 
of  the  Sixty-third  there  present  for  the  last  battle  of  the  bri- 
gade. The  Forty-first  was  not  up  from  its  picket  duty  of  the 
night  before,  having  marched  by  a  different  road  from  the 
Sixty-third.  Captain  Rankin,  of  our  regiment,  was  "back 
with  a  detail  of  forty  men  from  our  regiment  to  get  a  supply 
of  com  at  a  farm  house  near  our  camp  of  the  night  before" 
and  they  were  all  captured  except  Captain  Kankin  and  very 
few  others. 

The  Nineteenth  I^orth  Carolina,  mounted  by  fours,  was 
placed  on  Cousins'  road  in  the  centre,  its  front  slightly  to  the 
rear  of  the  Sixty-third's  left.  The  I^inth,  mounted  in  close 
single  line,  was  placed  in  the  woods  to-  the  left  of  the  ISTine- 
teenth  and  slightly  to  its  front.  The  Sixty-third  was  dis- 
mounted in  line  on  the  right,  immediately  on  the  Green's 
road,  which  here  was  on  a  ridge,  with  left  of  the  regiment 
right  at  or  almost  to  the  crossing  of  the  two  roads.  The 
Sixty-third's  led  horses,  every  fourth  man  holding  three 
horses  as  he  sat  on  his  own,  were  sent  down  the  road  in  rear 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  651 

of  the  Nineteenth,  where  also  was  one  of  McGregor's  guns  in 
position  to  the  left  of  the  road,  the  last  left  him.  It  was  prob- 
ably 400  yards  in  the  Sixty-third's  front  across  an  open  field 
to  the  woods,  where  the  enemy  was.  The  brunt  of  the  fight 
and  the  tide  of  the  battle  was  to  be  on  our  regiment.  That  is 
what  that  disposition  meant.  Custer's  whole  division  of  cav- 
alry was  in  that  body  of  woods  to  our  front.  Wells'  Brigade 
in  the  advance.  In  a  moment  the  enemy's  mounted  line  came 
into  the  open  field  and  magnificently  charged.  But  they 
could  not  stand  the  fire  of  our  regiment.  Again  and  again 
they  attacked,  firing  as  they  came  and  were  driven  back.  A 
great  flanking  column  was  seen  going  to  the  left  of  the  Ninth, 
firing  into  it  with  carbines  and  pistols.  I  was  sent  to  Colonel 
Cheek  to  ask  him  how  goes  the  battle  and  to  urge  him  to 
stand.  His  men  were  firing  furiously  intO'  the  flankers  and 
they  getting  nearer,  as  they  moved  and  under  the  excite- 
ment of  the  battle,  were  firing  right  into  the  faces  of  the 
Ninth.  Colonel  Cheek  said:  "Present  my  compliments  to 
General  Ban-inger  and  tell  him  that  w^e  will  hold  to  the  last. 
But  this  can  not  last  much  longer.  Look  yonder !"  pointing 
to  his  left.  I  reported.  General  Barringer,  Foard  and 
Bro^\Ti  and  Churchill  were  in  ten  feet  of  the  firing  line  of  the 
Sixty-third.  Cahill,  Company  F,  rose  about  the  centre  of  the 
line  and  said :  "Please  get  me  some  ammunition.  I  have 
fired  my  last  cartridge."  He  was  told :  "No  ammunition  can 
be  brought  in  here  now;  borrow  some,  borrow  some,  John." 
He  smiled,  kneeled  down  and  "borrowed"  two  cartridges. 
"The  last"  had  come.  General  Barringer  turned  to  Brown: 
"Order  that  Nineteenth  Regiment  to  charge  and  you  lead  it." 
The  charge  was  hopeless.  The  "Old  First"  was  breaking. 
That  meant  what  the  falling  back  of  "The  Old  Guard"  meant. 
The  Nineteenth  was  driven  back  in  confusion  as  we  all  knew 
it  must  be.  General  Barringer,  in  meantime,  seeing  the  inev- 
itable, told  me  to  ride  tO'  the  left  of  the  Sixty-third  and  order  it 
to  retire.  I  did  so,  and  ordered  Captain  S.  A.  Grier  now  liv- 
ing, commanding  the  Fifth  Squadron  on  the  extreme  left,  to 
withdraw  his  squadron  with  the  regiment,  which  was  then 
rising  up  under  General  Barringer's  orders  along  the  centre 
and  right  of  the  line.     As  I  rode  up  to  Grier  he  was  rap- 


652  :N'orth  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

idly  walking  up  and  down  his  squadron,  with  his  pistol  in 
his  hand  and  saying  something  in  a  very  commanding  tone, 
that  he  ought  not  to  have  said :  "Give  'em  hell,  boys ;  give 
'em  hell."  He  then  gave  his  squadron  another  command 
and  in  a  moment  the  fifth  squadron  and  the  other  four,  all  in 
a  straight  line,  with  grand  old  Captain  John  R.  Erwin  at 
their  head  were  majestically  marching  "by  twos"  off  their  last 
battlefield,  some  men  firing  to  their  left  as  they  retired.  As 
I  rode  to  the  regiment's  head  Captain  Erwin,  my  beloved 
old  company  commander,  said:  "Paul,  where  are  my  led 
horses?"  I  said:  "They  are  down  this  road  here."  He 
said:  "They  have  been  sent  for,  but  you  get  them  to  me 
as  quick  as  you  can."  General  Barringer,  Foard,  Churchill 
and  Brown  veered  off  to  the  left  with  our  regiment  and  I 
never  got  back  to  them  out  of  the  mass  of  maddened,  moving 
men  down  that  road.  Our  led  horses  were  taken  out  safely 
through  that  lane ;  but  no  man  or  horse  that  ever  got  into  it 
could  return.  There  was  a  compact,  irresistible  movement, 
like  a  glacier's,  only  one  way.  And,  besides,  to  the  right  of 
the  lane,  as  we  moved,  in  full,  plain  view,  and  not  far  off  came 
that  great  flanking  column  we  had  seen  go  to  our  left  as  the 
battle  was  on.  It  was  the  only  stampede  of  Southern  soldiers 
I  had  ever  seen.     And  it  was  "the  last." 

"At  the  end  of  the  lane,  by  which  the  First  and  Second 
Regiments  with  the  wounded  men  and  led  horses  of  the  Fifth 
escaped  a  gallant  effort  was  made  to  rally  the  fleeing  men  and 
fight  tlie  victorious,  pursuing  cavalry  of  Custer.  This  effort 
was  simply  an  act  of  desperation  and,  as  was  announced,  to 
'aid  the  escape  of  General  Barringer  and  the  dismounted  men 
of  the  Fifth.'  The  brave  men  who  had  fought  through  the 
war  recognized  it  as  such,  and  only  a  few  heroic  spirits,  prin- 
cipally, almost  solely  from  the  mounted  men.  of  the  Fifth 
Regiment,  heeded  the  efforts  to  rally.  These  formed,  faced 
about  and  poured  their  last  shots  of  the  war  into  the  head 
of  the  column  of  the  pursuing  hosts."  This  I  copy  from  my 
"Sketches"  of  1881. 

Just  after  I  started  for  those  led  horses.  General  W.  H.  F. 
Lee  rode  up.  How  on  earth  he  got  there  past  that  left  flank- 
ing column  I  have  never  been  able  to  conceive.     He  asked 


Sixty-Thikd  Regiment.  653 

me:  ''Wliere  is  Geoieral  Ban-inger?"  I  answeTed:  "He 
has  just  gone  right  in  there,"  pointing.  Close  to  us  was  Mc- 
Gregor with  his  last  gun,  which  he  had  run  across  the  lane  on 
the  side  next  to  that  left  flanking  column,  pouring  his  last 
shots  into  that  coliunn  and  "raving  like  a  mad  man."  All 
of  the  Sixty-third  who  passed  out  that  lane  went,  that  day,  to 
Burkeville  and  Clover  Station.  I  was  shot  twice  at  Namozine 
Church,  last  time  severely,  as  I  went  for  the  led  horses  and, 
with  other  wounded,  was  sent  to  hospital  at  Danville  and,fur- 
lo'Ughed  for  thirty  days,  which  has  mercifully  been  extended 
to  more  than  thirty  years. 

General  Barringer  and  Foard  and  Brown  were  captured 
that  same  day  and  thus  ended  Courier  Frank  Brown's  bril- 
liant career  as  a  private  soldier  of  Company  H,  Sixty-third 
North  Carolina.  There  never  was  a  braver  boy  in  battle.. 
He  had  five  personal  hand-to-hand  conflicts  after  that  one  at 
Goodall's  Tavern  and  in  each  came  out  hero  and  victor,  as 
there.  I  have  said  much  of  him  because  the  truth  entitled  him 
to  it,  but  also  to  present  him  as  a  fair  representative  of  the 
men  of  the  Sixty-tliird  North  Carolina.  There  were  hundreds 
of  men  in  the  regiment  just  like  Frank  Bro'wn.  Nobody  knew 
that  better  than  Brown  and  that  aided  him  to  do  his  own  glo- 
rious deeds.  As  to  what  the  ranks  from  which  he  came  would 
do  in  a  furious  fight  around  him,  he  never  had  any  concern 
tO'  mar  the  supremacy  of  his  own  great  soul  and  courage  in 
battle  and  this  thought  immensely  aided  the  glorious  grandeur 
of  his  own  courage  and  career.  As  it  always  does.  Vol.  95, 
pp.  1119,  1131,  1139,  and  1301.  On  which  last  page  Gen- 
eral Fitzhugh  Lee  speaks  of  our  brigade  as  "that  very  excel- 
lent North  Carolina  brigade." 

The  Sixty-third  made  its  way  out  and  escaped  under  the 
guidance  of  Captain  Erwin,  without  the  loss  of  a  man  after 
marching  off  the  fatal  field  of  Namozine.  Captain  Pearson 
says:  "We  got  into  a  large  body  of  timber  which  shielded 
us.  By  Avalking  all  day,  all  night  and  all  the  next  day,  almost 
without  stopping,  we  got  out,  but  never  rejoined  the  army." 
The  above  narration  \rill  explain  why  Barringer's  Brigade 
had  only  twenty-three  ofiicers  and  men  in  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox. 


654  North  Cakoltna  Tkoops,  1861-'65. 

Captain  Envin  died  19  March,  1001.  I  have  a  letter  be- 
fore nie  now  written  by  him  to  me  28  April,  1900.  In  it  he 
says :  ''I  took  command  at  Chamberlain  Run,  after  the 
death  of  Mcll^feil  and  Shaw  (Harris  being  wounded  in  the 
same  fig'ht),  and  held  commmand  to  the  finish.  *  *  * 
The  regiment  was  at  Pannell's  bridge  on  Staunton  river, 
when  the  news  of  the  surrender  reached  us.  We  went  to 
Danville,  but  without  orders,  and  after  we  reached  there  each 
Captain  took  command  of  his  company  and  inquired  the  near- 
est way  to  their  respective  homes."  And  this  is  the  quiet, 
modest  conclusion  of  the  history  of  the  Fifth  I^orth  Carolina 
Cavalry. 

FAKEWELI-. 

Comrades  of  the  Fifth  North  Carolina  Cavalry: 

At  the  request  of  many  of  you,  I  undertook  this  "love's 
labor"  for  our  great  regiment.  As  you,  who  asked  it,  well 
know,  I  shrank  from  it  till  the  last,  too  long,  in  fact,  with 
hope  that  some  other  would  do  the  woi'k  of  this  '"'additional 
sketch."  It  is  finished  as  best  I  could,  under  the  circum- 
stances, I  \\'ould  now  be  false,  utterly  false  to  my  own  heart 
if,  before  leaving  it  and  giving  it  to  you,  I  did  not  here  ex- 
press some  feelings  overwhelming  me.  Feelings  of  thanks. 
In  what  I  have  done,  I  have  been  greatly  aided  by  Lieutenant 
Wiley,  Baxter  Caldwell,  John  Cahill  and  otliers  of  Company 
F,  who  met  me  in  Charlotte,  ]^.  C,  several  times  for  entire 
days.     My  thanks  to  them  are  sincere  and  everlasting. 

To  my  old  friend  and  company-comrade,  Denson  A.  Cald- 
well, of  Concord,  always  true  and  faithful  and  brave,  I  owe 
a  debt  of  gratitude  that  can  never  end  and  that  words  can 
never  tell. 

Henry  Hobson  and  Foard  and  Hodges,  of  Company  H, 
though  in  another  county,  have  helped  me  greatly;  and 
all  along,  as  I  have  labored,  I  could  feel  the  touch  and  con- 
tagion of  their  exalted  enthusiasm,  and  every  old  soldier 
knows  what  that  means  in  time  of  trial.  ^Yith  all  my  soul  I 
thank  Ihem. 

I  do  not  know  how  I  could  have  gotten  along  without  the 
Sketch  of  Coinpany  H,  written  by  Captain  Pearscm.     I  cer- 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  655 

tainly  never  could  have  told  of  the  death  of  our  much  loved 
Colonel  McNeill  as  I  have  without  Captain  Pearson's  man- 
uscript to  his  company-comrades.  As  he  measured  out  his 
help  to  me,  I  now  mete  out  my  gratitude  to  him.  He  is  the 
son  of  Giles  William  Pearson,  whose  brother  was  Chief 
Justice  Pearson,  and  his  mother  was  a  daughter  of  An- 
derson Ellis,  a  sister  of  Governor  Ellis;  the  true  blood  in  his 
veins  produces  good,  gracious  deeds  "when  he  is  old"  as  it 
always  will  when  properly  ^'trained  up."  I  ask  every  heart 
of  yours,  comrades,  to  salute  (\aptain  Charles  AV.  Pearson,  as 
mine  does. 

Captain  Kankin's  sketch  of  our  regiment,  unfortunately, 
never  given  in  for  publication  in  these  histories,  was  used 
freely  and  most  helpfully,  and  so  was  Major  Galloway's.  I 
thank  both  most  sincerely.  Mr.  Coltrane,  here  in  Concord, 
aided  me  often  and  well.  A&  he  knows,  I  am  greatly  grate- 
ful. 

Thos.  B.  Bailey,  in  arranging  a  meeting  between  me  and 
members  of  Company  H,  in  Mocksville,  helped  me,  as  he, 
with  his  Christian  modesty,  can  never  realize,  and  I  thank 
him  most  cordially.  "Charlie  Haigh"  and  ''Bugler  Rose," 
by  long,  personal  interviews  and  courtesies  in  Fayetteville, 
and  by  much  writing  most  intelligently  and  cheeringly  aided 
me;  and  my  truest  tribute  of  thanks  is  always  theirs.  And 
a  great  pile  of  letters,  here  too  numerous  to  name,  signify  the 
unselfish  aid  to  me  and  love  for  our  "cause"  of  many  men 
and  women,  when  "the  world"  says  that  such  love  and  aid  do 
not  exist.  With  many,  many  millions  such  qualities  do  not 
exist.  With  millions,  who  "are  the  salt  of  the  earth,"  they  do. 
We  should  try  to  increase  the  latter  millions. 

Senator  James  I).  McNeill,  nephew  of  Colonel  McNeill, 
and  his  lovely  wife,  a  daughter  of  Captain  James  William 
Strange,  of  the  "Old  Nineteenth,"  by  their  generous,  beauti- 
ful hospitality  at  their  home  in  Fayetteville  and  the  presence 
there  of  Colonel  McNeill's  daughter,  Mrs.  Kate  Roulhac  Ut- 
ley,  and  the  intense  interest  of  all  of  them  in  our  regiment 
was  a  high  and  helpful  inspiration  to  me  in  my  efforts  for 
you  and  their  valuable  information,  which  I  could  not  have 
obtained  elsewhere,  aided  me  beyond  all  measure  and  I  thank 


656  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

them  as  gratefully  as  they  gi*aciously  inspired  and  helped 
me.  The  hospitality  for  some  days  extended  to*  me  by  my  old 
college-nrate,  Hon.  George  M.  Rose,  nephew  of  Colonel  Mc- 
Neill, and  his  chaniiing  wife,  at  their  home  in  Fayetteville, 
was  a  most  beneficial  blessing  and  assistance  in  our  work  and 
my  heart's  best  benediction  is  theirs. 

Hon.  Walter  Clark,  the  self-sacrificing,  patriotic  editor  of 
these  histories,  cheered  me  "forward"  by  kind  words,  "when 
I  was  sick,"  and  aided  me  when  whole  ''battalions  of  trouble" 
came  upon  me  by  getting  the  publishers  of  these  histories  to 
kindly  extend  my  expired  time.  And  but  for  him  this  sketch 
could  not  have  appeared  in  this  volume,  but  out  of  place  later 
on.  I  will  not  attempt  to  write  of  gi-atitude  to  him.  I  will 
try  to  show  it  by  acts  hereafter. 

And  my  little  wife  encouraged  and  aided  me  in  sickness 
and  depression  as  only  a  loving  wife  can.  No  words  can  tell 
my  thanks  to  her.      God  bless  her  always. 

But  above  and  over  and  more  than  all,  there  was  Another 
Helper.  AVhen,  at  times,  "amid  the  encircling  gloom,"  dif- 
ficulties appeared,  which  are  absolutely  insurmountahle  by 
me  alone,  "Our  Heavenly  Father  in  Heaven"  banished  them 
all  and  a  "Kindly  Light"  led  me  on  and  the  "spirit  of  truth 
guided  me  in  all  truth"  that  I  have  tried  tO'  tell.  Every  de- 
fect of  what  is  told,  and  there  are  many,  is  all  mine  alone  and 
the  result  of  my  imperfect  vision  to  see  aright  the  guidance  of 
my  Guide.  I  am  now  "a  soldier  of  the  cross  and  shall  T  feai' 
to  own  His  name  ?  As  such  soldier  I  have  a  command  with  a 
glorious  promise  attached — "In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge  him 
and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths."  In  love  and  in  illimitable 
gratitude  I  obey.  The  truest  test  of  every  soldier  and  Christ's 
only  measure  and  standard  of  love  for  Him  is  obedience. 

And  now,  as  my  farewell :  By  my  work  I  have  tried  to 
show  my  love ;  please  pardon  all  faults  of  that  work  with  the 
forgiveness  due  oiir  common  frailty.  The  picture  I  have 
tried  to  paint  of  our  gTcat  regiment  is  done  and  it  is  your*. 
Would  that  it  were  better  done.  Its  many  glaring  defects, 
especially  of  omission,  nobody  will  ever  see  as  I  do.  Deplor- 
ingly  right  now  and  most  sorrowfully  I  realize,  in  heart  and 
soul,  what  Lessing  makes  "Conti,"  his  great  painter,  say  in 


Sixty-Third  Regiment.  657 

"Emilia  Galotti,"  when  that  painter  was  presenting  his  last 
glorious  picture  of  Emilia  Galotti  to  the  prince  who  loves  her. 
Conti  says:  "Oh!  how  unfortunate  that  we  do  not  paint 
with  our  eyes.  On  the  long  road  from  the  eye  through  the 
arm  to  the  bnish  how  much  is  lost." 
Comrades  of  the  Sixty-third,  Good-bye. 

Paul  B.  Means. 

Concord,  N.  C, 

3  October,  1901. 


42 


SIXTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 
B.  T.  "Morris,  Captain,  Co.  E. 


SIXTY-FOURTH  REGIMENT. 


By  B.  T.  morris,  Captain,  Company  A. 


In  presenting  to  the  public  the  Sixty-fourth  North  Caro- 
lina Regiment,  we  are  forced  to  admit  that,  in  all  probability, 
there  is  not  another  regiment  in  the  Confederate  service  with 
just  such  a  history,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  was  never  in  a 
pitched  liattle  as  a  regiment  and  was  so*  soon  taken  prisoners. 

On  20  July,  1862,  Lawrence  M.  Allen  was  commissioned 
as  Colonel  to  raise,  as  was  first  anticipated,  a  Legion,  and  at 
one  time  had  thirteen  companies  of  infantry  and  some  com- 
panies of  cavalry.  But  for  some  cause,  his  command  was 
cut  down  to  a  regiment  of  ten  companies  and  numbered  the 
Sixty-fourth  jSI'orth  Carolina  Kegiment. 

Six  companies  were  raised  principally  in  Madison  county, 
one  in  Henderson,  one  in  Polk  and  two  in  Tennessee. 

The  ten  companies,  including  the  commissioned  officers, 
numbering  in  all  1,110,  probably  presented  one  of  the  finest 
looking  regiments  in  the  Confederate  army.  Having  been 
raised  in  the  mountains  of  Western  !N"orth  Carolina  and  East 
Tennessee,  they  were  strong  and  sturdy,  full  of  courage  and 
ready  to  do  and  do  valiantly  for  their  country. 

FIELD    AND    STAFF. 

When  the  regiment  was  first  organized  the  officers  were: 

L.  M.  Allen,  Colonel,  Marshall,  I^.  C. 

J.  A.  Keith,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Marshall,  IST.  C. 

W.  ]Sr.  Garrett,  Major,  Hot  Springs,  N.  C. 

Colonel  Allen  was  not  at  the  surrender  at  Cumberland  Gap, 
having  resigned  and  the  other  field  officers  having  been  pro- 
moted, Thos.  P.  Jones,  of  Company  B,  became  Major.  The 
commissioned  officers  who  served  in  the  different  companies, 
so  far  as  we  know,  were  as  follows : 


660  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

Company  A — Captains,  Jas.  A.  Keith  and  M.  E.  Carter. 
Lieutenants:  M.  E.  Carter,  B.  W.  Woodward,  O.  H.  Ramsey, 
J.  M.  Eay,  G.  D.  Eay,  N.  W.  Woodward  and  William  Pend- 
ley. 

Company  B — Captains,  Thos.  P.  Jones,  W.  G.  B.  Morris, 
Lieutenants,  W.  G.  B.  Morris,  W.  N.  Luther,  Richard  How- 
ard, Daniel  Pace,  Richard  Howard  and  W.  A.  Batson, 

Company  C— Captains,  John  Peek,  C.  N.  Candler.  Lieu- 
tenants, C.  Alexander,  Alfred  Peek  and  Levi  Peek. 

Company  D — Captains,  A.  A.  Duees,  L.  W.  Peek.  Lieu- 
tenants, L.  W.  Peek,  Wm.  C.  Harrison,  Thos.  Hunter,  T.  W. 
Allen  and  Job  B.  Peck. 

Company  E — Captain,  B.  T.  Morris,  Lieutenants  W.  K. 
Tabor,  B.  F.  Hampton,  H.  H.  Collins,  W.  L.  Morrib  and  J. 
W.  Morris. 

Company  F — Captain,  D.  W.  Anderson.  Lieutenants, 
John  J.  Duych,  J.  A.  Jarvis,  A.  J.  Brown  and  Miles  Frapps. 

Company  G — Captains,  Wm.  M.  Keith  and  R.  M.  Deaver. 
I-iieutenants,  R.  M.  Deaver,  A.  E.  Davis,  J.  B.  Peek,  W.  A. 
Patterson  and  Thos.  Keith. 

Company  PI — Captain,  J.  T.  Reynolds.  Lieutenants,  Jas. 
H.  Davis,  Wm.  S.  Davis,  John  Moore  and  Edwin  Reynolds. 

Company  I — Captains,  John  S.  T^ove  and  J.  V.  Baird. 
Lieutenants,  J.  Debush,  C.  W.  Wells,  Thos.  W.  Keith,  A.  M. 
Sheffey  and  Frederick  Devalt. 

Company  K — Captains,  Wm.  E.  Tilson  and  S.  E.  Erwin. 
Lieutenants,  S.  E.  Erwin,  J.  E.  Tilson,  J.  B.  Envin  and  A. 
G.  Bailey. 

Companies  A,  C,  D,  F,  G  and  I  were  from  Madison 
County,  Company  B  from  Henderson  County,  Company  E 
from  Polk  County. 

The  regiment  was  first  stationed  at  Greenville,  Tenn.,  for 
a  short  time,  and  was  moved  to  Knoxville,  where  they  were 
drilled  and  used  on  guard  duty  for  the  city  and  as  scouts  for 
the  surrounding  country  for  about  three  months.  About  two 
hundred ,  of  the  regiment  were  then  sent  to  Shelton  Laurel,  in 
Madison  county,  ISF.  C,  under  the  command  of  J.  A.  Keith, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the   regiment,   and   were  kept  there 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  661 

until  the  spring  of  1863,  when  they  joined  the  regiment  at 
Clinton,  Tenn. 

This  regiment,  like  several  others  from  ]^orth  Carolina, 
was  moved  about  from  "pillar  to  post" — rather  from  post  to 
post :  In  these  tramps,  marches  and  scouts  very  few  comforts 
were  furnished.  As  we  are  endeavoring  to^  arrive  at  the  truth 
of  history,  it  is  but  fair  and  just  to  say  that  this  regiment  did 
not  have  a  fair  pull  with  some  from  other  States.  Strangers 
always  commanded  the  Department  of  East  Tennessee,  and 
while  high-toned  and  fearless  to  a  fault,  they  could  not,  or 
did  not,  understand  the  character  and  genuine  merits  of  our 
rough  mountain  boys.  Consequently,  there  was  friction, 
jealousy,  dictation  and  some  tyranny. 

Colonel  Allen,  of  this  regiment,  was  not  an  attractive 
man — rather  otherwise — but  was  chosen  leader  because  he 
was  known  to  be  brave  and  fearless.  Fighting  was  expected, 
and  his  men  had  the  utmost  confidence  in  him. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Keith  was  intrepid  and  fearless.  He 
had  bitter  enemies  among  the  enemies  of  his  country.  He 
did  severely  punish  some  of  the  enemies  of  his  country — 
some  say  far  too  severely,  and  his  resignation  was  demanded 
in  the  spring  of  1863  by  the  authorities.  It  is  well  kno^vn 
that  the  "Shelton  Laurel"  section  of  Madison  County,  bor- 
dering on  East  Tennessee,  was  infested  with  bushwhackers  of 
such  fierce  audacity  and  viciousness  that  only  severe  and  caus- 
tic measures  would  suppress  them.  In  addition  to  the  native 
disloyal  element,  scores  and  hundreds  fled  from  conscription 
in  Tennessee,  and  when  hunted  in  those  mountain  fastnesses 
they  fought  back,  retaliated  and  did  many  outrageous  things. 
Colonel  Keith  caught  some  of  these  and  punished  them 
severely — perhaps  cruelly.  His  resignation  was  called  for 
at  the  instance  of  Governor  Vance  for  shooting  certain  parties 
accused  of  having  looted  the  town  of  Marshall. 

When  an  officer  finds  himself  and  men  bushwhacked  from 
behind  every  shrub,  tree  or  projection  on  all  sides  of  the  road, 
only  severe  measures  will  stop  it. 

Keith  and  Allen  were  fighters — soldiers.  Their  first  duty 
was  self  protection,  protection  of  their  people  from  midnight 
marauders. 


662  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Major  W.  N.  Gan-ett,  promoted  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  later 
on,  was  also  a  good  soldier  and  of  good  family,  which  for 
many  years  had  lived  near  Hot  Springs.  His  father  was  bru- 
tally murdered,  shot  down  on  his  o^\'n  door  step  in  the  very 
arms  of  wife  and  daughters. 

This  was  only  three  or  four  miles  from  Paint  Rock,  at  the 
Tennessee  State  line,  along  the  borders  of  which  up  and  down 
for  near  two  hundred  miles  were  constantly  ranging  bands 
of  outlaws,  murdering  such  men  as  Colonel  Walker,  of  the 
Eightieth  North  Carolina  Regiment;  Wm.  Walker,  Cherokee 
County;  Sheriff  Noland,  of  Haywood  County;  Colonel  Ed- 

ney,  of Regiment,  Henderson  County ;  Privates 

Rice  Hyatt,  — .  — ,  Hopkins,  of  the  Sixty-ninth  Regiment; 
and  Woody  and  Askew,  of  Madison  County,  and  many  others. 

Of  the  company  officers,  such  men  as  Captain  Melvin  E. 
Carter,  Jones,  Peek,  Candler  and  others  were  peers  of  the 
best  men  of  the  State. 

The  regiment  was  never  attached  tO'  any  body  larger  than  a 
brigade,  except  on  one  or  two  occasions ;  but  was  all  the  time 
kept  on  scouting  service,  sometimes  in  one  section  of  the 
country,  then  in  another.  In  East  Tennessee  about  1  Feb- 
ruary, 1863,  the  regiment  was  attached  to  Colonel  Palmer's 
Brigade  and  was  at  Big  Creek  Gap  till  about  1  April,  when 
it  went  to  Cliutfui  and  thence  it  was  soon  ordered  to  move  and 
for  one  mouth  was  kept  on  a  continuous  march  and  went 
within  four  miles  of  Monticello,  Ky.  This  part  of  Ken- 
tucky was  a  liot-hed  of  unionists  and  little  was  accomplished 
by  these  hard  marches. 

While  in  camp  on  Wolf  river,  or  creek,  a  detail  was  made 
of  300  uien  to  make  a  raid  on  what  was  known  as  Poplar  Cove 
where  it  was  said  was  a  regiment  of  bushwhackers.  The  de- 
tail was  started  out  and  marched  all  night.  At  a  late  hour  in 
the  niglit  a  special  detail  was  made  to  go  across  the  field 
to  a  house,  the  rest  waiting  their  roturu.  Arriving  at  the 
house  they  found  a  man  in  cavalry  equipage  and  the  woman 
of  the  house  cooking  rations  for  quite  a  company.  Some  of 
the  men  secured  pine  torches,  but  making  no  further  discov- 
eries, started  back.  Wlien  within  about  one  hundred  yards 
of  the  camp  they  were  fired  into  by  a  company  of  bushwhack- 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  663 

ers  who  had  taken  in  the  situation,  and  taken  position  on  the 
path  they  would  return.  Immediately  our  men  extinguished 
their  lights  and  made  good  their  escape  through  the  darkness, 
only  one  man  being  wounded,  and  that  slightly. 

The  regiment  returned  to  Clinton  about  1  May  and  from 
that  time  until  August  was  kept  constantly  on  the  march. 
They  were  ordered  to  Murfreesboro,  but  arriving  at  Chatta- 
nooga were  ordered  back  tO'  Knoxville. 

CTJMBEELAND    GAP. 

Twice  again  were  they  sent  to  Chattanooga.  On  3  August 
1863,  the  regiment  then  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Garrett,  was  surrendered  with  the  other  troops  by  General 
J.  W.  Frazer,  who  commanded  that  post,  and  remained  pris- 
oners during  the  rest  of  the  war.  The  Sixty-fourth  was  at 
that  time  much  reduced  in  numbers.  The  officers  were  sent 
to  Johnson's  Island  and  the  privates  to  Camp  Douglass  on  26 
December,  1863.  The  number  of  non-commissioned  officers 
and  privates  belonging  to  the  Sixty-fourth  Regiment  in 
prison  at  Camp  Douglas  were  288,  119  Official  Records 
Union  and  Confederate  Arrnies,  p.  797.  So,  while  the  Sixty- 
fourth  ]S[orth  Carolina  Regiment  can  not  boast  of  battles 
fought,  or  deeds  of  daring,  yet  its  career  was  one  of  hardship 
and  endurance,  always  ready  to  act  promptly  at  every  com- 
mand. A  number  of  good  men  were  lost,  killed  by  bush- 
whackers and  concealed  enemies. 

There  were,  however,  several  officers  and  some  privates  who 
would  not  surrender  and  made  good  their  escape  at  Cumber- 
land Gap  with  Major  B.  G.  McDowell,  of  the  Sixty-second 
North  Carolina,  through  the  mountains  and  again  went  intx) 
active  service.  The  total  surrendered  so  shamefully  by  Gen- 
eral Frazer  at  Cumberland  Gap  was  2,026  prisoners,  12 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  great  stores  of  provisions  and  ammuni- 
tion and  quartermaster  supplies. 

In  the  fall  of  1863  General  R.  B.  Vance  was  sent  to  Ashe- 
ville  to  take  command  of  the  forces  on  duty  in  Western  l^orth 
Carolina  and  in  response  to  a  general  order  from  General 
Vance  the  men  of  the  different  companies  of  the  regi- 
ment were  brought  together  and  again  went  into  camp,  but 


664  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

no  new  service  for  the  fate  of  the  Sixty-fourth  seemed  to  bo 
"guard  and  march,"  and  "march  and  guard."  On  —  of 
November  the  command  was  ordered  to  Hot  Springs,  N.  C, 
and  was  on  a  forced  march  the  whole  day,  but  did  not  arrive 
in  time  for  the  battle  in  which  the  noble  Major  Jno.  W.  Wood- 
fin  was  killed ;  yet  they  marched  more  than  forty  miles  that 
day  and  part  of  the  night,  camping  for  the  remainder  of  the 
night  at  Marshall,  fifteen  miles  up  the  river  towards  Ashe- 
ville. 

After  the  killing  of  Major  John  W.  Woodfin,  of  the  Four- 
teenth Battalion,  and  the  capture  of  General  R.  B.  Vance,  our 
people  were  much  depressed.  Our  army,  under  the  peerless 
Lee  in  Virginia,  had  fallen  back  from  Maryland  and  Penn- 
sylvania and  Vicksburg  with  all  our  water  line  along  the 
Mississippi  had  surrendered. 

The  clouds  were  lowering  around  us.  Our  noble  comrades, 
now  languishing  on  Johnson's  Island  and  Camp  Chase,  were 
rapidly  dying,  heroically  refusing  to  take  the  oath  of  allegi- 
ance to  the  United  States. 

The  heroic  band  of  the  Sixty-second,  Sixty-fourth,  with 
parts  of  the  Sixty-ninth  and  Eightieth  North  Carolina,  were 
practically  always  on  the  march,  and  only  those  familiar 
with  the  mountains  of  East  Tennessee  and  Western  North 
Carolina  can  have  an  idea  of  the  hardships  endured. 

Our  enemies  were  at  home — ^knew  all  the  roads,  by-ways 
and  trails,  and  were  much  in  heart  over  the  success  of  their 
arms  elsewhere.  There  in  East  Tennessee  we  slashed  them, 
every  time  we  had  a  chance  at  them.  They  never  gave  us  a 
fair  fight,  square-up,  face-to-face,  man-to-man,  horse-to-horse. 
If  they  did,  it  was  another  Bull's  Gap  (Bull  Run  in  minia- 
ture) as  at  Strawberry  Plains,  Morristown,  Greenville, 
Blountville  or  Rogersville,  and  the  Dandridge  stampede. 

Some  times  the  boot  was  on  the  other  leg — we  had  to  "hit 
the  grit,"  as  the  boys  say,  but  never  when  we  had  half,  or  one- 
third  of  a  chance. 

FIGHTING  BUSHWHACKERS. 

Soon  after  the  enemy  had  taken  Knoxville,  in  East  Ten- 
nessee, and  Major  Kirk  had  gotten  some  recruits  in  Western 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  665 

ISTorth  Carolina,  the  disloyal  sentiment  began  to  spread  in  sev- 
eral counties  and  it  required  heavy  scouting  to  keep  the  en- 
emy dowTL.  So  after  the  surrender  of  the  Sixty-fourth  Reg- 
iment those  who  were  fortunate  enough  to  make  their  escape 
from  the  enemy  and  recruited  the  service  in  Western  North 
Carolina,  were  not  all  in  a  body  but  in  different  squads.  One 
commanded  by  Captain  Candler,  of  Company  C,  one  by  Cap- 
tain Anderson,  of  Company  F,  one  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  J. 
A.  Keith,  who  later  resigned.  He  was  stationed  most  of  the 
time  at  Marshall,  in  Madison  County,  and  did  good  service 
in  a  hard  place.  The  writer  of  this  sketch  was  the  senior 
Captain  and  the  field  officers  being  prisoners  of  war,  in  the 
absence  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Keith  and  after  his  resigna- 
tion, had  command  of  the  regiment,  or  so  much  of  it  as  was 
together  at  any  time  and  was  stationed  at  different  places  in 
Madison,  Buncombe  and  Henderson  Counties.  From  these 
headquarters  we  made  many  hard  scouts  in  different  parts  of 
the  country.  jSTo  one  except  those  who  have  tried  it  can  real- 
ize what  those  who  do  this  kind  of  service  have  to  undergo. 
In  some  respects  it  is  easier  than  being  in  the  regular  army, 
but  in  some  others  it  is  not. 

During  the  months  of  December,  1863,  and  January  and 
February,  1864,  we  made  many  scouts  down  into  East  Ten- 
nessee. One  of  these  I  will  endeavor  to  describe,  w^hich 
might  well  be  called  a  ''bluff."  Colonel  Palmer  took  about 
two  hundred  men  and  one  little  mountain  howitzer  and  made 
a  raid  down  as  far  as  Russelville,  five  miles  above  Morris- 
town.  While  there  our  cavalry  began  passing  him  and  he 
marched  on  up  to  Bull's  Gap,  fifteen  miles  above  Morris- 
town,  when  it  was  discovered  that  all  our  cavalry  had  passed 
us  going  back,  and  that  the  enemy's  cavalry  w'ere  in  pursuit, 
BO  Colonel  Palmer  selected  his  battle  ground,  placed  his  little 
howitzer,  put  a  small  protection  before  it,  put  out  a  line  of 
skirmishers  and  a  picket  which  included  all  the  men  he  had. 
As  the  enemy  advanced,  our  pickets  fired  and  fell  back.  Then 
our  line  of  skirmishers  gave  them  a  few  shots  and  fell  back. 
The  howitzer  tlien  opened.  That  was  more  than  they  could 
stand,  they  no  doubt  thought  it  was  a  trap  set  for  them  and 
expected  the  Confederate  cavalry  would  cut  them  off,  so  they 


666  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'G5. 

about  faced  and  made  a  straight  line  for  Knoxville,  and  Col- 
onel Palmer  took  his  little  band,  including  the  Sixty-fourth, 
back  to  ISTorth  Carolina.  We  did  not  exactly  run,  but  were 
like  the  Indian  said  when  asked  if  he  had  ever  run  from  a 
white  man.  He  said,  ''No,  but  I  walked  mighty  fast  down  a 
branch  one  time."  So  Colonel  Palmer  made  good  his  escape 
that  time  from  about  three  thousand  cavalrymen. 

Our  headquarters  were  at  Marshall  when  the  word  came 
that  Kirk  was  on  Shelton  Laurel  with  his  men.  Colonel  Pal- 
mer, always  ready,  took  the  most  of  the  command  and  made  a 
raid  for  Shelton  Laurel  in  the  eastern  part  of  Madison  Coun- 
ty, leaving  Lieutenant-Colonel  McDowell  in  command  of  the 
rest  at  Marshall,  but  telling  him  if  he  desired  to  do  so,  he 
could  take  what  troops  were  left  in  camp  and  go  over  on  Big 
Laurel  and  probably  capture  some  that  might  attempt  to  es- 
cape that  way  from  Kirk's  command.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
McDowell  gathered  up  about  sixty  men,  including  the  citi- 
zens who  were  always  ready  for  any  emergency.  We  made 
ready  for  a  two  day's  scout.  I  had  only  about  twenty  men 
of  the  Sixty-fourth  for  this  raid.  We  made  a  forced  march 
and  about  3  :30  p.  m.,  the  enemy  began  to  bushwhack  us  and 
had  several  shots  that  evening.  We  camped  that  night  in  a 
little  valley  between  three  hills.  In  the  meantime  we  had 
learned  that  Kirk's  whole  command  was  there,  so  we  naturally 
expected  a  fight  next  morning  and  we  got  it.  I  was  acting 
as  officer  of  the  day,  pickets  were  put  on  the  tops  of  the  three 
hills  and  I  was  instructed  to  gO'  around  before  day  and  move 
the  pickets  just  under  the  brow  of  the  hills  so  they  would  be 
able  tO'  get  the  first  shot.  x\t  the  proper  time  the  pickets 
were  properly  placed  and  just  as  day  began  to  dawn  the  firing 
co'mmeTiced.  In  a  sbort  time  wc  were  on  top  of  one  of  the 
hills  which  was  the  most  available  point.  Kirk's  command 
was  not  in  a  body,  but  were  in  every  direction  and  had  good 
long  range  rifles.  We  were  not  as  well  armed  as  they  were, 
but  the  boys  put  in  good  time.  Just  at  the  foot  of  the  hill 
there  was  a  little  group  gathered  that  was  pouring  shot  into 
us  and  we  were  over-shooting  them.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Mc- 
Dowell caTue  to  me  and  wanted  me  to  move  them,  so  we  of 
the  Sixty-fourth,  with  a  down-hill  start,  made  a  charge  and 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  667 

when  about  half  way,  and  when  we  got  in  one  hundred  and 
fifty  yards  of  the  enemy  they  took  tO'  the  woods,  which  were 
about  fifty  yards  further.  We  had  but  little  time,  but  gave 
them  a  few  shots  while  they  were  falling  back.  When  we 
reached  tlie  foot  of  the  hill  we  found  a  good  place  to  stay  for 
a  while,  having  good  protection  behind  some  large  stumps 
which  had  protected  them  from  our  fire.  The  enemy  had  all 
the  advantage,  having  the  woods  on  all  sides.  While  in  that 
place  they  began  tO'  cross  fire,  so  neither  side  of  our  works  gave 
lis  protection.  We  lost  there  one  man  killed,  Hyram  Gilbert, 
a  young  man  and  a  good  soldier.  He  was  shot  in  the  breast 
and  died  almost  instantly.  Sergeant  Robert  Lee,  of  the  Six- 
ty-second Regiment,  who  fell  in  with  the  Sixty-fourth  in  the 
charge,  was  slightly  wounded,  struck  with  a  spent  ball  which 
would  have  proved  fatal  if  it  had  been  in  full  force.  We 
then  had  to  climb  the  hill  back  tO'  the  command  under  heavy 
fire  from  all  directions  except  in  our  lines.  When  we  had 
gotten  back  we  found  Lieutenant-Colonel  McDowell  shot 
through  the  arm  and  the  men  out  of  ammunition.  The  next 
thing  was  tO'  get  out,  which  we  did  very  nicely  by  making  a 
charge  both  ways.  When  they  ran  we  marched  out,  having  a 
long  trip  up  a  mountain.  The  enemy  fired  many  shots,  but 
we  being  out  of  ammunition,  had  tO'  take  it  quietly.  How- 
over,  we  lost  only  two  killed  and  four  wounded,  and  returned 
tO'  Marshall.  In  April,  1864,  the  fraginent  of  the  regiment 
left  was  at  Marshall,  IST.  C,  and  commanded  by  Captain  B. 
T.  Morris. 

Soon  after  this  the  Sixty-fourth  was  ordered  tO'  Flat  Rock, 
in  Henderson  County,  to  break  up  the  bands  of  robbers  and 
those  who  were  plundering  the  county.  It  was  no  uncom- 
mon thing  for  them  to  rob  a  house  and  sometimes  kill  the 
owner.  There  were  living  in  and  around  Flat  Rock  many 
Southemers  who  spent  the  summer  in  this  delightful  climate. 
These  bands  seemed  to  have  a  desire  specially  to  rob  those 
Southern  people,  so  that  when  we  an*ived  and  made  our  head- 
quarters at  the  "Farmer"  hotel,  a  great  many  families 
brought  their  furniture  and  other  valuables  and  put  them  in 
the  hotel  for  safety.  We  remained  at  this  place  aboiit  six 
months,  and  during  that  time  made  many  scouts  in  the  coun- 


668  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'G5. 

ties  of  Henderson,  Polk  and  Transylvania,  and  suffered  many 
hardships.  At  one  time  when  Captain  Deaver  was  in  trouble 
in  Transylvania  County,  I  was  ordered  to  send  him  ten  good 
men.  At  that  time  I  had  a  detail  out  on  a  scout  in  Polk 
County,  the  only  commissioned  officer  I  had  ^^'ith  me  was 
Lieutenant  ]\Iorris,  and  he  had  command  of  that  scout,  so  the 
best  I  could  do  was  to  send  him  ten  young  men  under  Cor- 
poral Gilbert.  They  reported  to  Captain  Deaver  and  when 
they  had  served  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  sent,  they 
were  ordered  back.  On  their  return  there  came  a  heavy  rain, 
during  which  they  took  shelter  in  a  house  on  Crab  Creek,  and 
when  the  rain  was  over  resumed  their  march.  When  about 
one  mile  from  the  house  they  were  fired  on  by  a  band  of 
bushwhackers  who  had  taken  all  the  advantage  of  the  boys. 
They  had  selected  a  place  in  the  road  whore  there  was  a  large 
rock  above  the  road  and  on  the  top  of  a  little  knoll,  they  had 
carefully  trimmed  the  brush  out  of  the  way,  so  that  when  our 
boys  got  within  fifty  yards  they  fired  with  shot  guns  or  mus- 
kets and  Enfield  rifles,  killing  one  man,  Thomas  Coggins,  a 
brave  and  good  young  man.  All  the  others  of  our  detach- 
ment except  one  were  wounded,  but  fortunately  all  slightly. 
One  of  them  (Lewis  Laughter)  was  shot  in  six  different 
places.  A  minie  ball  had  struck  the  front  part,  of  his  pants 
and  cut  them  from  seam  to  seam,  but  did  not  touch  him.  The 
boys  returned  the  fire,  but  the  instant  the  bushwhackers  fired 
they  ran  and  were  soon  out  of  sight.  Our  boys  had  a  slim 
chance,  but  it  was  said  that  there  was  a  young  man  missing 
out  of  the  settlement  wlio  has  not  yet  turned  up.  By  the  time 
the  boys  came  into  camp  the  other  detail  had  come  in,  so  we 
at  once  took  a  strong  guard,  went  up  and  brought  our  dead 
comrade  to  camp,  carried  him  to  his  home  and  buried  him 
with  the  honors  of  war.  A  great  many  of  our  brave  boys 
were  not  allowed  such  a  burial. 

Henry  Perkins  had  leave  of  absence  to  visit  his  family.  He 
lived  in  Green  River  Cove,  in  Polk  County,  about  sixteen 
miles  from  camp.  When  he  arHved  at  home  and  had  been 
there  but  a  short  time  he  walked  out  in  the  yard  and  was  shot 
do%\'n ;  he  saw  the  man  that  shot  him  and  told  who  he  was. 
He  was  a  vile  fellow  who  made  it  his  everv  day  business  to 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  669 

bushwhack  every  detail  that  passed  through  the  country. 
Word  was  immediately  conveyed  to  camp  and  at  the  proper 
time  leaving  camp  late  in  the  evening  so  that  our  movements 
should  not  be  known,  we  travelled  nearly  all  night,  arriving 
before  day  and  having  been  informed  that  he  was  a  frequent 
visitor  at  a  house  near  the  river  where  some  bad  Avomen 
lived,  we  put  our  men  in  ambush  to  wait  for  daylight  to  de- 
velop something.  Just  at  the  break  of  day  the  women  came 
out  of  the  house  and  began  a  general  search  as  if  suspicious 
of  something.  They  continued  their  search  till  they  came 
upon  some  of  the  boys,  and  they  made  all  the  racket  they  could 
make  and  it  did  seem  as  if  our  trip  was  vain.  Two  of  our  men 
who  had  not  been  discovered,  walked  up  a  little  branch  only  a 
short  distance  from  the  house,  when  suddenly  a  little  dog  com- 
menced barking.  The  man  we  were  seeking  sprang  to  his  feet 
and  made  an  effort  to  get  his  gun,  but  was  too  late.  They  fired 
intO'  him  one  ball  cutting  the  artery  in  his  right  arm,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  he  was  dead.  Thus  ended  the  life  of  a  man  who 
only  a  few  days  before  had  taken  the  life  of  his  next  door 
neighbor  and  that  without  a  cause.  From  this  time  on  that 
section  was  more  quiet.  Many  other  raids  were  made  which 
were  necessary  to  keep  down  such  bands. 

The  last  camp  we  occupied  for  any  length  of  time  was 
Camp  Woodfin,  two  miles  north  of  Asheville.  While  in  camp 
at  this  place* in  April,  1865,  General  Stoneman  made  his  raid 
on  Asheville.  One  bright  day,  while  we  were  at  dinner,  the 
beating  of  the  long  roll  coiumencgd  and  soon  every  man  was  in 
line.  The  enemy  had  captured  some  of  our  men  out  on  the 
river  road.  The  Sixty-fourth  was  ordered  to  remain  in  camp, 
but  to  keep  in  line.  Colonel  Palmer  was  commanding  and 
formed  a  line  of  battle  on  the  top  of  a  ridge  between  our  camp 
and  the  River  road.  The  enemy  was  in  the  road  and  in  some 
trenches  that  had  been  throvTi  up  there.  Several  roimds  were 
^red,  the  Yankee  balls  passing  over  our  men  and  rattling  on 
our  shanties,  which  were  covered  with  boards.  About  3  o'clock 
the  Sixty-fourth  was  moved  to  the  front  and  took  part  in  a  few 
shots,  one  man  of  the  Sixty-fourth  was  wounded.  This  was 
another  game  of  bluff.  Colonel  Palmer  who  had  only  about 
three  hundred  men,  moved  one  company  passing  a  certain 


670  North  Carolina  Troops,   186l-'65. 

gap  iu  sight  of  the  enemy  and  round  and  tlirough  the  same 
gap  several  times.  While  this  was  going  on.  General  Stone- 
man  was  doing  the  same  thing.  Colonel  Palmer  had  his  glass 
looking  on  and  said  he  saw  one  claybank  hoi^se  come  in  sight  a 
half  dozen  times.  Wlien  night  came  on  our  men  went  into 
Asheville  and  that  night  camped  where  Battery  Park  Hotel 
now  stands.  About  10  o'clock  that  night  we  noticed  all  the 
enemy's  campfires  blaze  up  and  in  a  short  time  they  began  to 
die  do\vn.  We  said  '"farewell  General  Stoneman.''  We 
moved  from  there  to  Hickory  Xut  Gap,  where  we  met  him 
again,  but  only  the  pickets  exchanged  a  few  shots.  From 
there  we  went  to  Broad  river  and  from  there  to  Henderson- 
ville,  stopped  there  for  the  night  and  as  the  writer  of  this 
sketch  was  in  ten  miles  of  his  home,  it  appeared  to  be  a  good 
time  to  visit  it^  so  he  boiTOwed  a  horee  from  a  friend  and  went 
home.  The  enemy's  account  of  this  raid  will  be  found  in  lOS 
Official  Tiecords  Union  and  C&nfederaie  Annies,  pp.  81-33. 
On  10  March.  1865,  the  Sixty-second,  Sixty-fourth  and  Six- 
ty-ninth were  under  Colonel  Palmer  near  Asheville  and  the 
three  regiments  reported  a  total  of  488  present  for  duty. 

My  wife  was  living  off  from  the  Howard's  Gap  Road  about 
one  mile,  so  I  spent  the  night  with  her  and  we  were  up  early 
before  light  next  morning  t-o  take  breakfast  at  my  father's, 
who  lived  on  the  road.  When  we  came  into  the  road  we 
found  it  full  of  blue  coats.  What  to  do  I  could  not  tell.  To 
turn  back  looked  too  suspicious,  so  I  decided  in  my  mind  to 
go  un  to  the  house  and  on  I  .went,  my  wife  by  my  side,  but 
just  before  we  reached  the  house  they  arrested  me.  I  was 
turned  over  to  a  guard  who  was  exceedingly  kind  to  me;  he 
seemed  to  be  sorry  for  me ;  he  told  me  I  would  get  a  parole 
next  morning.  He  put  me  on  an  old  poor  horse  and  we 
started  for  Hendersonville.  I  can  not  express  my  feelings  as 
I  went  up  to^^'n  riding  that  horse  folloAving  the  Yankee  army 
to  the  music  of  Yankee  Doo<:lle.  My  guard  took  me  to  Dr. 
T.  A.  Allen's  and  liad  Mrs.  Allen  to  fix  me  a  good  dinner 
(wliieh  she  knows  exactly  how  to  do)  after  which  we  took  the 
State  road  for  Asheville,  camped  that  night  where  the  Mills 
Gap  road  leaves  the  State  road.  We  stopped  a  wliile  before 
night.      Colonel  Palmer  came  out  from  Asheville  under  a  flag 


Sixty-Fourth  Regiment.  071 

of  truce  and  after  he  returned  I  heard  the  soldiers  talking 
and  from  what  was  said  they  made  me  believe  there  would 
be  no  parole  for  me.  I  then  made  up  my  mind  to  take  care 
of  myself.  They  had  two  of  their  own  men  under  guard  for 
some  misdemeanor.  The  man  that  £niarde<l  me  all  day  .said  to 
me  that  if  I  preferred,  he  would  keep  me  with  their  men  and 
not  put  me  with  the  soldiers  they  had  captured  that  day.  I 
told  him  that  would  just  suit  me.  About  9  o'clock  they  made 
their  bed  and  I  retired  with  my  shoes  and  clothes  on.  We 
were  in  a  lane  and  they  had  all  the  fences  on  fire.  I  heard  a 
conversation  with  the  guard  wanting  each  man  to  take  a  pris- 
oner and  sleep  with  him,  but  my  gurd  said  no,  so  another 
guard  was  put  on  who  took  his  seat  near  me  and  commenced 
to  play  with  a  negro  boy  who  was  a.sleep ;  I  got  up,  walked 
through  the  crowd  leaning  to  the  dark  .side  of  the  road  and 
was  soon  out  of  sight  ^vithout  any  alarm  being  raised.  I 
went  on  the  mountain  side  and  stayed  till  morning  and  bid 
General  Stoneman  adieu,  went  home  and  so  ended  my  part  of 
the  war.  This  was  a  few  days  after  Lee's  surrender,  but  we 
did  not  know  of  it  The  other  scouts  all  did  good  service. 
Colonel  L.  M.  Allen  did  some  valiant  and  daring  .service  in 
the  Hot  Springs  fight.     Xo  braver  man  ever  met  a  foe. 

So  the  sad  end  came.  Those  in  prison  and  out  of  it — not 
dead  of  disease,  frozen,  starved  or  shot — as  long  as  our  flag 
was  afloat,  stood  by  it. 

The  glorious  remnants  of  the  Sixty-.second,  Sixty-fourth, 
Sixty-ninth  and  Eightieth  after  the  broken  truce  at  Ashe- 
ville,  quietly  returned  to  their  homes,  with  and  without 
gims.  feeling  honestlv,  vet  sadly,  ''"We  have  done  what  we 
could." 

B.  T.  Morris. 

Hexderson  Co.,  N.  C, 
30  May,  l&Ol. 


\ 


I* 


THE  NEW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ENOX    AND 

.ij    OATIONS. 


SIXTY-FIFTH  REGIMENT— SIXTH  CAVALRY. 

1.  George  N.  Folk,  Colonel.  5.    William  B.  Council],  Captain.  Co.  B. 

2.  Martin  V.  Moore,  Captain  and  A.Q.M.  6.    Stephen  J.  Brown.  M  Lieut.,  Co.  A. 

3.  Barton  Robey  Brown,  Captain,  Co  A.  7.    Wiley  P  Thomas,  8d  Lieut.,  Co.    A. 

4.  V.  S.   Lusk,  Captain,  Co.  I.      (For- 

merly 5th  Batt.)   Prisoner,  John- 
son's Island,  1S63-186,5. 


SIXTY-FIFTH  REGinENT. 

(sixth  cavalry.) 


By  captain  M.  V.   MOORE,  A.  Q.  M. 


This  regiment  was  organized  in  August,  1863,  by  the  con- 
solidation of  two  cavalry  battalions,  the  Fifth  commanded 
by  Major  A.  H.  Baird,  and  the  Seventh  Battalion  commanded 
by  LieutenantrColonel  Geo.  IST,  Folk.  These  two  battalions 
had  rendered  efficient  services  in  East  Tennessee  and  Ken- 
tncky.  The  command  of  the  regiment  was  given  to  the  senior 
officer,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Geo.  ]^.  Folk,  whose  commission  as 
Colonel  bore  date  3  August,  1863.  Colonel  Folk  had  been 
captain  of  Company  D  in  the  famous  Ninth  North  Carolina 
(First  (^avalry),  but  resigned  his  position  there  with  the  view 
of  raising  a  new  regiment.  On  the  organization  of  the  new 
command,  the  Sixth  (^avalry,  a  number  of  men  and  officers 
from  his  old  company  and  elsewhere  in  the  First  Cavalry, 
sought  and  obtained  transfers  to  the  new  command.  Among 
the  number  were  Captain  B.  R.  Brown,  who  commanded 
Company  A,  Sixty-fifth  (Sixth  Cavalry),  and  who  had  been 
Lieutenant  in  Company  D,  of  the  Ninth  Regiment.  Lieu- 
tenant S.  J.  Brown  was  transferred  from  the  ranks  of  Com- 
pany D,  Ninth  Regiment,  and  subsequently  elected  to  a  Lieu- 
tenancy in  the  Sixty-fifth.  This  writer,  who  was  from  the 
organization  of  the  regiment,  Private  M.  V.  Moore  in  Com- 
pany D,  of  the  Ninth  (First  Cavalry),  had  been  elected  to 
a  Lieutenancy  in  Company  E,  of  the  Thirty-seventh  North 
Carolina  Infantry  Regiment,  a  company  which  he  had  been 
largely  instrumental  in  raising  in  Watauga  county  in  1861 ; 
but  in  the  meantime  was  commissioned  Captain  and  Assist- 
ant Quartermaster  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and,  on  request 
of  Colonel  Folk,  was  assigned  to  duty  under  his  old  com- 
mander in  the  Sixty-fifth.  Captain  T.  P.  Siler,  of  Company 
K,  First  Cavalry,  was  also  given  a  Major's  commission  and 
43 


674  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

a;ssig"ned  to'  duty  in  the  Sixty-fifth  llegiinent,  but  in  conse- 
quence of  wounds  received  in  a  battle  in  Maryland  in  Septem- 
ber, 1862,  being-  prevented  from  active  duty  he  resigned  and 
was  succeeded  by  JMajor  J.  J.  Spanii.  A  number  of  privat^es 
from  Company  A,  of  the  Ninth  Regiment,  were  also  trans- 
ferred to  the  new  regiment,  these  assigned  chiefly  to  Captain 
Council's  Company  B,  Sixty-fifili.  Captain  Council  himself 
(a  native  of  North  Carolina)  came  as  the  commander  of  Com- 
pany B  from  a  South  Carolina  Regiment  which  had  done 
valiant  service  in  the  armies  of  the  Confederacy  at  Fort  Sum- 
ter, Manassas,  Chickamauga  and  elsewhere.  Major  J.  J. 
Spann  had  resigned  a  position  in  the  old  United  States  army 
from  a  station  on  the  Western  frontier;  and  being  commis- 
sioned Major  by  the  Confederate  Government,  came  to  the 
Sixty-fifth.  Major  A.  H.  Baird,  of  the  Fifth  Battalion,  was 
promoted  Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  new  regiment. 

In  the  official  roster  of  the  North  Carolina  troops  edited  by 
Major  J.  W.  Moore — a  work  confessedly  defective —  there 
occur  many  errors,  wrong  figures  and  repetitions,  especially 
about  the  Sixty-fifth  Regiment.  These  transfers  from  other 
commands  to  this  regiment  as  well  as  the  confusion  incident 
to  consolidations  of  tlie  tAvo  battalions  into  the  new  regiment, 
and  the  subsequent  reorganizations,  have  been  a  fruitful 
source  of  many  of  these  errors. 

One  company  appears  to  have  been  counted  twice,  once  as 
B,  and  then  again  as  F,  Captain  W.  P.  Moore.  This  error 
and  others  must  be  explained  through  the  confusion  incident 
to  consolidations  and  reorganizations,  and  in  the  various 
clianges  in  the  letter  designations  of  the  different  companies 
wliich  went  from  the  two  battalions  into  the  one  regi- 
ment. The  distinctive  organizations  of  three  companies, 
tliose  originally  commanded  by  Captains  Lusk,  Englisli  and 
Gillespie,  almost  entirely  were  broken  up  and  absorbed 
by  other  companies,  after  the  capture  of  two  of  these  of- 
ficers by  the  enemy  in  1862.  The  names  of  many  of  the 
men  captured  were  finally  dropped  from  the  rolls.  It  is  due 
to  the  memory  of  these  men  for  me  to  state  that  my  connec- 
tion with  the  command  began  at  a  date  subsequent  to  their 
capture  in  battle;  and  I  have  been  unable  up  to  this  writing 


Sixty-Fifth  Regiment.  675 

to  obtain  from  any  of  the  sui-vivors  the  proper  data  necessary 
for  representing  them  fully  in  this  history. 

Captain  J.  S.  Folk's  command  was  originally  an  artillery 
company  composed  largely  of  men  and  officers  from  Tennes- 
see and  Virginia.  Captain  Folk  himself  was  a  Virginian, 
and  never  at  any  time  a  resident  of  North  Carolina.  In  the 
final  reorganization  of  the  regiment,  his  company,  merged 
into  a  cavalry  command,  received  many  accessions  in  men 
and  officers  from  the  broken  ranks  of  the  companies  above  re- 
ferred to,  this  after  it  had  become  known  that  General  Grant's 
orders  forbidding  further  exchange  of  prisoners  was  perma- 
nent. 

In  the  final  reorganization  and  lettering  of  the  companies 
of  the  Sixty-fifth  regiment  they  appeared  in  the  following 
order : 

Co.  A— Capt.  B.  R.  Brown, 

Co.  B— Capt.  W    B.  Council, 

Co.  C— Capt.  James  Cansler,  formerly  "I 

Capt  Joseph  Dobson.  J 

Co.  D— '  apt.  J.  W.  Cash, 
Co.  E— Capt  W   E.  McDowell,  formerlv  \ 

Capt.  J    W   Siler,  J 

Co.  F— Capt.  W.  P.  Moore. 
Co.  G— Capt.  J.  S.  Folk,  estimated. 
Co.  H— Capt.  Junius  C.  Tate,  estimated. 
Co.  I  —Capt.  Y.  S.  Lusk. 

In  Moore's  Eoster,  Captain  Brown's  company  is  given  as 
M ;  Captain  Councill's  company  is  L ;  Captain  Dobson's  C ; 
Captain  Gash's  is  E;  Captain  Siler's  is  A;  Captain  Moore's 
appears  as  both  B  and  F.  Captain  Gillespie  appears  there 
as  commanding  Company  D;  and  Captain  English  as  Com- 
pany K.  Captain  Lusk  was  never  with  the  regiment  after 
its  organization.  I  trust  that  a  history  of  the  operations  of 
his  battalion  previous  to  the  consolidation  will  appear  from 
the  pen  of  some  one  competent  to  impart  justice  to  the  sol- 
diers. What  has  been  said  in  this  sketch  in  regard  to  the 
errors  of  other  reports  must  not  be  regarded  as  the  inspiration 
of  a  censorious  spirit.  Major  Moore,  in  the  various  foot  notes 
and  elsewhere  in  his  work,  has  confessed  to  his  inability  to 
impart  clearness  and  the  fullest  truth  at  all  times  to  his  sub- 
ject, and  especially  in  regard  to  the  facts  pertaining  to  the 


Men. 

Officers. 

Total 

89 

4 

98 

89 

4 

93 

27 

2 

29 

56 

3 

59 

68 

3 

71 

46 

4 

50 

50 

3 

53 

55 

3 

58 

13 

1 

14 

676  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Sixty-fifth  Kegiment.     Historic  tnith   should  ever  be  held 
sacred. 

Great  injustice  has  been  done  to  the  valor  of  the  men  who 
fought  for  four  years  the  vast  overwhelming  odds  sent  to  sub- 
due  the  South.  Many  erroneous  reports  have  been  given  to 
the  world  in  regard  to  the  number  of  men  placed  in  the  field 
by  the  Confederacy.  Many  so-called  "authorities"  main- 
taining, with  much  obstinacy,  that  the  forces  exceeded  a  mil- 
lion of  men  against  the  three  millions  of  the  Federal  troops 
engaged  in  the  war  against  our  people. 

IN  EAST  TENNESSEE. 

The  Fifth  and  Seventh  Battalions  before,  and  after  this 
consolidation  the  Sixty-fifth  Regiment,  performed  duty  under 
the  military  commander  of  tlie  Department  of  East  Tennes- 
see. The  troops  were  required  to  assist  local  authorities  in. 
the  enforcement  of  the  conscription  acts  of  the  Confederate 
Congress ;  and  also  to  prevent  and  quell  insuiTcctions  among 
tlie  disaffected  and  turbulent  elements  in  that  department. 
It  was  a  sore  and  thankless  task  ;  and  in  its  discharge  were  i>e- 
gotten  feuds  and  animosities  not  yet  entirely  effaced  from  the 
minds  and  memories  of  the  families  of  those  w^ho  fell  victim.s 
on  either  side  there.  In  February,  1863,  the  two  battalions- 
were  at  Big  Creek  Gap  and  Greenville,  Tenn.  In  April, 
1863,  they  were  on  outpost  duty  in  Kentucky  in  the  brigade 
commanded  by  Colonel  John  S.  Scott,  and  31  July,  1803,  at 
Bell's  Bridge  under  General  J.  W.  Frazer. 

No  troops  ever  had  more  bitter  and  disagreeable  duties 
than  were  at  times  im])osod  upon  the  men  and  offif^ers  of  this 
command  in  East  Tennessee.  One  of  the  first  fatal  conflicts 
after  the  organization  came  on  Christmas  day,  1862,  at  a 
point  on  Watauga,  river,  near  Dugger\s  Fen'y,  in  Cartef 
County,  Tennessee.  A  few  days  before,  some  citizens  of 
North  Carolina  had  been  waylaid  and  robbed  near  by,  by  a 
marauding  band  who  informed  their  victims  that  the  troops  of 
the  regiment  were  to  be  secretly  attacked  soon  by  the  same 
band.  The  attack  came  from  men  concealed  in  ambush  on  the 
bluffs  above  the  river  bank  while  the  column  was  on  itvS  march. 
A  sharp  fight  ensued  which  resulted  in  the  killing  of  one  sol- 


Sixty-Fifth  Regiment,  677 

dier  from  tlie  regiment  and  the  wounding  of  others.  A  num- 
berof  bushwhackerswere  killed  outright  and  several  captured. 
Two  of  the  latter  were  tried  and  condemned  to  death  by  a 
court-martial.  They  were  hanged  promptly  to  the  most  con- 
venient tree  near  the  spot  where  they  were  captured.  For 
the  execution  of  these  men,  some  five  or  six  of  the  officers  of 
the  Sixty-fifth  regiment  were,  after  the  surrender  of  the  Con- 
federate armies,  indicted  in  the  State  courts  of  Tennessee  on 
the  charge  of  murder ;  and  for  several  years  afterward,  these 
gentlemen  had  to  fight  not  only  the  criminal  prosecutions,  but 
other  suits  were  filed  against  them  for  damages  claimed  by 
the  families  of  the  bushwhackers  executed. 

There  were  numerous  other  conflicts  with  the  disaffected 
East  Tennesseeans  during  the  winter  of  1862  and  spring 
months  of  1863,  while  the  two  battalions  remained  on  duty  in 
that  country ;  but  none  of  such  a  serious  character  as  the  one 
just  referred  to. 

For  the  subsequent  history  of  the  movements  and  actions 
of  the  command,  T  am  indebted  to  material  furnished  me  by 
two  of  the  leading  officers  of  the  line  in  the  regiment,  officers 
who  had  more  and  better  opportunities  for  seeing  in  person 
the  trying  conflicts  of  the  men  than  the  writer,  who,  as  a 
''quartermaster,"  is  not  generally  supposed  to  have  been  in 
the  quorum  pars  of  the  fighting  corps.  The  historic  narra- 
tive which  follows  is  mainly  from  the  pens  of  Captains  B.  R. 
Brown  and  W.  E.  McDowell.     Captain  Brown  writes: 

IN   KENTUCKY. 

"About  1  May,  1863,  we  were  ordered  to  Knoxville,  Tenn., 
and  thence  to  Kentucky,  where  we  joined  Brigadier-General 
Pegram  on  the  Cumberland  river,  near  Mill  Spring,  and 
where  we  at  once  encountered  the  enemy's  cavalry  under 
General  Wolford,  in  our  first  appearance  there  on  the  picket 
lines,  and  where  Captain  Gillespie  and  about  fourteen  of  his 
men  were  captured.  We  lost  three  men  also  at  Steubenville, 
where  Colonel  Goode,  of  the  Tenth  Confederate  Cavalry, 
came  to  our  assistance." 

After  some  months  of  picket  duties  on  the  Kentucky  fron- 
tier, and  in  operation  against  the  enemy's  raiding  expedi- 


678  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

tions,  the  command  went  into  quarters  at  Big  Creek  Gap, 
Tenn.,  and  was  engaged  in  picketing  along  the  outposts  along 
the  line  of  the  Cumberland  river.  The  enemy  threw  a  force 
between  us  and  Knoxville,  scattering  our  support  (mainly 
Tenth  Confederate)  ;  but  the  Sixty-fifth  North  Carolina  Reg- 
iment succeeded  in  cutting  its  way  through  the  Cumberland 
mountains,  and  reached  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  after  the  evacua* 
tion  of  that  city  by  the  Confederate  infantry.  In  an  artillery 
attack  upon  the  command  at  Loudon  the  regiment  suffered. 
The  command  moved  down  the  Tennessee  river  to  the  sup- 
port of  Bragg  in  front  of  Chattanooga.  On  31  August,  1863, 
the  Sixty-fifth  Regiment  belonged  to  Davidson's  Brigade, 
Pegram's  Division  in  Forrest's  Corps,  51st  Vol.  Official  Rec- 
ords Union  and  Confederate  Armies,  p.  20.  On  30  Novem* 
ber,  1863,  the  regiment  is  reported  in  Harrison's  Brigade, 
Wharton's  Division  in  Cavalry  Corps  commanded  by  General 
W.  T.  Martin.  BJf.  Vol.  Official  Records  Union  and  Confed- 
erate  Armies,  p.  453. 

IN  GEOKGIA. 

At  Braysville,  Ga.,  it  met  the  enemy,  capturing  a  company 
of  the  First  Kentucky  Infantry  (Federal)  in  the  advance  of 
General  Crittenden's  Corps.  In  the  action  a  portion  of 
Hart's  Georgia  Cavalry  participated.  We  in  this  affair  had 
a  number  of  men  wounded.  Soon  after  another  engagement 
with  the  enemy  M'as  had,  but  without  important  result.  Cap- 
tain Brown  continues : 

''On  the  night  of  1'7  September,  1863,  Company  A  was  de- 
tached, and  ordered  to  follow  a  portion  of  Howell's  battery. 
At  daylight  we  crossed  the  Chickamauga  at  Reed's  Ford,  re- 
porting there  to  General  Forrest.  The  remainder  of  the  reg- 
iment had  also  been  moved  forward  in  the  same  direction; 
and  before  sunrise  we  were  all  engaged  with  the  enemy  at 
close  range  in  conflicts  which  lasted  several  hours.  In  the 
meantime  the  woods  between  the  two  lines  of  battle  caught 
on  fire  and  prevented  any  advance  from  either  side.  Our 
command  was  then  withdrawn  and  placed  on  duty  at  Alexan- 
der's Bridge  on  the  Chickamauga,  where  we  remained  during 
the  remainder  of  the  great  battle." 


Sixty-Fifth  Regiment.  679 

chickamauga. 

In  the  action  of  Saturday  in  the  opening  of  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga  we  lost  a  number  of  valuable  men  and  officers 
killed  and  wounded.  Captain  Brown  continues :  "After  this 
battle  the  command  was  sent  with  other  troops  in  DibbrelFs 
Brigade  with  Colonel  Morrison,  of  the  First  Georgia  Cavalry, 
to  the  support  of  Longstreet  at  Knoxville.  When  near  Phil- 
adelphia advance  squadrons  of  the  regiment  were  charged  by 
a  brigade  of  Federal  cavalry  by  which  we  suffered  a  heavy 
loss.  A  portion  of  the  command  also  encountered,  and  for  a 
while  successfully  resisted  the  advance  of  Federal  General 
Wilder's  Brigade  at  a  church  near  Mouse  creek.  In  this  ac- 
tion we  were  assisted  by  Georgia  troops  of  Rucker's  Legion. 
The  enemy's  cavalry,  however,  advanced  in  force  and  drove 
us  from  our  position,  inflicting  upon  us  additional  serious 
loss." 

In  these  two  engagements  the  organization  of  the  regiment 
was  seriously  impaired.  Many  of  the  men  dispersed  by  the 
onslaught  of  the  Federal  cavalry,  and  in  the  loss  of  their 
horses,  and  being  also  practically  in  the  enemy's  country, 
made  their  way  as  best  they  could  to  their  nearby  homes  in 
l^orth  Carolina.  In  April,  1864,  the  regiment  was  in  Har- 
rison's Brigade,  Hume's  Division,  Wheeler's  Cavalry  Corps, 
Army  of  Tennessee.  7^  Vol.  Official  Records  Union  and 
Confederate  Armies,  p.  650.  Soon  thereafter,  the  regiment 
was  in  rendezvous  camp  near  Asheville,  IST.  C,  to  recruit, 
where  orders  were  received  for  the  whole  command  to  take  up 
line  of  march,  and  report  for  duty  to  the  officer  com  ma  riding 
the  Department  of  Eastorn  North  Carolina  at  Finstuii,  iST.  C. 

JN    EASTERN    NORTH    CAROLINA. 

Arriving  at  Kinston  early  in  the  spring  of  1864,  the  regi- 
ment began  picketing  the  outposts  in  front  of  New  Bern  and 
other  points  on  the  coast  of  North  Carolina  covering  a  line 
about  fifty  miles  long.  During  the  time  we  had  various  en- 
gagements with  bodies  of  the  enemy.  One  of  these  conflicts 
was  at  Heath's  mills,  where  we  captured  a  number  of  the 
Federals.  Colonel  Folk  was  cut  off  from  the  command  and 
captured  in  a  night  attack  at  this  place.     In  this  attack  Lieu- 


680  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

tenants  Kilpatrick  and  Dehart  were  killed ;  two  brave  officers 
falling  at  the  post  of  duty.  Colonel  Folk  was  released  after 
a  few  weeks'  confinement  in  one  of  the  Northern  prisons,  and 
he  rejoined  his  command  at  Kinston. 

On  20  Sepleniber,  1864,  seven  gallant  men  of  this  regi- 
ment entered  the  enemy's  lines  at  Deep  Gully,  near  New 
Bern,  routed  a  company  of  Federal  cavalry,  capturing  twelve 
horses  with  accoutrements  and  arms,  and  aftemvards  sup- 
pressed a  picket  post,  killing  one  and  capturing  five  men,  and 
all  without  loss  to  themselves.  Their  names  were  Sergeant 
James  Greaver,  Privates  Murray  Brown,  Patterson  Moss, 
Hiram  Gregg,  Thomas  Sullivan,  John  Houston  and  Wil- 
liam Johnson. 

The  most  important  of  the  engagements  in  Eastern  North 
Carolina  was  the  assault  upon  and  capture  of  Fort  Croa- 
tan,  near  New  Bern,  and  the  bringing  away  of  a  number  of 
the  enemy's  guns  and  the  garrison  which  consisted  of  Lieu- 
tenant Whiting  and  a  company  of  Rhode  Island  troops.  An- 
other gallant  ex]:)loit  in  which  the  men  of  the  regiment  from 
companies  A  (Brown)  and  F  (Moore)  participated  was  in 
the  capture  and  destruction  of  the  Federal  gunboat  "Albe- 
marle," on  the  Koanoke  river.  In  tlie  fall  of  1864  the  two 
companies  of  Brown  and  Pitt  were  stationed  at  Williamston, 
together  with  Lee's  (Alabama)  battery  and  several  companies 
of  the  Fiftieth  Regiment  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  C. 
Vanhook,  to  guard  against  an  advance  of  the  enemy  from 
Washington  or  Plymouth.  Later  the  Fiftieth  were  replaced 
by  four  companies  of  the  Seventieth  North  Carolina  (First 
Junior  Reserves)  under  Major  Walter  Clark,  who  took  com- 
mand of  the  post,  including  the  cavalry  and  artillery.  Major 
Clark  was  a  mere  boy  of  17  or  18,  but  he  had  the  hearing 
and  command  of  a  born  soldier  and  displayed  the  executive 
talent  wliicli  ho  has  since  shown.  The  enemy  made  many 
attacks,  especially  at  Foster's  Mills  and  Gardner's  bridge,  but 
were  always  driven  back. 

When  the  Junior  Resen^es  were  called  off  to  meet  the  en- 
emy at  Belfield,  Va.,  the  enemy  came  up  from  below  and  a 
sharp  fight  between  the  two  companies  of  cavalry  with  Lee's 
Battery  and  the  enemy  took  place  11  December  at  Spring 


Sixty-Fifth  Regiment.  681 

Green,  which  was  very  creditable  to  our  forces.  Our  small 
force,  faced  by  over  1,000  of  the  enemy,  fell  back  on  the  12th 
to  Butler's  bridge  near  Hamilton,  where  they  were  rein- 
forced by  four  companiesi  under  Lieiutenant-Cblonel  Broad- 
foot,  of  the  Seventieth  hurried  back  from  Tarboro,  and  the 
Sixty-eighth.  Though  several  hundred  of  the  enemy,  piloted 
by  a  traitor,  crossed  the  stream  below  and  fired  upon  us  in  our 
rear  during  the  night,  they  were  driven  back  with  small  loss 
to-  us  except  the  capture  of  Colonel  Hinton  and  his  Adju- 
tant of  the  Sixty-eighth. 

The  Sixty-fifth,  it  may  be  said,  finally  covered  the  retreat 
of  tlie  Confederates  from  Eastern  North  Carolina  in  the  ad- 
vance of  Schofield  from  New  Bern.  It  had  been  assigned  to 
Bearing's  Brigade  in  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  but 
never  joined  it,  being  detained  by  events  in  North  Carolina. 
On  10  February,  1865,  Companies  A  and  F,  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Barton  F.  Browai,  were  still  on  the  Roanoke 
and  the  rest  of  the  regiment  under  Major  J.  J.  Spann  was  be- 
low Kinston,  according  to  the  Official  Reports  of  that  date 
published  by  the  United  States  Goveniment.  On  17  March, 
1865,  they  are  reported  as  being  at  Goldsboro  and  on  25 
March,  after  the  battle  of  Bentonville,  they  were  ordered  by 
Gen.  Bragg  to  scout  on  the  Cape  Fear  in  rear  of  the  Federal 
army,  but  on  protest  of  Gen,  Hampton,  this  order  was  revoked. 
Vol.  100  Official  Records  Union  mid  Confederate  Armies,  pp. 
691-693.  The  regiment  was  then  attached  to  Butler's  Cavalry 
Division  and  aided  to  cover  the  historic  retreat  of  Johnston's 
army  as  it  fell  back  from  Raleigh  to  Greensboro  and  until 
the  final  surrender  at  the  latter  place.  The  men  disbanded 
when  near  Salisbury,  The  survivors — about  300 — wending 
their  way  home  as  best  they  could  afoot  and  on  their  half 
famished  horses. 

I  should  like  to  speak  fully  of  the  personnel  of  this  regi- 
ment, if  the  limits  of  the  space  assigned  me  permitted  expres- 
sion. But  when  we  come  to  consider  the  principle  of  patriot- 
ism which  prompted  the  organization  of  the  North  Carolina 
soldiery,  I  am  loath  to  make  attempt  at  any  separation  of  the 
elements,  officers  and  men.  To  the  heroism  and  devotion  of 
the  private  soldiers  of  North  Carolina  is  largely  due  the  im- 


682  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

mortal  honors  achieved  by  her  sons  on  the  many  hard  fought 
fields  of  the  war.  I  place  the  valor  and  courage  of  the  hum- 
blest private  who  did  his  duty  on  the  highest  plane  beside 
those  whose  genius  directed.  In  the  bitter  and  long  struggle 
the  men  always  fought  at  a  disadvantage;  they  were  greatly 
outnumbered  ;  and  they  were  never  placed  on  an  equal  footing 
Avitli  their  enemies  in  points  of  equipment  and  resources. 
These  facts  we  all  knew.  And  when  the  victor  lays  claim  for 
equal  honors  in  valor  in  the  struggle,  we  can  simply  point 
him  to  the  official  records  which  show  that  it  required  three 
millions  of  the  Federals — among  whom  were  more  than  five 
hundred  thousand  of  our  own  Southern  people — and  more 
than  six  hundred  thousand  men  enlisting  from  foreign  lands 
— five  to  one  in  all — to  vanquish  in  battle  and  fire,  the  armies 
of  the  Confederacy.  These  armies  never  reached  six  hun- 
dred and  sixty  thousand  soldiers,  all  told,  enlistment  and  con- 
scriptions, from  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  war. 

North  Carolina  has  her  share  of  the  glory,  as  well  as  her 
part  in  the  great  overwhelming  sorrows  of  that  long  struggle. 
That  glory  was  well  achieved  as  we  all  know,  as  much  through 
the  heroism  of  the  private,  as  through  the  wisdom  of  her 
many  justly  distinguished  officers.  And  hence,  I  feel  that  it 
is  half  wrong  in  any  writer  who  refers  to  one  without  fully 
honoring  the  other,  yet  as  the  history  of  the  world  is  largely 
the  history  of  a  few  great  leading  individuals  of  genius  and 
strong  dominating  characters,  T  must  crave  pardon  of  my  old 
comrades  of  the  Sixty-fifth  if  I  mention  only  a  few^  of  the 
prominent  officials  of  the  command.  I  trust  that  these  com- 
rades also  will  gladly  welcome  the  brief  references  to  those 
whom  I  have  space  for  naming.  I  would  have  gladly  rtien- 
tioned  others;  but  as  I  have  been  so  long  separated  from 
North  Carolina  and  her  immediate  sons ;  and  as  some  of  my 
old  comrades  to  wliom  T  liave  appealed  for  aid  in  refreshing 
and  strengthening  the  memory  have  failed  to  respond  to  my 
inquiries,  I  shall  have  to  confine  my  notices  to  the  few  of 
whom  T  have  personal  knowledge  at  this  writing. 

Colonel  George  N.  Folk,  the  commander  of  the  regiment, 
has  been  so  long  and  so  well  and  favorably  known  to  the  peo- 
ple of  North  Carolina  as  one  of  her  most  eminent  lawyers, 


Sixty-Fifth  Regiment.  683 

that  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  refer  to  him  at  length  here. 
He  is  a  native  of  Virginia,  but  when  quite  a  young  man,  just 
admitted  to  the  bar,  sought  his  fortunes  in  Watauga  county  of 
this  State.  He  was  a  representative  of  that  county  in  the 
State  Legislature  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  After  the  war 
lived  in  Caldwell  county  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  lucrative  lav^ 
practice. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  H.  Baird  is  a  Buncombe  County 
man,  since  removed  to  Texas,  related  to  the  late  Senator 
Vance.  He  is  a  man  who  has  always  steod  high  as  the  im- 
personation of  a  lofty  chivalry,  courage  and  patriotism. 

Major  J.  J.  Spann  is  a  successful  farmer  living  near  Hen- 
dersonville.  He  has  always  been  a  genial,  conscientious, 
Christian  gentleman.  Major  Siler  died  recently  at  his  home 
in  Macon  county,  'N.  C,  a  noble  whole-souled  man  without 
fear  and  without  reproach.  The  adjutant  of  the  regiment 
was  Lieutenant  J.  H.  Merrimon,  since  the  war  a  prominent 
lawyer  at  Asheville,  honored  also  by  judicial  honors  in  his 
district.  The  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment  was  the  pres- 
ent writer.  Captain  M.  V.  Moore,  a  native  Tennesseean, 
whose  present  home  is  Auburn,  Ala.  After  the  war  he  en- 
gaged for  several  years  in  business  in  Lenoir,  'N.  C.  Later 
he  was  on  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Atlanta  Constitution,  and 
a  contributor  also  to  numerous  magazines  and  other  papers. 

The  Surgeon  of  the  regiment  was  Dr.  Thos.  A.  Houston,  (a 
relative  of  General  Sam  Houston,  of  Texas),  of  Tennessee. 

The  Assistant  Surgeon  was  Dr.  Leon  F.  Sensabaugh,  a  tal- 
ented gentleman,  who  died  soon  after  the  war.  His  home 
was  Franklin,  Macon  county,  N.  C. 

Another  Assistant  Surgeon  was  Dr.  Kobert  C.  Rhea,  of 
Tennessee.     His  home,  Shown's  X  Roads,  was  in  that  State. 

Rev.  Mr.  Porter,  a  Presbyterian  from  Charleston,  S.  C, 
was  Chaplain.      I  am  not  familiar  with  his  history. 

Captain  Brown,  of  Company  A,  is  a  Tennesseean,  a  suc- 
cessful farmer  and  stock  raiser  near  Shown's  X  Roads,  John- 
ston county.  He  is  a  knightly  gentleman  and  was  a  beau 
ideal  among  the  cavalrymen — brave,  dashing,  quick  and  wise. 

Captain   Council,  of  Company  B,  lives  at  his  home  in 


684  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'65. 

Boone,  N.  C,  a  useful  and  much  beloved  physician.     He  has 
been  in  the  State  Legislature  several  times. 

Captain  Dobson,  of  Company  C,  died  some  years  ago  at 
his  home  in  Macon  county — a  noble,  high-toned,  broad- 
minded  gentleman  of  the  old  school.  Captain  Causler,  his 
successor,  has  been  sheriff  of  his  county  a  number  of  years 
since  the  war — a  very  popular  bachelor. 

Captain  Gash,  a  gallant  and  spirited  young  officer,  of  a 
splendid  impulse  and  purpose,  went  west  and  died  in  Texas 
soon  after  the  war. 

Captain  Siler,  an  amiable  friend  and  a  brave  soldier,  has 
also  recently  died.  His  successor.  Captain  McDowell,  lives 
on  his  farm  in  Macon  county,  a  quiet  conservative  citizen  of 
many  good  parts,  tO'  whom  I  am  indebted  for  much  informa- 
tion of  historic  value  in  this  sketch. 

Captain  Moore,  I  leara,  is  a  farmer  living  near  Hayes- 
ville,  N.  C,  from  whicli  place  most  of  his  men  were  enlisted. 
He  has  always  been  highly  and  justly  popular  among  those 
who  knew  the  brave  and  gentle  "Irishman." 

Captain  Folk  married  and  settled  soon  after  the  war  in 
Sumpter  county,  S.  C,  where  he  has  recently  died,  greatly 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 

Captain  Tate  died  soon  after  the  war  in  Burke  county — a 
noble  type  of  gentleman,  a  sterling  representative  of  one  of 
the  best  families  in  the  State. 

T  am  unacquainted  with  the  history  of  the  other  Captains. 
It  would  have  given  me  pleasure  to  name  such  of  the  minor 
officers  and  privates  whose  heroic  careers  merit  the  pages  of 
fame. 

M.  V.  Moore. 
Auburn,  Ala., 

26  April,    1897. 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBLIC  LIBRARY 


ASTOR,   LENOX    AND 
TILDEN  fOUNOATlONS. 


SIXTYSIXTEI  REOIMENT. 


1.  I).  S,  Davis,  Major. 

2.  John  E.  Lynch,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  A. 

(.Killed  at  Petersburg.) 


3     R.    B.    Carrington,  Private,  Co.    A. 
4.    Chas.  H.  Penney,  2d  Lieut.,  Co.  B. 


SIXTY-SIXTH  REGIMENT. 


By  GEO.  M.  ROSE,  Adjutant. 


The  Sixty-sixth  Regiment  of  I^orth  Carolina  Troops 
was  organized  at  Kinston,  JST.  C,  in  August,  1863,  by  Gen- 
eral James  G.  Martin,  at  that  time  commanding  the  District 
of  North  Carolina,  by  combining  tlie  Eighth  Battalion  of 
Partisan  Rangers,  consisting  of  six  companies,  which  had 
done  faithful  and  gallant  serv'ice  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
State  as  an  independent  command  under  Major  J,  H.  Neth- 
ercutt,  and  which  had  for  more  than  a  year  been  of  gi-eat  ser- 
vice to  the  anny  in  that  portion  of  North  Carolina,  doing 
scouting  and  outpost  service,  almost  every  man  in  the  battal- 
ion being  from  that  section  of  the  State  and  perfectly  familiar 
with  tlie  character  of  tlie  country  and  the  positions  occupied 
by  the  enemy,  and  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  four  companies 
which  had  been  doing  service  as  bridge  guards  and,  also, 
doing  scouting  service  under  the  command  of  Major  Clement 
G.  Wright,  of  Cumberland  county. 

Upon  the  organization  of  these  ten  companies  into  the 
Sixty-sixth  Regiment,  A.  Duncan  Moore,  who  commanded 
a  battery  of  light  infantry  from  Wilmington,  then  stationed 
at  or  near  Kinston,  was  made  its  Colonel.  Colonel  Moore 
was  a  brilliant  young  officer  who  had  been  at  the  West  Point 
Military  Academy  and  was  an  officer  of  remarkable  appear- 
ance and  soldierly  bearing.  J.  H.  ISTethercutt  w^as  made 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Clement  G.  Wright  was  appointed 
Major  of  the  Regiment.  W.  G.  Williams  Adjutant  and  J. 
H.  Kinyoun,  Surgeon. 

Company  A — Was  largely  from  Orange  county,  and  was 
commanded  by  Joseph  W.  Latta,  Captain ;  Albert  C.  Fau- 
cett,  First  Lieutenant ;  James  G.  Latta  and  J.  C.  Lynch,  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants. 


686  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Company  B — Was  mostly  from  the  counties  of  Nash  and 
Franklin,  and  at  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  regiment 
W.  S.  Mitchell  was  its  Captain ;  W.  A.  Moore,  First  Lieuteai- 
ant;  D.  N.  Sills  and  J.  B.  Bunting,  Jr.,  Second  Lieutenants. 

Company  C — Captain,  David  S.  Davis;  First  Lieutenant, 
R.  E.  Davis ;  Second  Lieutenants,  James  Williams,  Jr.,  and 
Jesse  Holland.  This  company  was  from  the  counties  of 
Wayne  and  Lenoir. 

Company  D. — W.  T.  Robinson,  Captain ;  T.  H.  Kerney, 
First  Lieutenant ;  W.  A.  W.  Askew  and  Lewis  Bynum,  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants.  This  company  was  from  the  counties  of 
Jones  and  Lenoir. 

Company  E — Steven  S.  Quinnerly,  Captain ;  I.  K.  With- 
erington,  First  Lieutenant;  W.  M.  Dennis  and  John  Hall, 
Second  Lieutenants.  This  company  was  from  the  counties 
of  Lenoir  and  Carteret. 

Company  F — Willis  J.  Raspberry,  Captain;  Chris.  D. 
Foy,  First  Lieutenant;  Frank  Foy  and  S,  Sidney  Carter, 
Second  Lieutenants.  This  company  was  from  Jones  and 
Lenoir. 

Company  G — E.  B.  Blackmer,  Captain;  W.  J.  Williams, 
First  Lieutenant;  W.  C.  Brandon  and  J.  W.  Walker,  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants.  This  company  was  from  Lenoir  county, 
largely. 

Company  H. — James  G.  Davis,  Captain ;  Willis  W.  Cher- 
ry, First  Lieutenant;  Robert  J.  Swinson  and  Edward  Wil- 
liamson, Second  Lieutenants.  This  company  was  from  Du- 
plin and  Onslow  counties. 

Company  I — Jesse  P.  Williams,  Captain;  Josiah  W. 
Smith,  First  Lieutenant;  Silas  W.  Venters  and  Luby  Har- 
per, Second  Lieutenants.  This  company  was  largely  from 
Wayne,  Onslow  and  Jones  counties. 

Company  K — John  P.  Sykes,  Captain;  Alvin  Bagley, 
First  Lieutenant;  D.  J.  Knowles,  Second  Lieutenant.  This 
company  was  largely  from  Wayne  and  ISTew  Hanover  coun- 
ties. 

The  appointment  of  Colonel  Moore  caused,  at  the  time, 
some*  friction  among  the  officers,  as  he  was  unknown  to  all 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment.  687 

of  them,  but  he  had  not  been  long  in  the  regiment  before  they 
recognized  him  as  a  good  soldier,  a  fine  disciplinarian  and 
as  brave  an  ofiicer  as  ever  fought  for  the  cause  of  his  coun- 
try, and  after  they  had  witnessed  his  conspicuous  courage, 
before  his  death  in  Virginia  shortly  afterwards,  he  became 
the  idol  of  his  regiment. 

IN   EASTERN   XORTH    CAROLINA. 

Shortly  after  its  organization,  the  Regiment  was  ordered 
to  Wilmington,  where  it  remained  some  time  around  the  city, 
doing  light  picket  duty  and  perfecting  the  ofiicers  and  men 
in  drill,  and  in  fitting  them  for  the  arduous  and  dangerous 
duties  w^hich  they  were  very  soon  to  assume. 

In  the  latter  part  of  March,  1864,  the  Regiment  was  or- 
dered to  Weldon  and  from  there  to  Plymouth ;  remaining  at 
the  latter  place  about  two  or  three  weeks.  It  ^vas  then  or- 
dered to  Tarboro,  by  way  of  Washington,  and  thence  to  Vir- 
ginia, reaching  Petersburg  about  12  May,  1864,  and  was  im- 
mediately assigned  to  picket  duty  beyond  that  City,  and  on  13 
and  15  May  it  was  first  exposed,  as  a  Regiment,  to  fire,  at 
Port  Walthal  Junction,  where  the  Regiment,  or  part  thereof, 
w^as  sent  forward  to  dislodge  one  or  two  pieces  of  artillery 
w^hich  was  doing  effective  service  for  the  enemy  upon  our 
lines.  The  Regiment  acted  gallantly  in  its  first  ''baptism 
of  fire"  as  an  organized  regiment.  That  portion  of  it  which 
had  belonged  to  Nethercutt's  Rangers  had  long. since  heard 
the  sound  of  "shot  and  shell"  and  knew  the  dangers  of  a  sol- 
dier's life,  but  this  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  the  reg- 
iment, as  such,  had  taken  part  in  battle,  and  its  gallantry  was 
conspicuous  and  favorably  commented  upon  by  command- 


ing officers. 


PETERSBURG. 


.  Upon  its  arrival  at  Petersburg,  it  was  assigned  to  Kirk- 
land's  Brigade,  Hoke's  Division,  and  ever  aftenvards  formed 
a  part  of  the  division  so  long  commanded  by  that  heroic  sol- 
dier and  remained  a  part  of  his  division  until  the  final  roll 
was  called. 

After  this  fight,  the  regiment  was  ordered  back  to  Peters- 


688  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

burg,  and  tlie  next  day  took  part  in  the  engagement  at  Ber- 
muda Hundreds,  on  the  north  side  of  the  James.  Here  it 
M'as  engaged  through  three  days  with  heavy  skirmishing  with 
the  enemy ;  the  tliird  day  of  which  tlie  enemy  was  driven  to 
its  fortifications,  with  heavy  loss  in  killed  and  wounded. 
The  loss  to  the  regiment  was  also  heavy.  Having  repulsed 
the  force  with  which  it  was  engaged,  temporary  fortifications 
were  then  thrown  up,  the  men  using  bayonets,  tin  plates  and 
anything  available  and  which  they  could  put  to  immediate 
use.  The  enemy  soon  advanced  again  in  heavy  force  and  the 
charge  made  by  them  proved  little  better  than  a  slaughter 
pen  for  them.  Lieutenant  Davis,  of  Company  C,  was  disa- 
bled while  assisting  in  getting  a  piece  of  artillery  into  posi- 
tion, and  was  so  badly  wounded  that  he  was  never  afterwards 
able  to  return  to  the  sei'vice. 

The  regiment  remained  here  and  near  Bermuda  Hundreds 
until  about  1  June,  picketing  and  skirmishing  almost  every 
day,  Hoke's  Division  having  been  ordered  to  reinfoi?e  Lee's 
army,  which  luid  just  engaged  in  the  battles  of  :he  Wilderness 
and  Spottsylvania,  it  marched  to  form  this  juiiction,  and  on 
1  June  reached  the  bloody  field  of  Cold  Harbor  in  time  to 
take  a  very  memorable  part  in  that  battle.  On  the  first  day 
of  that  fight,  the  enemy  charged  our  front  with  three  columns, 
but  in  a  few  moments  the  ground  was  covered  with  their  dead 
and  wounded,  and  the  few  survivors  falling  back  to  the  woods, 
could  not  be  forced  to  the  front  any  more  on  that  day. 

In  the  series  of  fights  which  ended  on  3  June,  Colonel  A. 
D.  Moore  was  mortally  wounded  by  a  ball  striking  him  in  the 
neck  and  he  died  in  a  very  few  miniites  thereafter.  The 
writer  of  this  sketch  did  not  have  the  pleasure  of  knowing 
Colonel  Moore  personally,  as  he  was  not  assigned  to  the  regi- 
ment until  after  he  had  given  up  his  life  to  the  cause,  but  so 
long  as  he  remained  with  the  regiment,  and  he  did  so  until 
it  w^as  finally  disbanded,  the  memory  of  his  heroic  courage 
was  ever  present  to  the  officers  and  men  of  his  command,  and 
oftimes  has  he  heard  them  comment  upon  his  gallantry  and 
the  soldierly  qualities  he  had  always  exhibited  the  short  time 
it  was  given  him  to  command  the  regiment. 


SiXTv-SixTH  Regiment.  689 

PROMOTIONS. 

Upon  his  death,  Lieutenant-Colonel  J.  H.  Nethercutt  be- 
came Colonel  of  the  regiment;  Clement  G.  Wright,  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel; and  David  S.  Davis,  Captain  of  Company  C, 
was  promoted  to  Major,  their  commissions  bearing  date  3 
June,  1864,  the  day  of  the  memorable  battle  of  Second  Cold 
Harbor. 

The  regiment,  with  Hoke's  Division,  remained  in  the 
neighborhood  of  tlie  battlefield  some  ten  or  twelve  days,  ex- 
posed to  the  sharpshooters  and  mortar  shells  of  the  enemy, 
but  on  the  14tli  was  ordered  with  the  rest  of  Hoke's  Division 
back  to  Petersburg.  The  regiment  arrived  there  two  days 
afterwards,  about  the  16th,  after  a  hurried  march  to  get 
ahead  of  the  enemy.  When  the  division  reached  Petersburg, 
late  at  night,  it  found  the  anny  of  General  Grant  had  gotten 
in  possession  of  the  outer  works  before  the  division  could  get 
there ;  but  we  iminediately  went  to  work  and  eotablished  an- 
other line  as  best  we  could  in  the  dark. 

16  MAY,  1864. 

The  next  morning  the  enemy  came  on  in  force ;  our  pickets 
were  driven  in,  and  the  line  assaulted  and  hardly  pressed. 
The  assault  on  the  right  wing  was  made  in  such  force  and 
pressed  so  far  back  that  it  was  necessary  for  a  part  of  the  line 
to  retire  and  a  break  was  made,  but  the  division  was  ordered 
to  assist  in  driving  the  enemy  out  of  the  breach  which  had 
been  made,  and  it  was  quickly  done  and  the  line  re-estab- 
lished. Here  the  troops  entrenched  themselves  and  remained 
for  some  considerable  time,  exposed  to  hardships  and  priva- 
tions common  at  that  time  to  the  whole  army  in  front  of 
Petersburg.  The  troops  virtually  lived  under  ground,  and 
it  was  dangerous  for  a  person's  head  at  any  time  to  be  ex- 
posed, so  near  together  were  the  two  lines,  in  some  places 
hardly  more  than  a  hundred  yards  apart.  All  cooking  had 
to  be  done  in  the  rear  or  in  trenches ;  and  all  rations  brought 
to  the  officers  from  their  messes  had  to  be  brought  in  the  night 
time.  The  soldiers  frequently,  as  a  matter  of  amusement, 
would  place  their  hats  on  the  end  of  their  bayonets  or  ram- 
rods and  raise  them  a  little  above  the  top  of  the  ground  and 
44 


690  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'(55. 

in  a  few  iniimtes  tliey  would  be  perforated  with  bullets  from 
tlie  Yankee  sharpshooters;  and  woe  to  the  man  who  exposed 
himself  within  range  or  within  sight  of  one  of  those  sharp- 
shooters. The  picket  lines  of  the  two  armies  were  within 
speaking  distance  of  each  other,  and  frecpient  conversations 
were  had  between  tlieni  wlie^n  tlie  officers  would  permit  it  to 
be  done;  and  at  all  times,  both  day  and  night,  solid  shot  or 
mortar  shells  fell  in  the  midst  of  our  line. 

Here  both  armies  settled  for  the  rest  of  the  summer,  and 
the  regiment  remained  on  Mortar  Hill  and  near  the  memor- 
able crater,  until  the  latter  part  of  August,  when  it  was  moved 
to  the  right  of  Petersburg,  where  it  remained  until  about  29 
or  30  September,  when  Hoke's  Division  took  up  its  line  of 
march  back  to  Richmond  and  down  the  river  to  take  part  in 
the  memorable  fight  of  Fort  Harrison.  The  brigade  to  which 
the  Sixty-sixth  was  attached  was  not  actually  engaged  in  that 
fight,  but  remained  in  supporting  distance  and  was  ready,  if 
it  had  been  ordered  so  to  do,  to  take  part  in  the  assault. 

Upon  the  resignation  of  W.  G.  Williams,  who  was  Adju- 
tant of  the  regiment  up  to  that  time,  the  writer,  wdio  had  been 
a  cadet  at  tlie  Virginia  Military  Institute,  and  who  had  re- 
cently been  appointed  First  Lieutenant  in  the  regular  Con- 
federate Army,  was  assigned  to  duty  as  Adjutant  of  this 
regiment.  Tlu^  facts  given  above  were  related  to  him  by 
the  officers  with  whom  he  was  associated  ever  aftenvards  in 
the  regiment  until  the  surrender  at  or  near  High  Point  It 
is  to  be  regretted  that  some  one  who  was  familiar  with  the 
gallant  ])art  the  regiment  took  up  to  that  time  in  the  battles 
around  Petersburg  and  Ilichmond,  had  not  been  selected  to  do 
full  justice  to  the  gallant  officers  and  men  of  this  regiment — 
than  whom  there  were  no  better  in  the  Confederate  Army. 
He  has  no  personal  knowledge,  and  has  only  gathered  these 
dates  and  facts  from  the  records  or  traditions  in  the  regiment 
at  the  time  of  his  assignment  to  it,  and  from  facts  gathered 
since  he  was  called  upon  to  write  a  sketch  of  this  regiment. 
He  joined  the  troops  while  in  winter  quarters  on  the  Darby- 
town  road  in  September,  1864,  and  from  that  day  until  2 
May,  1865,  was  with  the  command  the  whole  time,  not  being 
absent  a  single  day,  and  the  facts  given  hereafter  in  the 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment.  691 

sketch  are  of  his  own  knowledge,  and  the  matters  are  known 
to  him. 

north   of   the    JAMES. 

Hoke's  Division  after  the  battle  of  Fort  Harrison,  was 
kept  on  the  north  side  of  the  James,  between  what  is  known 
as  the  Darbjtown  and  the  Charles  City  roads,  and  was  left 
there  for  the  purpose  of  watching  the  movements  of  Grant 
on  that  side  of  the  river  and  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a 
considerable  part  of  his  command  there,  and  preventing  it 
from  taking  part  in  the  siege  of  Petersburg.  It  was  assigned 
to  the  work  of  throwing  up  breastworks,  strengthening  the 
approaches,  occasionally  making  demonstrations  upon  the 
enemy  and  repelling  assaults  upon  our  line,  though  no  very 
serious  action  took  place  while  occupying  this  position.  The 
division  was  composed  of  the  brigades  of  Colquitt,  Clingman, 
Haygood  and  Kirkland,  the  Sixty-sixth  being  part  of  Kirk- 
land's  Brigade. 

New  and  comfortable  winter  quarters  had  been  built ;  the 
line  had  been  greatly  strengthened ;  abatis  had  been  placed  in 
front  of  the  breastworks,  and  the  men  were  not  only  ready, 
but  anxious  for  an  attack  to  be  made  upon  them.  Several 
demonstrations  were  made  and  easily  and  gallantly  repulsed. 

While  occupying  these  lines  in  November,  1864,  word  fre- 
quently came  that  our  division  was  to  be  ordered  to  North 
Carolina.  Whenever  it  became  the  duty,  as  was  often  the 
case,  of  the  officers  to  wake  up  the  men  at  the  sound  of  the  long 
roll  in  the  night  time  and  an  order  was  given  to  prepare  ra- 
tions for  three  days,  word  would  be  given  out  along  the  line 
that  we  were  going  to  North  Carolina.  A  shout  along  the 
whole  line  would  be  raised  and  Gaston's  grand  old  song,  "The 
Old  North  State,"  could  be  heard  from  every  North  Carolina 
mouth  in  that  division.  On  more  than  one  occasion,  how- 
ever, instead  of  going  to  North  Carolina  as  a  division,  the 
order  was  given  to  "Unsling  knapsacks  and  go  over  the  breast- 
works" upon  some  demonstration,  or  to  engage  in  some  skir- 
mish to  direct  Grant's  attention  in  that  direction. 

On  27  October,  or  about  that  time,  a  strong  demonstration 
was  made  against  us,  and  with  a  shout  and  a  cheer  the  enemy 


692  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'05. 

were  easily  repulsed,  leaving  a  large  number  of  dead  and 
wounded  in  our  front,  and  not  a  man  in  our  whole  line  hurt. 

KKTIKX    TO    .NORTH    CAKOLI^■A. 

On  22  December,  however,  an  order  came  in  the  night  time 
arousing  the  division  for  the  purpose,  really,  this  time,  of 
going  to  Xorth  Carolina,  Hoke's  Division  having  been  or- 
dered to  Wilmington. 

The  Sixty-sixth  Regiment  hroke  camp  on  the  morning  of  22 
December,  marched  to  IJichmond  and  crossed  the  river  to 
Manchester  where  it  remained  several  hours  in  the  snow  and 
sleet  waiting  for  transportation  to  Danville.  We  were  placed 
on  and  in  box  cars  and  flat  cars,  and  the  train  made  its  way 
slowly  from  Richmond  to  Danville  amid  snow,  sleet  and  rain, 
and  the  severest  bitter  cold  we  had  ever  experienced.  There 
was  no  opportunity  to  have  tires,  no  way  to  keep  ourselves 
warm  and  the  train  worked  its  way  along,  the  men  frequently 
having  to  get  off  and  nm  alongside  of  it  to  keep  themselves 
warm,  and  to  fill  the  tender  with  water,  by  buckets,  from 
the  mud  holes  on  the  side  of  the  track,  and  to  gather  wood  to 
keep  the  fire  in  the  engine  burning.  In  this  way  we  reached 
Danville  about  23  December,  and  made  our  way  to  Greens- 
boro with  such  transportation  as  we  could  get.  and  there  took 
the  train  for  Wilmington.  The  Colonel  of  the  regiment 
noting  the  suffering  of  his  men,  telegraphed  to  the  Governor 
at  Raleigh  that  it  was  necessary  that  some  stimulant  should 
be  furnished  his  troops  for  them  to  stand  the  bitter  cold,  and 
when  the  regiment  reached  the  city  of  Raleigh,  it  found  on 
the  old  depot  a  baiTel  of  corn,  persimmon  or  some  other  sort 
of  "juice"  ready  for  their  consumption.  It  also  found  that 
the  Legislature  of  Xorth  Carolina  had  just  adjourned,  and 
some  of  the  members  were  at  the  depot  waiting  for  transpor- 
tation home  and  were  willing  to  take  any  means  of  convey- 
ance that  was  furnished  them.  The  soldiers  very  soon  left 
nothing  in  the  barrel  but  ''an  empty  sound,"  and  a  more 
jolly  crowd  from  there  to  Goldsboro,  along  with  the  members 
of  the  Legislature,  was  never  seen  in  Xorth  Carolina,  I  ex- 
pect, before  nor  since.  The  "Solons"  did  not  seem  to  appre- 
ciate their  suiToundings,  and  the  men  had  their  fun  with 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment.  693" 

them.  On  reaching  Goldsboro  the  train  was  boarded  for 
Wilmington,  and  all  along  the  line  from  Goldsboro  to  Wil- 
mington, especially  at  Magnolia  and  Mt.  Olive,  the  ladies 
hearing  of  our  coming,  had  such  provisions  as  they  could 
spare  from  their  scanty  store  to  give  tO'  the  regiment  as  it 
passed  by,  the  Sixty-sixth  being  on  the  foremost  train  and  get- 
ting the  best  share  of  all  that  was  prepared  for  us. 

WILMINGTON. 

Our  regiment  reached  Wilmington  during  the  night  of 
the  24th,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  25th,  Christmas  day, 
took  up  its  weary  march  along  the  sandy  road  below  Wil- 
mington in  the  direction  of  Sugar  Loaf  Hill.  As  it  went 
along  and  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  Fort  Fisher,  the  sound 
of  the  shelling  from  the  gunboats  assembled  there  could  be 
more  and  more  distinctly  heard,  and  as  we  reached  a  point 
just  below  Sugar  Loaf  Hill  and  near  wbere  "Carolina  Beach" 
now  is,  the  shelling  from  the  gunboats  became  terrific,  but  as 
it  was  impossible  to  land  troops  with  transports  and  keep  up 
the  shelling  at  the  same  time,  we  were  very  soon  engaged  in 
quite  a  strong  skirmish  with  those  of  the  enemy  who  had 
landed  and  were  about  to  land  and  they  were  soon  driven  back. 
Immediately  after  this  first  shelling  was  over,  the  division 
commenced  to  build  a  line  of  breastworks  from  the  top  of 
Sugar  Loaf  Hill  diagonally  across  the  strip  of  land  between 
it  and  the  ocean  and  in  the  direction  of  a  battery  which  was 
located  on  the  beach. 

Here  we  remained  for  some  days,  throwing  up  the  fortifi- 
cations which  we  made  strong  and,  to  us,  seemed  impregna- 
ble for  any  land  attack  that  could  be  made  by  land  forces; 
but  we  were  not  long  allowed  to  remain.  General  Bragg 
having  been  assigned  to  the  command  in  that  locality,  we 
were  ordered  back  to  Wilmington  and  went  into  camp  a  mile 
or  two  east  of  Wilming'ton  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  grand 
review. 

WHY    FORT    FISHER    FELL. 

We  remained  in  that  camp  some  days,  and  while  on  review 
the   enemy   again   made   his   appearance   in   front  of   Fort 


694  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-'65. 

Fisher;  this  time  not  in  command  of  "Beast  Butler,"  but 
General  Terry.  We  were  ordered  back  to  our  old  line,  but 
before  we  were  able  to  make  the  weary  march  from  Wilming- 
ton down,  the  enemy  had  succeeded  in  making  a  lodgment 
upon  the  shore,  and  had  thrown  up  a  line  of  breast  works 
which  General  Hoke  considered  it  was  impracticable  for  his 
men  to  attack,  as  his  division  would  be  exposed  to  an  en- 
filade fire  from  the  enemy's  grmboats.  It  has  always  been  the 
opinion  of  most  of  the  officers  connected  with  Hoke's  Division, 
so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  ascertain  those  opinions,  that  if 
his  division  had  been  allowed  to  remain  at  Sugar  Loaf  and  not 
have  been  carried  to  Wilmington  for  the  purposes  of  review, 
that  the  troops  of  the  enemy  could  never  have  made  a  landing 
and  Fort  Fisher  would  never  have  fallen  into  their  hands. 
It  is  well  known  that  it  fell  by  reason  of  the  land  attack  and 
not  by  reason  of  the  fire  from  the  gunboats.  If  Hoke's  divis- 
ion had  been  where,  it  seemed  to  the  officers,  it  ought  to  have 
been,  this  landing  of  troops  could  never  have  been  made  and 
there  never  would  have  been  a  land  attack  upon  Fort  Fisher. 
It  is  useless,  however,  to  speculate  upon  what  might  have  been 
and  what  might  not  have  been,  under  such  circumstances. 
General  Sherman  was  going  in  the  direction  of  the  centre  of 
North  Carolina  and  if  he  had  kept  on  his  march,  his  anny 
would  have  been  in  the  rear  of  Fisher  and  it  would  necessa- 
rily have  been  abandoned  any  way,  but  we  would  have  been 
saved  the  loss  of  the  gallant  soldiers  who  met  their  death  at 
Fisher  and  would  have  been  spared  the  humiliation  of  having 
had  that  fort,  even  after  a  gallant  defence,  taken  from  us. 

On  the  night  after  its  fall,  the  scene  was  brilliant ;  rockets 
and  roman  candles  were  thrown  in  every  direction  from  the 
gunboats  in  its  front,  and  the  soldiers  of  Hoke's  Division  had 
to  grind  their  teeth  and  bear  the  humiliation  of  not  having 
"been  there"  to  prevent  the  fall  of  Fisher,  and  to  listen  in 
silence  to  the  shouts  and  huzzas  of  the  enemy  over  their  vic- 
tory. 

The  division,  after  the  fall  of  Fort  Fisher,  remained  on  the 
Sugar  Loaf  lines,  strengthening  the  same,  living  amidst  sand 
and  dust  and  on  unsifted  corn  meal  and  spoiled  Nassau  bacon 
until  life  became  almost  unendurable,  but  the  spirit  of  the 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment.  695 

troops  never  flagged ;  they  were  always  willing  to  do  their  full 
duty,  and  always  glad  to  see  the  enemy  in  their  front.  Al- 
most every  day  there  would  be  fighting  upon  the  skirmish 
line ;  and  sometime  in  February,  I  do  not  now  know  the  date, 
an  attack  in  considerable  force  was  made  upon  us  by  a  negro 
regiment  in  command  of  white  officers.  The  fact  of  seeing 
those  negro  troops  in  front  of  us  exasperated  the  men  and 
they  fought  with  great  gallantry  and  easily  repulsed  the  at- 
tack made  upon  us.  While  here,  almost  every  day  the  gun- 
boats of  the  enemy  were  shelling  our  line,  and  we  could  see 
the  shells  about  the  size  of  the  hoop  of  a  barrel,  as  they  left 
the  mouth  of  the  cannon  on  the  gimboat  and  came  bouncing 
over  the  water  toward  our  lines.  The  men  exposed  them- 
selves frequently  in  claiming  the  parts  of  the  shells  when 
they  had  burst,  so  as  to  make  rings  and  other  ornaments  out 
of  the  brass  parts  connected  therewith.  As  soon  as  the  missile 
burst  you  would  see  men  running  in  every  direction  toward 
the  place  for  the  purpose  of  finding  the  broken  parts.  We 
here  buried  ourselves  literally  under  the  ground,  and  the 
shelling  had  little  or  no  effect  upon  us. 

About  18  February,  the  division  received  orders  to  move 
back  to  Wilmington.  This  we  did,  and  occupied  for  a  day 
or  so  a  line  much  nearer  to  Wilmington — the  breastworks  of 
which  can  now  be  seen  on  riding  from  Wilmington  to  the 
beach  on  the  Seacoast  Railroad.  About  the  'Jist  or  22d,  the 
regiment  marched  to  Wilmington,  disheartened  and  dis- 
pirited because  we  were  falling  back  and  leaving  our  "City 
by  the  Sea"  unprotected  and  unguarded. 

RETREAT    FROM    WILMINGTOlSr. 

The  enemy  were  rapidly  pressing  us,  and  we  fell  back 
across  the  ISTorth  East  river  over  a  pontoon  bridge  below  the 
railroad  bridge,  and  had  scarcely  gotten  a  skiniiish  line  out 
before  the  enemy  appeared  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river.  The  main  part  of  the  division  had  fallen  back  and  es- 
tablished a  line  on  the  edge  of  the  sand  hills,  back  of  the 
swamps,  but  a  good  strong  force  was  left  at  the  public  road 
crossing  and  at  the  railroad  bridge.  Very  soon  the  enemy, 
supposing  that  no  troops  had  been  left  at  all  upon  the  north 


696  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

bank  of  the  river,  came  down  to  the  water's  edge  for  the  pur- 
pose of  getting-  water,  with  torches  and  other  lights  in  their 
hands,  and  s()nie  of  their  cavalry  which  was  in  force  on  their 
side  of  the  river  appeared  on  the  hanks.  All  at  once  the 
sharpshooters  (jn  our  side  opened  lire  upon  them  with  deadly 
effect  and  they  soon  scattered  back  to  the  rear.  We  were 
falling  back,  but  the  men  were  cool  and  deliberate,  not  hur- 
ried at  all  in  their  marching  and  ready  at  all  times  to  face 
about  and  meet  the  foe.  The  Sixty-sixth  Kegiment,  part  of 
the  time,  acted  as  rear  guard  of  the  division  and  did  its  full 
duty  in  retarding  the  approach  of  the  enemy's  cavalry. 

We  remained  a  short  time  near  JsTortheast  river,  when  we 
fell  back  toward  Goldsboro  and  stopped  at  what  was  then 
called  "Duplin  Cross  Roads."  Here  we  remained  some 
days,  the  division  expecting,  during  its  stay  here,  to  receive 
orders  to  march  to  Fayetteville  for  the  purpose  of  joining 
General  Hardee's  army  and  impeding  the  army  of  Sherman 
in  his  march  northward.  But  these  orders  never  came, 
and  the  division  was  ordered  to  Kinstou  tO'  meet  the  army  of 
General  Schofield,  who  was  moving  from  ISTew  Bern  to  join 
forces  with  General  Sherman, 

While  at  Duplin  Cross  Roads,  Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  G. 
Wright  was  taken  sick  and  sent  to  his  home  in  Greens- 
boro, where  he  died  about  the  13th  of  the  month,  and 
Major  D.  S.  Davis  was  appointed  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  his 
stead,  and  Captain  W.  P.  Robinson  was  recommended  for 
Major. 

HATTLE    OF    SOUTH    WEST    ("REEK. 

We  arrived  at  Kinston  on  7  March,  and  immediately 
crossed  the  Neuse  river  and  took  position  on  the  railroad  some 
two  or  three  miles  below.  On  8  March  a  flank  movement 
was  made  by  Hoke's  Division  to  our  right  and  around  the 
left  of  the  enemy's  forces,  near  Cobb's  ^Mill.  We  took  them 
c<)ni])l('t('ly  liy  siii-prisc,  :iiid  after  a  gallant  attack  we  effectu- 
ally routed  them,  capturing  a  hirge  number  of  prisoners  and 
inflicting  a  great  loss  u])on  them.  After  having  driven  the 
troops  back  ujxiu  their  lines,  we  faced  about  and  started  to 
make  another  attack  u]i(>n  them  over  the  same  ground  from 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment,  697 

which  we  had  shortly  before  routed  them.  The  field  was  cov- 
ered Avith  dead  and  dying,  broken  guns,  empty  saddles,  dis- 
mantled caissons  and  artillery  and  cavalry  horses  in  great 
numbers.  The  field  officers  were  afoot,  the  regiment  being 
commanded  by  Major  Davis,  Colonel  JSTethercutt  during  this 
fight,  lieing  familiar  with  the  ground,  acting  as  Chief  on  Gen- 
eral Hoke's  staff.  Seeing  two  fine  looking  black  horses  stand- 
ing side  by  side,  the  commanding  officer.  Major  Davis,  and 
the  writer  left  the  line  and  ran  with  all  their  might  to  cap- 
ture these  horses,  and  imagine  their  surprise  to  find  that  their 
ham-strings  had  been  cut  and  the  animals  could  not  move  out 
of  their  tracks.  Some  very  fine  horses,  however,  were  ob- 
tained by  some  of  the  more  fortunate  ones. 

On  9  March  a  similar  attempt  was  made  upon  the  left 
flank,  but  for  some  reason  it  was  not  carried  out;  I  suppose, 
because  the  situation  of  the  country  would  not  permit  of  it. 
We,  therefore,  retired  at  night  to  our  old  position  in  the  line 
near  the  railroad  and  slept  comfortably,  dreaming  of  what 
would  be  before  us  on  the  moiTow. 

On  the  10th  another  attack  was  made  upon  the  enemy's 
left  flank,  at  or  near  Wise's  Fork.  For  some  reason  our  lines 
were  not  extended  sufficiently  far  to  our  right  and  his  left, 
and  an  order  was  given  too  soon  to  charge  the  enemy's  line, 
and  when  the  charge  was  made  we  found  that  the  enemy  had 
prepared  for  us  with  his  breastworks  facing  both  ways,  and 
the  same  protected  by  small  pines,  which  had  been  cut  down, 
lapped  over  each  otlier  and  their  limbs  trimmed  and  point- 
ing in  our  direction.  When  the  Sixty-sixth  was  within  about 
fifty  yards  of  the  enemy,  it  was  ordered  to  lie  down  to  pro- 
tect itself  from  the  galling  fire  from  the  breastworks.  The 
troops  on  the  left  of  our  line  did  not  seem  to  take  in  the  situ- 
ation, and  did  not  come  to  our  support,  and  we  were  com- 
pelled to  fall  back,  leaving  a  large  number  of  the  men  of  the 
regiment  dead  and  dying  on  the  field.  How  many  were 
killed  or  how  many  were  taken  prisonei's,  we  were  never  able 
to  find  out.  We  only  know  that  at  least  one-half  of  the  regi- 
ment was  left  upon  that  field,  and  the  balance  of  it,  under  the 
command  of  Major  Davis,  was  cut  off  from  the  rest  of  the 
army  and  was   in   the  rear   of  the   enemy's   position.      But 


698  North  Carolina  Trooi's,   1861-65. 

for  his  knowledge  of  the  line  and  the  knowledge  of  others 
who  were  with  us,  we  would  evidently  have  been  captured. 
However,  by  taking  the  swamps  and  by-paths  we  avoided 
meeting  any  considerable  armed  force  of  the  foe,  and  late  in 
the  night  made  our  way  back  to  Kinston,  to  which  place  the 
army  had  retired. 

BENTONVILLE. 

On  the  next  day  we  took  up  our  march  for  Goldsboro  and 
to  Bentonville,  crossing  the  Neuse  river  near  Smithfield. 
Here  we  joined  General  Stewart's  Corps  in  the  Army  of  the 
West,  and  took  part  in  the  memorable  three  days'  fight  at 
Bentonville,  19-21  March,  1865,  the  last  well  organized  and 
well  fought  battle  of  the  war  in  North  Carolina. 

This  fight  commenced  19  March  near  the  little  village  of 
Bentonville.  Kirkland's  Brigade  was  well  to  the  front,  with 
its  right  resting  upon  a  road  that  ran  along  the  edge  of  a 
field,  in  which  was  situated  a  large  white  house,  that  was 
occupied  by  the  sharpshooters  of  the  enemy.  The  line  was 
rather  a  crooked  one,  the  Sixty-sixth  Regiment  being  the 
farthest  to  the  front,  at  the  point  of  a  bow.  Here  a  very 
severe  attack  was  made  upon  us  in  which  we  lost  a  number  of 
men,  among  others  the  gallant  Council  Wooten,  a  young  man 
from  near  Kinston,  who  was  killed  suddenly  while  bravely 
and  defiantly  waving  the  colors  of  the  regiment  in  front  of 
the  enemy.  The  sharpshooters  of  General  Sherman's  army 
located  in  the  trees,  got  in  their  best  work,  and  many  a  gal- 
lant soldier  fell  during  the  19th  and  20th  from  well  directed 
shots  of  these  sharpshooters.  On  the  20th  it  became  neces- 
sary for  Kirkland's  Brigade  to  straighten  its  line  and  while 
in  the  act  of  so  doing,  a  very  severe  attack  was  made  by  a 
Pennsylvania  division.  The  men  of  Kirkland's  Brigade 
were  engaged  in  rolling  together  logs  and  making  such  de- 
fences as  they  could  when  the  attack  was  made  upon  us.  The 
men  were  ordered  to  lie  down  behind  such  obstnietions  as 
they  could  find,  and  to  await  the  order  to  fire  until  the  ad- 
vance came  very  near  to  them.  Wlien  the  enemy  got  within, 
say  100  yards,  the  order  was  given  to  fire;  tlie  men  immedi- 
ately raised  upon  their  knees  and  fired  a  volley  full  in  front 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment,  699 

of  the  advancing  foe.  Their  ranks  were  mowed  down  like 
wheat  before  the  scythe,  and  the  attack  was  repulsed  with 
great  loss  to  the  attacking  division.  Just  at  this  moment  an 
order  was  given  by  the  commanding  officer,  Major  Davis,  to 
the  writer,  who  was  standing  near  him,  to  take  the  picket  line 
to  the  front,  the  commanding  ofiicer  of  the  picket  line  having 
been  killed.  When  the  line  went  forward,  the  whole  front 
was  covered  with  the  dead  and  dying,  and  showed  the  effect 
of  troops  obeying  the  commands  of  their  officers,  to  shoot  low 
and  wait  until  the  enemy  was  near  upon  them. 

Just  at  this  time,  it  is  said,  that  General  Joseph  E.  John- 
ston paid  a  very  high  compliment  to  the  troops  of  Hoke's 
Division,  and  Kirkland's  Brigade  in  particular.  General 
Johnston  was  lying  somewhere  in  the  rear,  resting  after  his 
arduous  labors  of  the  three  days,  when  some  aide,  riding 
rapidly  up,  said:  "General,  they  are  attacking  Kirkland's 
Brigade."  The  General  quietly  rolled  over  on  his  pallet  and 
said:  "Let  them  attack.  I  know  of  no  brigade  in  the  South- 
em  Anny  I  would  sooner  they  would  attack." 

During  the  three  days'  fight  at  Bentonville,  Major  Davis 
was  commanding  the  regiment,  Colonel  J^ethercutt  having 
been  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  brigade  of  Junior  Re- 
serves, which  took  so  gallant  a  part  in  that  fight. 

On  the  21st,  General  Sherman's  army  having  been 
only  slightly  impeded  in  its  march  toward  Goldsboro,  made 
a  flank  movement  in  the  rear  of  General  Johnston's  army, 
which  necessitated  its  falling  back  during  the  night  across 
the  creek  near  which  the  little  town  of  Bentonville  was  lo- 
cated. After  we  crossed  the  creek  the  enemy  appeared  in 
quite  a  force  on  the  opposite  side  of  a  creek  and  some  little 
skirmishing  took  place,  but  no  actual  harm  was  done. 

They  shortly  vanished  from  our  front,  and  our  army 
quietly  retired  through  Smithfield  to  a  camp  on  the  line  of 
the  railroad,  near  where  Selma  now  is,  and  that  was  the  last 
armed  force  that  we  saw  in  our  front  during  the  war. 

THE    LAST   RETREAT. 

We  remained  at  this  camp  some  few  days,  and  on  10  April 
wearily  took  up  our  line  of  march  from  there,  through  Ra- 


700  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

leigli,  Haw  River,  near  Greensboro,  and  to  Busli  Hill  near 
High  Point. 

After  the  division  had  arrived  at  a  place  near  Center 
church,  some  eight  or  ten  miles  from  Greensboro,  the  armis- 
tice of  ten  days  had  been  agreed  upon  between  General  Sher- 
man and  General  Johnston,  and  the  officers  and  men  saw  that 
the  end  was  not  far.  Word  came  to  them  about  this  time  that 
General  Lee  had  surrendered  at  Appomattox,  and  hundreds 
of  both  officers  and  men  did  not  desire  to  suffer  the  humilia- 
tion of  surrender ;  they,  therefore,  left  in  large  numbers 
during  these  ten  days,  knowing  that  they  had  fought  a  good 
fight,  they  had  kept  the  faith,  and  they  now  desired  not  to 
suffer  the  humiliation  of  surrender.  A  part  of  the  regiment, 
however,  when  the  order  to  march  was  given,  left  Center 
church  and  marched  to  Bush  Hill,  where  on  2  May,  1865,  the 
weary  remnant  of  this  regiment,  which  started  out  1,100 
strong,  now"  reduced  by  death,  sickness  and  capture  to  less 
than  a  hundred,  signed  their  paroles  and  scattered  to  their 
various  homes. 

During  the  time  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  service  many 
changes  had  taken  place  among  the  rank  and  file;  numy 
had  fallen  in  battle;  a  record  had  been  made  for  the 
regiment  which  was  imperishable;  its  field  officers  had 
changed;  its  company  officers  had  been  killed  and  captured; 
and  now  the  flag  which  had  waved  over  them  so  long  in  glory 
and  triumph,  had  gone  down  in  blood  and  tears,  but,  thank 
God,  it  had  gone  down  amidst  gloom  and  defeat  as  pure,  as 
bright,  as  untarnished  in  tliat  last  decline  as  when  the  first 
ray  of  morning  light  proclaimed  its  rising  dawn. 

It  would  be  impossible  for  me  to  give  the  times  and  places 
where  the  officers  and  men  were  killed  and  captured,  or  even 
to  enumerate  their  names  or  to  refer  to  tlieir  bravery.  Where 
all  did  so  well,  it  is  needless  to  particularize.  Sufficeth  to 
say,  that  all  did  the  best  they  could ;  their  cause  was  lost,  and 
the  only  duty  that  now  remained  to  them  was  to  return  to 
their  homes  and  attempt  to  build  up  the  shattered  fortunes 
of  tliemselves  and  rehabilitate  their  State. 

I  know,  in  conclusion,  that  I  have  given  but  a  very  im- 
perfect sketch  of  the  part  that  this  gallant  regiment  took  in 


Sixty-Sixth  Regiment.  701 

the  war  between  the  States,  but  when  it  is  recalled  that  every 
field  officer,  but  one,  has  passed  away,  and  that  all  the  com- 
pany officers,  so  far  as  I  am  now  able  tO'  find  out,  except  five, 
have  also  ''crossed  over  the  river,"  and  I  have  been  unable  to 
see  or  communicate  with  those  left  behind,  I  feel  that  I  have 
done  the  best  I  could. 

For  the  changes  in  the  Company  Officers,  reference  is  made 
to  Moore's  Roster  of  North  Carolina  Troops,  Vol.  IV,  p. 
107-132. 

Geo.  M.  Rose. 
Fayetteville,  N,  C, 
26  April,  1901. 


THE  NEW  YORK 
PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,  LEHOX    AND 
TltOEN  f«UN0ATION«. 


SIXTY-SEVENTH  KEGIMENT. 

1.     John  N.  Wliitford.  Colonel.  3.     J.  P.  Myers,  Captain,  Co.  K. 

a.    R.  W.  Whai  ton,  Lieut.-Coloncl.  4.    T.  W.  Carr.  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  K. 

5.     Wui   r.  Lane, -'d  liieut,  Co.  I). 


SIXTY-SEVENTH  REGIMENT. 


By  RUFUS  W.  WHARTON,  Lieutenant-Colonel. 


The  Sixty-seventh  Eegiment  (N".  C.  Troops),  was  organ- 
ized in  January,  1864,  and  was  composed  of  nine  companies 
of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry.  The  several  companies  had 
been  organized  a  considerable  time  prior  to  the  organization 
of  the  regiment.  Some  of  them  in  the  early  part  of  the  war, 
and  had  been  employed  on  outpost  duty  in  the  vicinity  of 
New  Bern  and  Washington,  N.  C,  after  those  towns  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy  early  in  1862.  These  companies  and 
the  regiment,  after  its  organization,  were  paid,  fed  and 
clothed  entirely  by  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  were  subject 
to  the  orders  of  the  Governor  of  the  State  and  could  not  be 
removed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  State  without  his  consent 
and  order.  In  fact,  however,  they  were  under  the  immedi- 
ate command  and  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  Confederate 
officer  in  command  of  the  military  district  of  Eastern  North 
Carolina. 

The  field  officers  and  staff  of  the  regiment  were : 

John  N.  Whitford,  of  Craven  county.  Colonel. 

RuFUs  W.  Wharton,  of  Forsyth  county,  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel. 

Edward  Whitford,  of  Craven  county,  Major. 

Samuet-  G.  Schenck,  of  Beaufort  county,  Adjutant. 

Thomas  M.  Robinson,  of  Beaufort  county,  Quartermas- 
ter. 

Wiley  F.  Higgins,  of  Craven  county.  Commissary. 

Joseph  Graham,  of  Orange  county,  Surgeon. 

William  H.  Morrow,  of  Orange  county,  i^ssistant  Sur- 
geon. 

The  writer  of  this  sketch,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment 
by  Governor  Vance,  belonged  to  the  Army  of  Northern  Vir- 


704  North  Carolina  Troops,   18(51 -'65. 

ginia,  in  which  he  hnd  served  from  and  including  the  first 
battle  of  Bull  Run  u])  to  that  time.  lie  is,  therefore,  unable 
to  give  a  (h'tailed  account  of  tlie  services  of  the  several  com- 
panies ('<  nil  posing  the  regiment  prior  to  the  time  when  he 
joined  the  same,  which  was  in  Februai'v,  1M>4;  soon  after 
the  Pickett  expedition  against  Xew  Bern.  The  regiment 
participated  in  that  expedition,  being  a  jiart  of  the  troops  in- 
tended to  attack  Fort  Anderson,  opposite  New  IJci'u,  on  the 
north  side  of  A^ense  river.  The  conditions  under  which  the 
attack  was  to  be  made  did  not  occur,  and  no  attack  was  made. 

When  the  writer  joined  the  regiment  he  found  seven  com- 
panies encamped  at  Coward's  bridge,  on  Contentnea,  twelve 
miles  below  Kinston.  Company  A,  from  Craven,  James  H. 
Tolson,  Captain ;  Company  B,  from  Craven,  Stephen  Bar- 
rington,  (\iptain  ;  Company  C,  from  Wilson,  T).  W.  Edwards, 
(^aptain ;  (\)ni])any  E,  diaries  A.  White  Ca])tain ;  Company 
E,  from  Craven,  David  P.  Whitford,  Captain;  Company  G, 
Asa  W.  Jones,  Captain;  (Vmpany  I,  from  Pitt,  Edward  E. 
White,  Ca])tain.  The  other  three  companies,  viz:  (\>mpany 
D,  from  Craven,  Daniel  A.  Cogdell,  Captain;  Company  H, 
from  Dnplin,  Jones  and  Craven,  Christopher  D.  Eoy,  Cap- 
tain; and  Company  K  (cavalry),  from  Wayne,  Joseph  D. 
Myers,  Captain,  were  encajnped  some  mil(>s  in  front,  nearer 
the  enemy's  lines,  and  engaged  in  sccniting  and  doing  picket 
duty  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Beni  and  Washington.  Captain 
Eoy  was  a  man  of  fiO  years,  was  six  feet  and  a  half  high,  wore 
a  long,  flowing  white  beard  that  reached  to  his  waist  and  was 
uni(|ue  both  in  personal  appearance  and  in  the  influence 
which  he  wielded  over  the  men  of  his  company.  He  was 
familiarly  known  in  the  regiment  by  the  name  of  "Tecum- 
seh."  When  the  writer  first  saw  him  he  was  marching  at  the 
head  of  his  company  of  O;")  or  70  men,  who  were  following 
him,  rndian-like,  in  single  file.  As  the  men  had  had  but 
little  o])j)ortunity  for  com]iany  and  none  at  all  for  battalion 
drill,  the  companies  at  regnmeTital  camp,  spent  the  next  few 
weeks  in  these  exercises. 

About  the  last  of  April,  18fi4,  another  expedition  against 
New  Bern  was  undertaken,  this  time  under  command  of 
Major-General  R.  E.  Hoke,  who  had  just  won  his  promotion 


-  ( 


Sixty-Seventh  Regiment.  705 

by  the  brilliant  battle  and  capture  of  Plymouth,  jST.  C.  In 
the  expedition  the  Sixty-seventh  headed  the  column.  ISToth- 
ing  of  importance  happened  until  we  reached  Deep  Gully, 
eight  miles  from  New  Bern.  Here  we  came  on  a  strong  out- 
post of  the  enemy  which  made  some  resistance,  but  was 
quickly  driven  in  by  the  Sixty-seventh,  which  remained  in 
this  vicinity  for  the  next  two  days,  while  General  Hoke  pro- 
ceeded with  the  balance  of  the  troops,  down  the  Trent,  on  the 
south  side,  to  the  vicinity  of  New  Bern.  Before  the  capture 
of  New  Bern,  which  was  almost  a  certainty,  was  accomplished 
General  Hoke,  to  his  great  disappointment,  received  orders  to 
hasten  back  to  Virginia  Avith  his  command.  He  arrived  in 
Petersburg  just  in  time  to  save  that  city  from  capture. 

The  regiment  returned  to  its  former  position  and  continued 
in  the  same  service  as  before  for  a  short  time,  but  was  soon 
removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Kinston,  where  it  remained,  doing 
outpost  duty  until  October,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Washing- 
ton and  Plymouth,  N.  C,  to  relieve  the  troops  stationed  at 
those  points. 

Occasionally  we  had  to  repel  incursions  made  by  the  en- 
emy, outside  of  his  lines  and  sometimes  we  made  incursions 
into  the  territory  occupied  by  him.  In  one  of  these  raids  a 
squad  of  men,  about  fifty  strong,  led  by  Major  Whitford, 
proceeded  down  Nense  river  on  the  north  side  to  a  point 
several  miles  below  New  Bern,  crossed  the  river  in  boats  at 
night  and  made  its  way  to  the  Atlantic  &  North  Carolina 
Railroa<l  at  a  point  between  New  Bern  and  Beaufort,  where  it 
arrived  al)out  daylight  on  Monday  morning.  The  object  of 
the  raid  was  to  capture  General  Palmer,  the  officer  then  in 
command  at  New  Bern.  It  was  understood  by  us  that  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  spending  Sunday  at  Beaufort,  returning 
to  New  Bern  Monday  morning.  While  arranging  to  capture 
the  train,  our  force  were  discovered  by  some  colored  people 
who  notified  the  Yankee  troops  at  a  fort  a  mile  away.  The 
party  finding  that  their  presence  had  been  discovered  and 
being  many  miles  inside  the  enemy's  lines,  considered  it  im- 
prudent to  await  the  arrival  of  the  train.  It,  however,  passed 
45 


706  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

Avliile  they  were  in  hearing  and,  as  they  afterward  learned, 
had  General  Palmer  aboard. 

Another  party,  niidci-  tlic  lead  of  Levi  Howland,  of  Car- 
teret Connty,  l)lew  \\\)  and  so  damaged  the  lighthouse  at 
Cape  Lookout  that  it  was  never  of  any  further  use.  This  en- 
terprise was  a  daring  and  dangerous  one.  The  party  had  to 
cross  the  sound,  seven  or  eight  miles  wide,  in  small  boats,  run- 
ning the  risk  of  capture  by  a  steamer  which  the  Federals  kept 
on  gTiard  constantly  near  the  light  house.  Of  course  the 
thing  had  to  be  done  at  night.  Arriving  at  the  light  house 
they  first  notified  the  persons  in  charge  to  kcc]>  in  door  and 
make  no  alarm,  at  the  peril  of  their  lives.  They  then  placed 
a  keg  of  powder,  v/hich  they  carried  with  them,  in  the  light 
house  and  connected  it  with  a  trail  of  powder  to  which  they 
a])plied  a  sldw  match.  The  match  failed  to  ignite  the  pow- 
der and  as  the  steamer  on  guard  had  begun  to  move  up  near 
to  the  light  house,  one  of  the  party  procured  from  the  keeper's 
house  a  shovel  of  live  coals  and  running  near  the  door  of  the 
light  house,  threw  the  coals  on  the  trail  of  powder.  The  keg 
of  powder  exploded  and  'the  tall  structure  was  so  badly 
wrecked  as  to  be  unsafe  for  further  use. 

In  June,  ]8()1-,  a  strong  party  of  Federals  and  Buffaloes, 
as  the  natives  who  joined  the  enemy,  w'ere  called,  attempted 
to  capture  Captain  C(\ii,dell  and  his  company.  They  were  on 
outpost  duty  ten  miles  i)elow  Kinston  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Neuse.  Ca])tain  Cogdell  was  on  the  alert  and  did  not  fall 
into  t]w  ti-ap  set  for  him.  They  did,  however,  capture  Colo- 
nel G.  X.  Folk,  of  the  Sixty-fifth  North  Carolina  (Sixth  Cav- 
alry).     At  the  lime  he  was  attempting  to  rcju-h  (/Ogdell. 

As  before  stated,  the  Sixty-seventh  was  ordered  to  relieve 
the  troo])s  stationed  at  Washington  and  Plymouth,  N.  C,  in 
October,  18()1.  The  writer  and  three  com]ianies  stopped  in 
Washington  while  Colonel  and  ^fajor  Whitford,  with  the 
other  seven  (•()m])anies  ])rof'eeded  to   Plymouth. 

Plymouth  is  oniv  ei^'lit  miles  above  tlu^  mouth  of  the  Roan- 
oT<('  and  was  ])i'olc('t('(l  l)y  the  (^onfedcralc  ram  Albemarle, 
which  was  anchored  a  sliort  distance  b('h>w  the  town  and 
which  had  done  such  line  service  tho  ]M-cvioiis  s])ring  at  the 
cai)tur(^  of  the  town  from  the  Fi'derals,  thongb  defended  by 


Sixty-Seventh   Regiment.  707 

geveral  gunboats  on  the  river  and  several  thousand  troops, 
well  fortified,  on  the  land.  It  was  a  part  of  the  duty  of  the 
gari-ison  to  keep  a  strong  guard  on  the  ram  day  and  night,  to 
protect  it  from  any  effort  that  might  be  made  secretly  to  de- 
stroy or  injure  it.  About  a  week  after  Colonel  Whitford 
assumed  command  at  Plymouth,  during  a  dark  night,  a  small 
steam  launch  which  had  approached  without  noise  or  any 
otlier  sign  of  its  presence,  was  suddenly  discovered  by  the 
sentinel  on  duty,  very  near  the  ram  and  approaching  it  rap- 
idly. The  sentinel  immediately  fired  on  the  approaching 
boat,  but  in  an  instant  it  struck  the  side  of  the  ram  and  at 
the  same  time  exploded  a  toi-pedo  or  some  explosive  of  great 
force.  The  parties  in  the  launch  attempted  to  back  it  off, 
but  failed.  In  the  darkness  and  confusion  one  of  the  boat's 
crew  jumped  into  the  river  and  escaped  unnoticed.  Two 
others  and  the  launch  were  captured.  A  large  hole  was  torn 
in  the  side  of  the  ram  by  the  explosion  and  it  immediately 
sank  to  the  bottom,  though  a  portion  of  it  still  remained  above 
water.  Two  days  thereafter  several  Federal  gunboats  came 
up  the  river  and  shelled  the  town  until  the  garrison  was  with- 
drawn. The  party  who  escaped  by  swimming  ashore  was 
Lieutenant  Gushing,  of  the  Federal  navy,  and  was  entitled  to 
the  credit  of  planning  and  carrying  out  the  attack  on  the  ram. 

Immediately  after  the  abandonment  of  Plymouth,  the 
writer  was  ordered  to  remove  all  the  military  stores  in  Wash- 
ington and  withdraw  from  the  place. 

There  were  quite  a  large  number  of  heavy  guns  mounted 
in  the  several  forts  in  and  around  the  town — some  weighing 
10,000  pounds,  and  no  means  of  getting  them  to  a  place  of 
safety  except  by  hauling  them  seven  miles  into  the  country. 
Two  weeks  were  spent  in  executing  the  order. 

After  the  evacuation  of  Plymouth  and  Washington,  IST.  C, 
Colonel  and  Major  Whitford,  with  the  greater  part  of  the 
regiment,  returned  to  Kinston,  wdiile  the  writer  with  the  bal- 
ance was  stationed  at  Greenville  for  a  few  weeks.  About  this 
time  Colonel  Whitford,  Avith  a  part  of  the  regiment,  went  to 
Hamilton,  on  the  Roanoke,  to  repel  an  invasion  of  that  section 
by  the  enemy  who  came  up  the  river  in  gunboats.     The  en- 


708  North  Carolina  Trooi'S,   1861-65. 

emy  were  soon  driven  back  with  the  loss  of  one  of  the  gun- 
boats. 

In  January,  1865,  the  enemy  made  a  demonstration  in 
force  from  New  Bern,  on  Kinston,  and  came  within  four  or 
five  miles  of  the  town,  but  were  promptly  driven  back  by  the 
Sixty-seventh  and  other  troops  then  at  Kinston, 

Nothing  else  of  importance  occuiTed  in  that  district  until 
the  latter  part  of  February,  1865,  when  General  J.  D.  Cox, 
with  a  large  Federal  army  advanced  from  New  Bern  on  Kin- 
ston, with  the  purpose  of  making  a  junction,  at  some  point 
further  west,  with  Sherman,  who  was  coming  from  South 
Carolina  in  that  direction. 

General  Braxton  Bragg,  with  such  Confederate  troops  as 
could  be  spared  from  other  points,  w^as  sent  to  meet  him.  The 
two  armies  met  at  South  West  Creek  four  and  a  half  miles 
east  of  Kinston,  where  for  two  days,  8  and  9  March,  1865, 
there  was  sharp  fighting  and  several  hundred  prisoners  cap- 
tured, mostly  by  the  division  of  General  R.  F.  Hoke,  to  which 
the  Sixty-seventh  was  attached.  On  the  first  day  of  the  battle 
General  Hoke,  with  his  command,  the  Sixty-seventh,  being 
in  front,  executed  quite  a  brilliant  manoeuver  by  which  lie 
surprised  and  after  a  short  fight,  captured  about  700  Federals. 

The  next  day  General  Hoke  made  another  attempt  to  out- 
flank and  surprise  the  enemy  on  another  part  of  his  lines. 
This  time  the  Federals  were  on  the  alert  and  gave  him  such  a 
wann  reception  that  he  withdrew  to  his  own  side  of  the  creek. 
After  contesting  the  advance  of  the  enemy  four  days,  General 
Bragg  withdrew  to  tlie  north  side  of  the  Neuse,  destroyed  the 
bridge  over  the  same  and  marched  in  the  direction  of  Golds- 
boro.  General  Hoke  with  his  division,  remained  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Kinston  two  or  three  days  longer  and  then  joined  Bragg 
at  Goldsboro.  At  Goldsboro  the  Sixty-seventh  and  Sixty- 
eighth,  the  latter  commanded  by  that  brave  officer  and  ex- 
cellent gentleman,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Edward  C.  Yellowley, 
were  formed  into  a  brigade  and  placed  under  command  of 
Colonel  John  jST.  Whitford,  of  the  Sixty-seventh.  At  that 
time  tlio  Sixty-seventh  reporte'd  700  for  duty  and  the  Sixty- 
eighth  r;00:  total  1,000,  00  Vol  Official  Eccords  Union  and 
Confederate  Armies,  p.  1424. 


Sixty-Seventh  Regiment.  709 

The  Sixtv-seventh  and  Sixty-eighth  were  ordered  from 
Goldsboro  to  a  bridge  over  Neuse  river  a  short  distance  east 
of  Bentonville.  We  reached  the  bridge  about  noon,  when 
the  enemy  appeared  in  large  numbers  on  the  opposite,  the 
south  side.  On  that  side  the  river  is  bordered  by  a  swamp 
about  half  a  mile  wide.  After  posting  a  strong  skirmish  line 
on  the  south  side,  in  the  swamp,  the  balance  of  the  brigade 
formed  a  line  on  the  north  side  above  and  below  the  bridge 
and  near  the  river.  Early  next  morning  the  enemy  attacked 
in  force  and  gradually  drove  our  skirmishers  back,  who,  when 
near  the  bridge,  quickly  crossed  over,  setting  fire  as  they  did 
so  to  some  combustible  material  which  had  been  placed  there. 
The  brigade  remained  near  the  bridge  until  it  was  nearly  con- 
sumed and  then  withdrew,  the  object  having  been  accomplish- 
ed which  was  to  prevent  the  enemy  from  crossing  to  the  north 
side  of  the  river  during  the  battle  of  Bentonville.  We  then 
joined  General  Johnston's  army  at  Smithfield  a  day  or  two 
after  the  battle  of  Bentonville.  We  remained  at  Smithfield 
one  day  and  then  marched  Eastward  by  way  of  Wilson  and 
Tarboro.  Our  purpose  was  to  get  to  the  rear  of  the  enemy 
and  interrupt  and  destroy  as  much  as  possible  the  enemy's 
transportation,  which  was  by  both  river  and  rail  from  New 
Bern  via  Kinston  and  Goldsboro. 

The  Sixty-eighth  remained  near  Tarboro.  The  Sixty- 
seventh  proceeded  to  Greenville  and  went  into  camp  in  the 
grove  at  the  north  end  of  the  Greenville  bridge.  These  two 
regiments  were  accompanied  by  a  battalion  of  the  Thirty- 
sixth  North  Carolina  (Second  Artillery)  acting  as  infantry, 
and  commanded  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  John  D.  Taylor. 

IN    REAR   OF   THE   ENEMY. 

Erom  Tarboro  a  small  company  of  cavalry  was  sent  over 
to  Greene  county  in  the  direction  of  Kinston,  which  had  sev- 
eral skirmishes  with  the  enemy's  forage  parties,  in  one  of 
which  Lieutenant  Titus  Carr,  in  consequence  of  the  falling  of 
his  horse,  was  captured.  From  Greenville  Company  A,  of 
the  Sixty-seventh,  a  large  and  fine  company,  commanded  by 
Captain  James  H.  Tolson,  was  dispatched  to  Neuse  river,  be- 
tween New  Bern  and  Kinston,  with  instructions  to  operate 


710  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

both  on  the  river  and  railroad  running  from  the  former  to  the 
latter  place.  Many  of  the  men  in  this  company  were  citi- 
zens of  Craven  county  and  familiar  with  the  country  and 
would  doubtless  have  done  good  service  had  not  the  war  prac- 
tically ended  a  few  days  thereafter.  They  tore  up  the  rail* 
road  at  one  point  and  captured  and  burnt  a  steamer  and 
two  barges  on  tlie  river,  all  loaded  with  supplies  for  the  Fed' 
erals.  On  9  April  Colonel  Jno.  N.  Whitford  made  the  follow-' 
ing  report  (OS  Official  Becords  Union  and  Confederate 
Armies,  llSJf.)  :  "On  5  April  Lieutenant  Marshall,  Com- 
pany F,  Sixty-seventh  N'orth  Carolina,  burnt  the  steamer 
Mystic,  near  Maple  Cypress.  On  the  same  day  Captain  Tol- 
son,  (Company  A,  Sixty-seventh  Keg-iment,  destroyed  a 
transport  loaded  with  commissary  stores  near  Cowpen  Land- 
ing, and  on  the  7th  instant  four  privates  of  Company 
A,  viz:  George  Hill,  Turner  May,  William  Salter  and  R. 
Brewer,  captured  and  burned  a  side-wheel  steamer,  the 
Minquas,  and  two  barges,  all  loaded  with  quartermaster's 
and  commissary  stores.  Very  little  was  saved  from  the 
boats."  The  four  men  named  opened  fire  with  their  muskets 
on  the  steamer  which  was  immediately  run  aground  on  the 
other  sideof  the  river.  The  crew  and  passengers,  of  whom  there 
was  a  considerable  number  aboard,  jumped  into  the  mud  and 
water  on  the  shore  side  and  made  their  way  into  the  swamp. 
The  captors  having  no  boat,  swam  over  to  the  steamer  and 
after  securing  the  flag  and  papers  of  the  steamer  and  a  few 
other  articles,  set  iire  to  all  three  of  the  vessels  and  returned 
to  their  own  side  of  the  river.  The  flag  and  papers  were 
brought  to  the  writer  of  this  sketch  at  Greenville. 

In  the  same  report  Colonel  Whitford  further  says:  "On 
the  5th  instant  Captain  Joseph  M.  White,  Company  E,  Sixty- 
seventh  Regiment,  captured  fifteen  negroes  and  two  Yankees 
at  Riddle's  Ferry  engaged  in  trying  to  raise  a  sunken  craft. 
The  reason  T  ha\'e  not  forAvarded  you  a  report  of  my  com- 
mand is  lu'cause  the  companies  and  regiments  are  scattered 
so  far  apart  that  it  is  impossible  to  get  a  report  from  them." 

These  wore  bold  operations  in  the  rear  of  the  whole  Fed- 
eral army.  There  were  uumy  other  daring  feats,  but  the 
falling  back  of  Johnston's  army  prevented   further  official 


Sixty-Seventh  Regiment.  711 

reports  and  the  lapse  of  time  and  the  death  of  so  many  actors 
prevent  an  authentic  and  accurate  recital  of  them  now.  It 
should  be  remembered  that  the  Sixty-seventh  and  Sixty- 
eighth  were  North  Carolina  Regiments,  which  were  never 
mustered  into  Confederate  serv^ice  and  were  paid  by  the  State. 

About  this  time  some  veterans  of  Lee's  army  arrived  in  our 
camp  and  told  us  the  sad  news  of  Appomattox.  In  a  few 
days  the  country  was  full  of  parties  of  disbanded  Confederate 
soldiers  returning  to  their  homes.  Knowing  that  our  cher- 
ished cause  was  lost  in  all  things  except  in  the  influence  which 
the  heroic  deeds,  the  cheerful  endurance  of  hardships  and 
dangers  by  the  Confederate  soldiers  and  the  patriotic  and  un- 
selfish devotion  of  the  women  of  the  Confederacy  would  ex- 
ert upon  all  who  should  hereafter  read  the  true  history  of  the 
four  years'  w^ar,  the  Sixty-seventh  was  also  disbanded.  Most 
of  the  officers  and  men  were  from  the  eastern  counties  of  the 
State  and  went  directly  to  their  homes.  The  writer  with  Cap- 
tain T.  M.  Robinson,  and  a  few  officers  and  men  who  were 
from  the  counties  of  Wayne  and  Green,  made  their  way  to 
Stantonsburg  in  the  latter  county,  and  on  28  April,  1865, 
were  paroled  by  a  detachment  of  Federals  from  Goldsboro. 
The  writer  had  been  in  the  service  four  years  less  two  week=. 

Many  of  the  men  and  officers  w'ere  much  affected  by  this 
termination  of  all  our  labors  and  sufferings  in  the  cause  of 
self  government.  The  writer  well  remembers  the  inconsola- 
ble grief  of  Lieutenant  John  W.  Aldridge,  now  a  resident  of 
Pamlico  county,  a  good  soldier  and  man.  May  he  live  long 
and  prosper. 

RuFTJS  W.  Wharton. 

Washington,  N.  C.  , 

28  April,  1901. 


J 


THE  NEW  YORK 

PUBUC  LIBRARY. 


ASTOR,    'ENOX  »NVi 
TtLDEN  fiOU  -O.-vTI^vwa.. 


SIXTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 
1.    James  W   Hinton,  Colonel.  2.    W.  H.  Bagley,  Major. 


SIXTY-EIGHTH  REGIMENT. 


By  J.  W.   EVANS.  Corporal,  Company  D. 


The  Sixty-seventh  and  Sixty-eighth  Regiments  were  raised 
for  the  protection  of  the  State,  mustered  into  its  ser\'ice  and 
were  never  turned  over  to  the  Confederacy,  though  as  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  they  were  under  the  orders  of  Confederate  generals 
like  any  other,  except  that  they  could  not  be,  and  never  were, 
ordered  beyond  the  State  borders,  beyond  one  slight  incursion 
of  this  regiment  into  East  Tennessee. 

The  regiment  was  organized  in  July,  1863,  with  the  fol- 
lowing Field  and  Staff  officers : 

James  W.  IIintox,  of  Pasquotank,  Colonel.  He  had  been 
Lieutenant-Colonel  of  the  Eighth  Regiment. 

Edwaeb  C.  Yellowley,  of  Pitt,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  who 
had  sei-ved  also  in  the  Eighth  Regiment  as  Major. 

Jos.  J.  Edwards,,  of  Hertford  County,  was  Major,  and  on 
his  resigiiation  April,  1864,  William  H.  Bagley,  of  Pasquo- 
tank, Captain  of  Company  A,  of  the  Eighth  Regiment,  suc- 
ceeded. On  the  resignation  of  the  latter  in  June,  1864,  Wil- 
lis B.  Sanderlin,  of  Camden,  Captain  Company  B,  was  pro- 
moted to  Major. 

Joseph  W.  Hixtox^  of  Pasquotank,  Adjutant. 

Jno.  W.  Sessoms^  of  Bertie,  A.  Q.  M. 

Lewis  C.  Lawrence,  of  Hertford  County,  A.  C.  S. 

Jno.  W.  Hutchings  was  Surgeon  and  was  succeeded  by 
Thomas  M.  Nixon. 

Jesse  C.  Shannon,  Assistant  Surgeon,  succeeded  by  J.  T. 
F.  Cummings. 

Company  A — From  Pasquotanh — Captains,  John  T.  El- 
liott and  Thomas  H.  Tamplin.  First  Lieutenant,  Wm.  J. 
Munden ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Thomas  H.  Tamplin  and  An- 
drew J.  Turner. 

Company  B — From  Camden — Captains,  Willis  B.  Sander- 
lin and  F.  M.  Halstead ;  First  Lieutenant,  F.  M.  Llalstead ; 
Second  Lieutenants,  Enoch  Stephens  and  Willis  Morrisett. 


714  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

CoMPA.xY  C — From  Camden — Captain,  Caleb  B.  Wal- 
ston.     First  Lieutenant,  William  P.  Walston. 

Company  D — From  Hertford — Captains,  Hillary  Taylor 
and  Levi  Askew.  First  Lionfenants,  Levi  Askew  and  Wm. 
P.  Taylor ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Wm.  P.  Taylor  and  David  A. 
Parker. 

Company  E — From  Hertford — Captain,  Langley  Tayloe. 
First  Lieutenant,  Benj.  B.  Williams  (of  Bertie)  ;  Second 
Lieutenants,  John  Britt  and  Joseph  Holloman. 

Company  F — From  Bertie — Captains,  John  T.  Mebane 
and  Wm.  M.  Sutton.  First  Lieutenants,  W.  M.  Sutton  and 
James  A.  Leary ;  Second  Lieutenants,  James  A.  Leary,  Van- 
Burcn  White  and  Nchemiah  Bunch. 

CoivrPANY  G — From  Pasquotank — Captain,  Cyrus  W. 
Grandy.  First  Lieutenant,  Benjamin  McHomey;  Second 
Lieutenant,  Francis  B.  Sykes. 

Company  II — From  Choii-an — Captain,  Richard  Keogh. 
First  Lieutenant,  Bichard  Keogh ;  Second  Lieutenants,  Jas. 
C.  Warren  and  James  McCoy. 

Co:mpany  I — From  Gates — Captains,  Iv.  H.  L.  Bond  and 
W.  M.  Daughtry.  First  Lieutenant,  W.  M.  Daughtry;  Sec- 
ond Lieutenants,  Richard  B.  Odom  and  Thos.  B.  Walton. 

Company  K — From  Hertford — Captain,  Simon  B.  Poole. 
First  Lieutenants,  Goo.  W.  Thompson  and  John  A.  Parker. 
Second   Lieutenants,  .loliu  A.  Parker  and  Cadmus  Capehart. 

There  were  changes  among  the  officers  and  the  names  of 
some  officers  are  omitted,  hut  they  can  not  now  be  recalled  by 
the  writer. 

Colonel  Ilinton  was  a  prominent  lawyer  and  orator  and 
after  the  war  removed  to  Norfolk,  where  he  died.  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Yellowley  was  also  a  prominent  la\\'yer  at  Green- 
ville and  ill  early  iiianhf)od  had,  under  great  provocation, 
killed  a  man  in  a  duel,  an  event  which  was  thought  to  have 
saddened  his  whole  life.  ]\Iajor  Bagley  was  after  the  Avar  for 
many  years  clerk  of  our  Supreme  Court.  He  married  the 
daughter  of  Governor  Worth  and  Avas  the  father  of  Worth 
Bagley,  the  gallant  young  officer  of  tlie  United  States  N'avy 
who  fell  at  Cardenas  in  1S!IS  in  the  h(\2:inning  of  our  Avar 
Avith  S]iain. 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  715 

The  writer  cannot  recall  the  date  of  his  enlistment  in  what 
became  afterwards  Company  D,  of  the  Sixty-eighth  Regi- 
ment, North  Carolina  Troops,  but  it  was  at  a  X  roads  about 
five  miles  from  Harrellsville,  Hertford  County,  IST.  C,  bet- 
ter known  as  Bethlehem  Baptist  Church,  and  where  Watson 
Lewis,  Jr.,  resided  and  kept  a  store,  and  it  was  in  this  store 
house  that  I  signed  the  muster  roll  and  that  Watson  Lewis, 
Jr.,  witnessed  my  signature,  about  thirty-eight  years  ago, 
then  not  being  quite  1.8  years  of  age. 

The  names  of  the  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  Sixty-eighth 
and  the  commissioned  officers  of  the  several  companies  re- 
corded in  Moore's  Roster  and  above  recited  are  familiar 
and  most  of  the  officers  are  yet  well  remembered. 

Being  clerk  of  the  Superior  Court  of  Dare  coimty  at  the 
time  the  Roster  was  filed  in  the  office  and  not  finding  the 
names  of  the  privates  of  the  several  companies  of  the  Sixty- 
eighth  Regiment  recorded  therein,  I  felt  much  surprised  and 
cannot  jet  understand  why  a  record  of  the  field,  staff  and  com- 
missioned officers  of  the  companies  could  be  found  and  no 
roll  of  the  privates. 

I  therefore  deem  it  proper  to  mention  here  the  names  of 
as  many  of  my  comrades  as  T  can  remember  of  the  company  to 
which  I  belonged,  viz. : 

Co:mpaxy  D — First  Sergeant,  John  B.  Slaughter;  Second 
Sergeant,  John  H.  Perry;  First  Corporal,  William  Downing; 
Fourth  Corporal,  John  W.  Evans  ;  Fifer,  Bartimeus  Wiggins  ; 
Drummer,  Joseph  Willoughby.  Privates :  John  Downing, 
Thomas  K.  Evans,  Judson  L.  Evans ;  George  W.  Perry,  Jos. 
Perry  (brothers),  John  Chambray,  Julius  J.  Hayes,  Perry 
Mitchell,  John  W.  Simons,  Richard  Baker,  Joseph  Baker, 
Wm.  H.  Eley,  John  Baker,  Sr.,  Travis  J.  Taylor,  Francis  L. 
Evans,  Freeman  Evans,  Thomas  T.  Taylor,  Dewitt  C.  Miller, 
Simeon  P.  Saunders,  Frank  Saunders,  Kindred  Hollomon, 
William  Hays,  Henry  Mitchell,  Henry  C.  Sharp,  Horatio 
Taylor,  Samuel  M.  Aumack,  Joseph  Davidson,  Z.  W.  Lassi- 
ter,  George  W.  Valentine,  Henry  D.  Harrell,  Daniel  Barnes, 
all  of  Hertford  county ;  Richard  Rountree,  James  T.  Parish, 
James  Brinkley,  of  Gates  county ;  Samuel  M.  Pearce,  Simon 
Todd,  Moses  Todd,  of  Bertie  county. 


716  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

on  the  ciiowan. 

This  corapanj  was  encamped  for  a  few  months  at  the 
Bethlehem  church  during  which  time  the  United  States 
transports  which  were  provided  with  guns  equal  to  the  capac- 
ity of  the  vessel  plied  the  Chowan  river  and  a  squad  of  about 
thirty  of  the  company  were  sent  out  in  command  of  Captain 
Hillary  Taylor  and  ]Major  Joseph  J.  Edwards,  to  learn  of  the 
movements  of  these  vessels  and  also  to  aid  those  who  were  en- 
gaged in  bringing  bacon  and  live  hogs  across  the  river  from 
Chowan  county  for  the  commissary.  Being  on  the  hillside 
of  the  river  at  Coleraine,  Bertie  county,  we  saw  a  large  side- 
wheel  steamer  steaming  down  the  river  and  Major  Edwards 
desiring  to  test  our  accuracy  with  our  new  Enfield  rifles,  com- 
manded us  to  occasionally  fire  at  the  steamer,  which  caused 
her  commander  to  In-ing  her  within  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  of  the  shore  when  she  fired  a  small  shell  at  us  that  came 
directly  over  our  heads  and  exploded  which  created  some  con- 
fusion ;  but  being  able  to  secrete  ourselves  behind  the  hills,  we 
were  lost  to  view  and  the  steamer  soon  sped  away  with  no  cas- 
ualties to  either  side.  This  was  our  first  experience.  We  re- 
turned to  camp,  and  soon  thereafter  at  about  1  o'clock,  a.  m., 
the  beat  of  the  long  roll  aroused  our  slumbers,  orders  were 
given  tO'  be  in  readiness  for  marching  at  once,  and  the  com- 
pany was  hurriedly  marched  to  Harrellsville. 

The  Federals  in  the  meantime  had  invaded  tlic  village  be- 
fore we  could  get  there,  their  supposed  purpose  being  to  cap- 
ture bacon  and  other  commissary  stores  and  commit  the 
usual  depredations  on  the  citizens. 

Our  coni]:»any  being  only  a  squad  and  not  knowing  the 
strength  of  the  enemy,  our  oflicers  did  not  deem  it  wise  to 
mak(?  a  charge  in  blank  darkness  but  being  acquainted  with 
the  location  of  the  village  they  flanked  it,  and  in  doing  so 
aroused  a  suspicion  of  the  enemy's  picket  guard,  that  fired  a 
scattering  ball  at  our  shadow,  but  without  doing  any  execu- 
tion or  locating  our  whereabouts.  When  we  had  reached  a  po- 
sition to  make  a  surprise  attack  on  tliem,  should  they  return 
to  the  place  whence  they  came  before  the  dawn  of  day,  a 
miraculous  incident  occurred.     One  of  our  comrades,  Mr. 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  717 

Geo.  W.  Valentine,  an  elderly  man,  had  lagged  considerably 
in  the  rear  and  upon  his  advance,  was  discovered  by  some  of 
our  men  who  commanded  him  to  halt,  but  the  old  gentleman 
not  being  well  drilled  in  military  tactics  and  this  being  his 
first  experience  in  a  skirmish,  paid  no  attention  to  the  com- 
mand and  continued  his  advance  that  caused,  to  his  great  sur- 
prise, a  volley  of  bullets  fired  at  him,  but  fortunately  was  not 
hit,  and  was  recognized  only  when  he  cried  out:  ''In  the 
name  of  God,  are  yO'U  going  to  kill  me." 

Thus  having  made  our  location  known  to  the  enemy,  a 
hasty  retreat  was  necessary.  We  made  our  way  through  the 
fields  in  the  darkness  until  we  reached  a  pine  thicket  about 
one  and  a  half  miles  down  the  road  towards  the  river,  and 
there  awaited  the  return  of  the  enemy,  with  breathless  silence 
until  near  10  o'clock,  a.  m.,  when  their  approach  brought  us 
to  arms.  The  road  was  full  for  quite  a  distance  with  the 
soldier  enemy  in  advance  of  their  pillaged  plunder,  (consist- 
ing of  negroes  of  both  sexes,  and  every  size  and  age,  horses  and 
vehicles  of  every  kind  and  even  the  contents  of  the  wardrobes 
of  our  best  people) .  We  gave  them  a  volley  that  demoralized 
them  and  put  them  to  flight  toward  the  river  where  the  vessels 
were  lying  awaiting  their  return.  Still  not  knowing  their 
strength  we  did  not  advance  upon  them,  but  took  a  quick  step 
retreat  to  where  there  was  no  danger.  Returning  to  our 
camp,  we  passed  through  the  village  and  viewed  the  smoul- 
dering remains  of  several  valuable  buildings  and  other  prop- 
erty. 

OEGANIZED  INTO  A  EEGIMES^T. 

Shortly  thereafter  we  were  moved  and  put  in  quarters  for 
the  remainder  of  the  winter  and  spring  near  Jackson,  North- 
ampton county,  jST.  C,  where  the  companies  from  Princess 
Anne  county,  Va.,  Currituck,  Camden,  Pasquotank,  Chowan, 
Gates  and  Bertie  counties  and  two  other  companies  from  our 
own  Hertford  County,  joined  us.  We  were  there  organized 
into  the  Sixty-eighth  Regiment. 

l^o  accident  or  incident  occurred  while  in  quarters  at  the 
above  named  place.  On  or  about  1  May,  1864,  the  regi- 
ment was  moved  to  Weldon,  and  only  remained  a  short  time ; 


718  North  Carolina  Troops,   1S61-'65. 

but  durino-  the  stay  tliere  a  young'  officer  by  the  name  of  Stock- 
ton, from  the  central  part  of  the  State,  who  had  but  a  short 
time  previous  joined  the  regiment,  was  drowned  in  Roanoke 
river  \\]\'i]o  taking  a  swim,  and  so  far  as  this  writer  knows, 
his  remains  were  never  recovere(h  On  1  June,  1864,  the 
regiment  tlien  at  Wcldnn  rc]i(irred  548  present.  lOS  Vol. 
O^Jicidl  Rvconh  (In ion  and  Confederate  Armies,  p.  088. 

MOKGAXTOX. 

From  tliis  point  the  regiment  was  sent  in  July  lo  Morgan- 
ton,  ]N .  (\,  to  protect  property  and  citizens.  W-j  arrived  tiiere 
only  a  few  days  too  late  to  meet  a  band  of  bushwhacking  guer- 
rillas known  as  Kirk's  army.  They  had  made  a  raid  on  an 
encam]:)ment  of  -lunior  lieserves  about  three  miles  from  Mor- 
ganton,  ncai'  the  then  terminus  of  tlie  Western  Xorrh  Caro- 
lina Tiailroad,  and  on  28  June  had  captured  more  than  one 
liundred  of  them.  Hon.  W.  W.  Avery  was  killed  in  the  pur- 
suit of  Kirk's  army.  Their  attack  u])on  the  Juniors  was 
made  in  a  silent  hour  of  night. 

After  we  had  been  encamped  for  awliile  where  the  Juniors 
had  been,  the  Hon.  Zebulon  B.  \'ance,  who  was  canvassing 
the  State  for  the  guliernatorial  cluiir  for  a  second  term,  paid 
us  a  call  and  made  an  address  in  his  ow^n  humorous  way. 
After  having  delivered  his  speecli  rehiting  to  ]ml)lic  affairs, 
he  said  that  he  was  glad  that  he  had  had  the  pleasure  of 
meeting  us,  and  complimented  our  healthy,  stalwart  soldierly 
appearance,  and  said  that  he  hoped  no  one  of  the  regiment 
would  have  to  be  sent  to  the  hospital  for  want  of  drinking 
water,  as  we  were  from  the  eastern  part  of  the  Stat<\  for 
he  had  been  informed  that  we  had  searched  the  hill  and 
mountain  sides,  and  even  the  valleys,  for  tadpole  water  to 
drink.  This  was  too  much  for  us  to  bear,  our  Colonel  Hinton 
thought,  without  a  retort,  who  was  much  like  the  Governor 
for  wit  and  humor,  and  so  he  related  a  story  that  went  with- 
out contradiction.  He  said  that  shortly  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  war,  while  Tvoan(;ke  Lsland  was  being  fortified,  an  ad- 
ditional force  of  troops  being  necessary,  it  happened  that  the 
troops  sent  were  from  the  western  part  of  our  State.  When 
the   steamer   that    transported    them,   having  made   the  run 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  719 

down  the  Albeiiiarle  sound  in  the  night  time,  at  the  dawn 
of  day  came  in  view  of  the  island,  the  troops  arousing 
from  their  slumbers,  began  taking  a  view  of  their  surround- 
ings and  discovered  tlie  men  at  the  fort  on  the  island  getting 
out  to  their  Avork  with  wheelbarrows.  One  of  them  called 
out  to  his  comrade  and  exclaimed :  "Boys,  have  those  few^ 
men  over  yonder  dug  this  great  ditch  already  ?"  and  then  the 
Governor  surrendered  himself  amidst  the  cheers  of  the  men, 
and  said  he  was  captured. 

EAST   TEI^NESSEE. 

Shortly  after  this  event  preparations  w^ere  made  under 
m;\rching  orders  to  raid  the  section  of  country  from  which 
Jvirl^'s  army  came,  and  each  C(Hnrade  being  provided  with  as 
many  rations  as  he  could  carry,  together  with  a  soldier's  other 
equipment,  we  moved  under  command  of  our  Lieutenant-Col- 
onel, E.  C.  Yellowley,  and  went  along  the  line  most  of  the 
way  as  far  as  graded,  of  the  Western  JSTorth  Carolina  Railroad 
then  turned  off  and  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  Mountains  via 
Bakersville,  the  county  seat  of  Mitchell  County,  and  on  into 
Tennessee,  knov/n  as  the  Crab  Apple  section.  We  then  re- 
tnrned  on  nearly  the  same  line  of  march  as  w^e  went,  l^oth- 
ing  was  accomplished  so  far  as  the  writer  has  any  knowledge, 
farther  than  to  make  an  impression  upon  the  people  that 
it  would  not  be  wise  on  the  part  of  Kirk's  army  to  make  an- 
other raid  as  herein  referred  to.  We  did  not  meet  an  op- 
]ios]7ig  foe  nor  were  attacked  save  one  gun  shot  that  was 
fired  by  an  enemy  in  ambush,  that  was  impenetrable  at 
night  by  reason  of  the  campfires  tliat  shone  against  the  thick- 
est forr^st  that  ever  grevv'  on  a  mountain  side,  and  no  pursuit 
could  be  made.  The  shot  fired  took  effect  in  the  thigh  of  the 
camp  servant  of  Tieutenant  W.  P.  Taylor,  wdio  w^as  lying  on 
a  log  bench  by  a  campfire,  but  the  wound  proved  to  be  of  no 
cons^^quence. 

^I'lie  marching  over  the  rocky  I'oads  was  hard  to  endure,  yet 
the  ])Icturesque  mountain  scenery,  the  good  water,  milk,  but- 
ter and  honey  tliat  was  found  in  great  abundance,  will  ever 
be  remembered  by  the  members  of  the  Sixty-eighth  Regi- 
ment. 


720  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

salisbury. 

Shortly  after  our  rcliini  to  camp  near  Morganton,  the  reg- 
iiiu'iit  was  ordei-ed  to  Salishnry,  N.  C,  to  guard  a  large  num- 
ber of  Federal  prisoners.  Upon  our  arrival  the  ground 
within  tlie  prison  was  covered  with  men  and  within  three 
dr^}■s  thev  had  dng  themselves  holes  in  the  ground  covering  the 
entrance  to  each  with  a  little  mound,  so  that  they  were  most 
co'.ripletcly  protected  fi'om  the  open  air  and  weather.  The 
liaidship,  disease  and  death  among  that  mass  of  hmnan  beings 
iliis  writer  prays  never  to  Avitness  again. 

We  had  no  casualty  or  death  in  our  ranks  during  the  time 
of  our  service  around  the  Salisbury  prison,  save  the  accident 
that  occurred  to  -Tames  P.  Roberts,  of  Comi)any  I,  in  the  old 
prison  building.  ^\lien  on  guard  duty  he  unthoughtedly,  with 
his  right  arm  resting  on  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle,  with  his  foot 
fired  the  rifle  which  shattered  his  arm  and  caused  its  amputa- 
tior.. 

Ivemained  at  Salisbury  until  about  the  first  of  Decem- 
ber, 18H4,  when  we  were  ordered  to  the  eastern  part  of  the 
State,  the  first  stop,  as  the  writer  reuit^nibers,  was  at  Halifax, 
Avhere  we  remained  for  a  few  days  only.  Thence  the  com- 
maud  was  sent  to  Tarboro,  iST.  C,  but  only  remained  a  short 
time. 

butler's    bridge^    near    HAMILTON. 

It  being  learned  that  tlie  Federals  were  advancing  from 
the  vicinity  of  riyiuouth,  IST.  C,  to  make  an  attack  on  the  fort 
at  Kainbow  Banks,  near  Hamilton,  X.  C,  we  were  ordered 
on  a  hasty  nuirch  in  the  afternoon  of  12  December,  1864, 
and  marched  with  an  occasional  rest  till  dark,  when  a  beauti- 
ful pine  thicket  Avas  reached.  Orders  were  given  to  rest,  as 
was  supposed,  foi-  the  night.  The  temperature  was  falling 
to  a  low  point;  yet  the  weather  was  clear,  and  being  very 
tired,  we  were  very  soon  snugly  retired  in  beds  of  new  pine 
straw  as  comfortably  as  any  squad  of  soldiers  ever  enjoyed; 
but  at  the  hour  of  midnight,  our  sound  and  ha]ipy  slumbers 
was  disturbed  by  the  beat  of  the  long  roll,  which  all  knew 
meant  to  lie  in  readiness  quickly,  ami  then  orders  were  given 
to  march.      At  that  hour  it  had  become  very  cold,  the  road- 


^ev^ 


^OR*"! 


UB^^"^ 


0^ 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  721 

bed  was  frozen  hard  and  a  march  of  about  ten  miles  was  made 
without  a  rest.  At  Butler's  bridge,  two  miles  from  Hamil- 
ton, four  companies  of  the  Seventieth  ISTorth  Carolina  (First 
Junior  Reserves)  and  two  coinpanies  of  the  Sixty-fifth  (Sixth 
Cavalry)  and  a  section  of  Lee's  (Ala.)  battery,  all  under 
Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  W.  Broadfoot  of  the  Seventieth  had 
been  stationed  at  a  creek,  crossing  the  public  road.  The  en- 
emy, piloted  by  some  buffaloes  (traitors),  crossed  the  creek 
below  and  took  our  troops  at  the  bridge  in  the  rear.  We  had 
turned  off  from  the  main  road  from  Tarboro  to  Williamston 
in  order  to  come  in  by  Hamilton  to  reinforce  from  the  rear 
our  troops  at  Butler's  Bridge.  After  passing  through  or 
near  the  village  of  Hamilton,  our  regiment  wearing  long 
cape  overcoats,  and  it  being  just  before  the  dawn  of  day,  to 
the  surprise  of  officers  and  men,  we  found  that  we  were 
marching  side  l>y  side  with  the  enemy.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Yello'wley  and  the  Colonel  or  officer  commanding  the  Federal 
troops,  were  riding  side  by  side.  Yellowley  supposed  the 
other  horseman  was  Colonel  Hinton's  body  seiwant  who  was 
riding  an  extra  horse  of  Colonel  Hinton.  He  did  not  dis- 
cover to  the  contrar)^  until  the  Federal  officer  gave  a  com- 
mand tO'  the  person  riding  by  his  side,  supposing  him  to  be 
his  courier.  Colonel  Yellowley  not  obeying  the  command,, 
caused  a  suspect  that  there  was  a  jumble.  Immediately  the 
twO'  Colonels  separated,  each  commanding  the  attention  of 
his  troops,  and  a  face  to  face  skinnish  took  place.  Several 
shots  were  fired,  each  side  capturing  some  of  their  own  men 
as  prisoners.  Having  come  together  in  the  way  described, 
and  the  most  of  the  enemy  gotten  in  advance  of  us,  we  had  to 
fall  back ;  but  the  troops  at  Butler's  bridge,  though  flanked 
both  front  and  rear,  escaped  by  the  fact  that  the  cavalry  be- 
ing dismounted  for  skirmishing  their  horses  which  were  held 
in  the  rear  were  stampeded  by  the  sudden  firing  behind  them 
broke  loose  and  charged  across  the  bridge.  The  enemy  in 
front  were  stampeded  by  this,  supposing  we  were  advancing 
in  force  and  our  forces  saved  themselves  by  crosing  over  and 
turning  to  the  right  up  the  road  to  Tarboro.  The  enemy 
had  turned  to-  the  left  going  back  towards  Spring  Green 
46 


722  North  Cakomna  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

clmrch.  Colonel  Jlinton,  however,  who  was  at  the  Sherrod 
hoiT.se,  unkuowinti,-  of  these  inovenients,  was  captured,  as  was 
liis  brother,  Josej)!!  W.  Iliuton,  our  Adjutant.  But  Adju- 
tant lliiiton  made  his  escape  after  the  break  of  day.  The 
enemy  ;tt  dayliiiht  fell  back  to  Spring-  Green  on  the  road  to 
W'illiiimston  oiir  forces  followinii'  and  drivinii'  them  fiirtlier. 

BATTLE    OF    SOUTH    WEST    C'KEEK. 

Then  only  a  shoi-t  time  had  elapsed  when  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  a  point  just  below  Kinston,  N.  C,  to  reinforce 
General  Hoke's  command  at  a  place  known  as  Cobb's  Mill, 
an<l  here  a  heavy  battle,  the  battle  of  South  West  Creek  or 
Wise's  Forks,  8  and  J)  March,  1805,  was  fought.  Our  regi- 
ment was  in  the  division  of  General  Hoke  and  several  of  the 
regiment  were  killed  and  wounded.  After  this  event  the  reg- 
iment was  moved  to  a  bridge  across  the  Neuse  river  a  short 
distance  beyond  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  and  there  remained  till  the 
Federal  forces  had  advanced  from  Kinston  and  stopped  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river  for  a  night  and  day.  At  this 
place  there  was  a  little  skirmish  engagement.  The  bridge 
was  bui'ned  and  two  or  three  of  the  regiment  were  wounded. 
Then  a  movement  was  made  eastward,  nuiking  no  pernument 
stop  at  any  place  during  which  time  orders  were  given  to  the 
officers  of  the  several  companies  to  return  with  their  men  to 
the  respective  coinmunities  in  which  they  were  mustered,  seize 
and  take  from  any  neighbor  a  horse,  where  he  had  more  than 
one,  for  the  purpose  of  moimting  each  member  of  their  com- 
panies and  re-enlisting  them  into  cavalry  service.  But  while 
these  orders  were  being  carried  into  effect  the  information 
came  that  the  chief  commander  of  the  army,  General  R.  E. 
Lee,  had  surrendered.  And  thus  each  member  of  the  several 
companies  being  at  home,  remained,  with  all  the  parapherna- 
lia of  a  soldier  without  being  discharged  or  mustered  o\it  of 
service  in  accordance  with  military  rule ;  and  so  in  the  month 
of  April,  1805,  the  career  of  the  Sixty-eighth  Regiment, 
North  Carolina  State  Troops,  came  to  an  end. 

TWO    ADDTTIOXAE    (<mPANIES. 

The  writer  deems  it  proper  since  the  Roster  of  the  !N"orth 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  723 

Carolina  Troops  fails  to  give  the  names  of  the  privates  and 
non-commissioned  officers  of  the  several  companies  of  the 
Sixty-eighth  Regiment,  to  mention  the  names  of  a  portion  of 
two  companies,  as  rememl)ered  by  Mr.  B.  T.  Daniel,  a  na- 
tive of  Roanoke  Island,  who  is  still  living.  He  says  that  two 
other  companies  besides  those  above  named  were  enlisted  in 
the  counties  of  Beaufort  and  Hyde,  and  belonged  to  the  Sixty- 
eighth  Regiment,  and  were  supplied  with  guns,  anununition 
and  all  of  a  soldier's  equipment,  and  that  they  were  kept  in 
these  counties  to  watch  the  inovements  of  the  enemy,  and  that 
Laban  Bridgeman  was  their  Acting  Quartermaster,  through 
whom  their  military  supplies  were  furnished  and  that  they 
signed  the  quarterly  pay  rolls  and  same  was  forwarded  to 
headquarters  by  Quartermaster  Bridgeman,  and  also  says 
that  if  the  companies  were  designated  by  letters,  that  he  don't 
remendier  them. 

The  names  given  and  the  county  in  which  they  resided  at 
the  time  of  enlistment  are  as  follows: 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

E.  S.  Swindell,  Captain,  and  William  N.  Spencer,  Cap- 
tain, both  of  Hyde  County ;  William  Windley,  First  Lieuten- 
ant, Beaufort  county ;  Benjamin  Boouier,  Second  Lieuten- 
ant, Hyde  county;  Dave  Credle,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant, 
Hyde  county, 

]SrON-COMMISSIONED   OFFICERS. 

Elisha  Credle,  Sergeant,  Beaufort  county ;  Joseph  Baum, 
Sergeant,  Hyde  county ;  Samuel  Jones,  Corporal,  Hyde 
county ;  Josephus  Flinn,  Corporal,  Beaufort  county. 

Privates. — Jas.  Pledger,  Saunders  Smith,  William  Wil- 
liams, William  Davis,  John  Swindell,  Willis  Williams,  Na- 
thaniel Gibbs,  Frank  O'Neal,  Morgan  O'Neal,  David  Johnson, 
David  Gibbs,  Stanley  O'Neal,  Richard  Daniels,  Jesse  W.  Dan- 
iels, Frank  Bell,  George  Boyd,  of  Hyde  county ;  John  Wliit- 
ney.  of  Beaufort  county;  John  Bell,  Alvin  Swindell,  Asa 
Voliver,  James  Sadler,  Joseph  Spencer,  Alexander  Gibbs, 
Thomas  Watson,  Hyde  county ;  B.  T.  Daniel,  Amos  R.  Ether- 
idge,  Daniel  B.  Austin,  John  W.  Meekins,  Samuel  D.  Hooker, 


724  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

Dare  county;  Edward  Burgess,  Frank  Credle,  Hyde  coun- 
ty ;  William  O.  Kesspass,  Fenner  Kespass,  Beaufort  county ; 
names  of  other  officers  and  men  of  these  two  companies  are  not 

now  recalled. 

Jno.  W.  Evans. 

Manteo,  N.  C, 

30  May,  1901. 


ADDITIONAL   SKETCH   SIXTY-EIGHTH 
,    REQinENT. 


By  W.  T.  CAHO,  Fourth  Sergeant,  Company  C. 


As  there  seems  to  be  no  record  of  this  companj  on  file  in 
the  Adjutant-General's  office,  the  writer  has  undertaken  to 
give  a  brief  history  of  it.  Thirty-six  years  having  elapsed 
since  the  war  between  the  States  ended,  and  the  writer  being 
less  than  18  years  of  age  at  the  close  of  hostilities,  and  less 
than  16  years  of  age  when  he  entered  the  service  in  this  com- 
pany, the  history  of  the  company  will  necessarily  be  brief  and 
liable  to  have  omitted  a  good  many  facts  that  would  be  of 
value  and  importance  in  its  history. 

IN    NETHERCUTT^S    BATTALION. 

This  company  was  raised  or  recruited  near  by  and  around 
Goldsboro,  N.  C,  by  Wiliam  K.  Bass,  who  had  formerly  held 
a  commission  as  Second  Lieutenant  in  Company  I,  Thirty- 
fifth  Eegiment,  in  the  winter  of  1862  and  1863.  The  of- 
ficers first  commissioned  by  the  State  for  this  company  were : 
Captain,  W.  R.  Bass ;  Redden  C.  Barden,  First  Lieutenant, 
formerly  Second  Lieutenant  Company  K,  Twenty-seventh 
North  Carolina;  Josiah  W.  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant,  for- 
merly a  private  in  Company  K,  Twenty-seventh  North  Car- 
olina ;  and  Erastus  Smith,  Junior  Second  Lieutenant.  All  of 
the  officers  were  from  Wayne  county,  and  from  the  Nahunta 
and  Saulston  sections  of  the  county.  The  company  was  first 
raised  or  recruited  as  a  company  of  Partisan  Rangers.  Soon 
after  its  formation  it  was  assigned  to  Major  J.  H.  ISTether- 
cutt's  Battalion  (Eighth)  and  remained  with  that  command 
until  the  formation  of  the  Sixty-sixth  Regiment  by  the  unit- 
ing of  Moore's  and  Nethercutt's  Battalions,  which  took  place 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  summer  of  1863. 

WILMINGTON. 

Upon  the  formation  of  the  Sixty-sixth  Regiment,  this  com- 


726  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

pany  was  not  included  in  the  regiment,  but  assigned  to  duty 
at  some  obstnictions  on  the  Cape  Fear  river  a  few  miles 
below  Wilmington,  then  kno^vTi  as  Batteries  or  Forts  Lee, 
Davis,  Campbell  and  Meares.  While  here  the  company  per- 
formed duty  as  heavy  artillerists  and  infantry,  furnishing 
details  for  train  guards  on  the  Wilmington  &  Weldon  Kail- 
road,  the  Wilmington  &  Manchester  Railroad,  and  the  river 
steamers  that  plied  the  (^apo  Fear  river  from  Wilmington 
te  Fayetteville,  and  from  Wilmington  to  Smithville,  Fort  Cas- 
well and  other  points  on  the  lower  Cape  Fear  river,  besides 
other  provost  duties  in  Wilmington.     Some  time  in  the  fall  of 

1864,  this  company  was  assigned  to  the  Sixty-eighth  Regiment 
of  North  Carolina  Troops  as  Company  C,  and  after  the  fall  of 
Fort  Fisher  and  the  evacuation  of  Wilmington  in  January, 

1865,  this  company  was  ordered  to  join  the  regiment  which 
was  then  encamped  on  the  Roanoke  river  near  Fort  Branch, 
below  tJie  town  of  Hamilton. 

A.S.SIGXED  TO   SIXTY-EIGHTH   KEGIIMKNT. 

There  we  first  joined  tlie  regiment  and  found  it  unckT  the 
conunand  of  Edward  C.  Yellowley,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  of 
Pitt  County.  Remaining  there  for  a  few  days  the  regi- 
ment was  ordered  to  Williamston,  N.  C,  to  gather  in  some 
conimissary  stores  at  that  point;  from  there  the  regiment 
was  ordered  to  Tarboro,  thence  to  Goldsboro,  and  from  Golds- 
boro  to  Kinston,  jN.  C,  where  we  met  the  advance  of 
General  Schofield's  anny  on  their  line  of  inarcli  from  New 
Bern  to  Goldsboro'  to  fonn  a  junction  with  General 
Sherman.  We  met  General  Schofield  at  AVise's  Fork  or 
Cobb's  Mill,  a  few  miles  from  Kinston,  on  the  New  Bern 
road,  and  the  regiment  was  engaged  in  that  light  8  and 
9  INlarclu  1805.  We  suffered  some  losses.  I  do  not  remem- 
ber all  nf  them.      Ed.  Sasser,  of  our  company,  was  wounded 

in  tlie  anil  ;   Win.   Taylor,  of  Wilson,  in  leg,  and  one 

Reid,  of  Coiiipiiuy  T,  was  wonndccl.  Tluy  were  on  the  sharp- 
shootei'  line  with  the  writci-.  Tlicrc  wci'o  other  casualties. 
Our  regiment  was  then  brigaded  with  the  Sixty-seventh  Regi- 
ment, Sixty-fifth  North  Carolina  (Sixth  Cavalry)  and  some 
other  unattached  troops,  and  placed  under  the  command  of 


Sixty-Eighth  Regiment.  727 

General  Lawrence  S.  Baker,  and  in  that  battle  was  on  the  ex- 
treme left  wing  of  our  army,  which  was  commanded  by  Gen- 
eral R.  F.  Hoke.  We  then  fell  back  to  Goldsboro  and  were 
engaged  at  the  time  of  the  Bentonville  fight  with  Sherman's 
extreme  right  ^^-ing  at  Cox's  bridge  on  the  Neuse  river,  be- 
tween Goldsboro  and  Smithfield,  in  Johnston  county.  Here 
we  had  quite  a  sharp  encounter  with  the  enemy.  T  do  not  re- 
member the  casualties.  The  men  fully  realized  now  that  fur- 
ther continuance  of  the  heroic  struggle  was  useless.  At  this 
place  in  one  night  our  Orderly  Sergeant  with  eighty  men  of 
our  company,  went  home,  leaving  only  thirty-seven  behind. 
I,  with  several  others  of  our  regiment,  was  sent  off  as  a  guard 
to  the  wagon  train  under  the  command  of  Captain  S.  G.  Bar- 
rington,  of  the  Sixty-seventh  Regiment.  From  thence  we 
went  to  Smithfield.  At  this  point  the  writer  was  de- 
tailed as  a  guide  to  a  scouting  party  composed  of  a  part  of 
the  Fifty-first  Regiment  of  Alabama  Cavalry,  a  part  of 
General  Joseph  \\^ieeler's  command,  and  was  with  this 
command  at  the  time  of  General  Joseph  E.  Johnston's  sur- 
render, receiving  his  parole  at  the  Yadkin  river  bridge,  near 
Salisbury,  and  arrived  home  early  in  May,  1865.  While  with 
the  Fifty-first  Regiment  of  Alabama  cavalry  as  a  guide  he 
led  them  through  a  portion  of  Wayne,  Greene  and  Lenoir 
counties  to  tbe  Atlantic  &  North  Carolina  Railroad  at  Fall- 
ing creek,  where  they  cut  the  railroad  and  burned  the  bridge 
across  Falling  creek  in  the  rear  of  General  Schofield's  com- 
mand, and  made  a  successful  escape  or  retreat  with  some  pris- 
oners and  stores  which  they  captured. 

Tlie  writer  did  not  rejoin  his  regiment  or  company,  but 
learned  that  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service  or  dis- 
banded near  Wilson,  ]^.  C,  within  about  fifteen  miles  of  his 
then  home.  While  at  Goldsboro  in  March,  1865,  and  a  few 
days  before  the  engagement  related  at  Cox's  bridge,  the  writer 
was  promoted  from  a  private  to  Fourth  Sergeant  in  his  com- 
pany. At  the  time  the  company  joined  the  regiment  at  Fort 
Branch  it  was  officered  then  as  follows :  W.  R.  Bass,  Captain  ; 
Redden  C.  Barden,  First  Lieutenant;  Isaac  V.  Barden,  Sec- 
ond  Lieutenant,    and   Alex.    H.    Hamilton,    Junior   Second 


728  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

Lieutenant,  and  Erastus  Smith,  Sr.,  Second  Lieutenant.    The 
company,  tirst  and  last,  had  150  members. 

At  the  time  of  the  enlistment  of  the  writer,  11  July,  1863, 
he  was  15  years,  11  months  and  10  days  old. 

W.  T.  Caho. 
Bayboro,  N.  C.  , 

26  April,   190]. 


(the  new~yJ^k 
^PUBUC  LIBRARY, 

A8T0R.  LENOX  AMD         f 


SIXTY-NINTH  RF:GIMENT. 


1.  Winiam  H.  Thomas,  Colonel. 

~'.  .lames  Roliert  Love,  Colonel. 

3.  \V    W.  Strinjrfleld,  Lieut-Colonel. 

4.  J.  W.  Cooper,  Captain,  Co.  H. 


R.  T.  Coiilev,  1st  Lieut.,  Co.  F. 
D.  K.  Collin.s.  2n  Lieut.,  Co.  F. 
.Tames  Conlev.  2d  Lieut,  Co.  F. 
\Vm.  T  Welch,  'M  Lieut ,  Co.  F. 


SIXTY-NmiH  REGIMENT. 


By  W.  W.   STRINGFIELD,  Lieutenant  Colonel. 


This  command  was  orig-inallj  intended  for  local  defense  in 
the  mountains  of  East  Tennessee  and  Western  North  Caro- 
lina, and  was  generally  known  as  part  of  "Thomas'  Legion  of 
Indians  and  Highlanders."  Colonel  W.  H.  Thomas,  its 
founder,  was  an  old-line  Democrat,  and  a  leading  citizen  and 
politician  in  Western  North  Carolina — was  a  man  of  consid- 
erable means,  and  was  personally  well  known  to  President 
Davis  and  Cabinet.  He  was  born  in  Haywood  county  and 
raised  to  manhood  close  by  the  Cherokee  Indians  and  at  an 
early  day  espoused  their  cause,  and  prevented  the  forced  re- 
moval to  the  West,  of  those  in  Western  North  Carolina,  by 
General  Scott  in  1836  to  1838.  He  was  adopted  by  the  In- 
dians and  upon  the  deaths  of  their  old  chiefs,  Yona-gus-kee 
and  Juna-lus-kee,  he  was  made  chief  and  for  twenty-five  years 
prior  to  the  war  was  also  the  Government  Agent  for  these 
Indians. 

When  the  war  had  progressed  for  a  year  and  conscription 
had  become  a  necessity  and  a  certainty,  this  command  was 
organized  at  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  into  a  regiment  and  a  battal- 
ion. 

Several  of  the  companies  had  been  in  service  for  several 
months,  but  General  E.  Kirby  Smith,  commander  of  the  De- 
partment of  East  Tennessee  and  Western  North  Carolina  (an 
old  West  Point  army  officer),  was  very  much  opposed  to  a 
temporizing  or  conservative  policy,  and  would  not  allow  Col- 
onel Thomas  the  latitude  he  wanted;  but  the  latter  being  a 
personal  friend  of  President  Davis,  generally  carried  his 
points,  and  often  w^ent  to  Richmond  to  consult  with  him. 

The  organization  of  the  regiment  was  completed  at  Knox- 
ville, Tenn.,  27  September,  1862,  by  the  election  of  the  fol- 
lowing Field  and  Staff  officers : 


730  NoKTii  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

William  H.  Thomas,  Colonel,  Jackson  county,  N.  C. 
James  R.  Love,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  J  ackson  county,  N.  C. 
William  W.   Stringfield^    Major,    Strawberry    Plains, 
Tenn. 

Luthek  C.  May,  Adjutant,  Virginia. 

James  W.  Teerell,  A.  Q.  M.,  Jackson  county,  N.  C. 

Lucius  M.  W>.lch,  A.  C.  S.,  Haywood  county,  N.  C. 

John  W.  Lawing,  Surgeon,  Lincoln  county,  IST.  C. 

JoHis-  C,  Love,  Assistant  Surgeon,  Jackson  county,  ^N".  C. 

HezeivIah  West,  Chaplain,  Haywood  county,  N.  C. 

Alex.  R.  Carmack,  Sergeant  Major,  Pennsylvania. 

COMPANY  organization. 

Company  A — Indian  Company — Matthew  Hale  Love, 
Captain,  Waynesville,  N.  C. ;  Win.  S.  Terrell,  First  Lieuten- 
ant, Sononui,  Haywood  county,  ^\  C. ;  John  Astoo-ga  Sto-ga, 
Peter  Graybeard  and  David  Whitaker,  Second  Lieutenants, 
all  of  Swain  County,  X.  C.     Total  officers  and  men,  113. 

Company  B — Indian  Company — G.  M.  Hanks,  Captain, 
July,  18()2,  Monroe  county,  Tenn.;  James  Taylor,  Captain, 
Kovendjer,  1862;  H.  R.  Morris,  First  Lieutenant;  Cam.  H. 
Taylor,  Second  Lieutenant,  all  of  Cherokee,  N".  C.  Total 
officers  and  men,  118. 

\V  11  ITK    MEN. 

Company  C — Uayuood  County — Dr.  Elisha  G.  Johnson, 
Captain  and  Major;  Win.  K.  Tnill,  First  Lieutenant  and 
Captain;  John  H.  Smathers,  First  Lieutenant;  W.  D.  Hall, 
E.  W.  ]\I organ  and  W.  H.  Moore,  Second  Lieutenants,  all  of 
Haywood  county.      Total  ofllicers  and  men,  123. 

Company  1) — Jackson  County,  N.  C,  and  Jefferson 
County,  Tenn. — Wm.  B.  Love,  Captain,  Jackson  county,  N. 
C. ;  (laniuiii  C.  McBee,  First  Lieutenant,  Grainger  county, 
Tenn. ;  'llmmas  R.  Smart  and  Henry  Xeedham,  Second  Lieu- 
tenants, JcilVrson  County,  Tenn. ;  W.  W.  Jones,  Second  Lieu- 
tenant,  Xorth  Carolina.      Total  officers  and  men,  125. 

Company  K — Ilayirood  County — Julius  ]\r.  Welch,  Cap- 
tain; Thomas  J.  Ferguson,  First  Lieutenant  and  Captain;  J. 
H.   ]\Io<)(lv,    First   Lieutenant,   and   Win.   C.   Brown,   Second 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  731 

Lieutenant,  all  of  Haywood  county.  Total  officers  and  men, 
137. 

Company  F— J.  M.  McConnell,  Captain;  Wm.  T.  Welch 
and  Robert  T.  Conley,  First  Lieutenants ;  James  West  and 
Jas.  Conley,  all  of  Jackson  county.  Total  officers  and  men, 
127. 

Company  Gr — Jackson  County — Daniel  G.  Fisher,  Cap- 
tain ;  D.  M.  Raby,  First  Lieutenant ;  D.  J.  Allen  and  J.  B. 
Raby,  Second  Lieutenants,  all  of  Jackson  county.  Officers 
and  men,  71. 

Company  H — Cherokee  County — Thomas  J.  Cooper,  Cap- 
tain, and  Jas.  W.  Cooper,  Captain;  Lafayette  George,  First 
Lieutenant;  Eli  Ingram  and -,  Second  Lieu- 
tenants, Cherokee  county.  Number  of  officers  and  men, 
114. 

Company  I — Cherokee  Connty— Willis  Parker,  Captain, 
and  Jos.  A.  Kimsey,  Captain ;  Sol.  E.  Egan,  First  Lieuten- 
ant, all  of  Cherokee  county;  'N.  G.  Phillips,  First  and  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant,  and  P.  B.  Gailer,  Second  Lieutenant,  both 
of  Graham  county.      jSTumber  of  officers  and  men,  109. 

Company  K — T.  A.  Butler,  Captain ;  Lewis  Rector,  First 
Lieutenant ;  D.  H.  Gallahar,  Second  Lieutenant,  all  of  Fnion 
county,  Tenn.      Number  of  officers  and  men,  91. 

Total  number  of  officers  and  men  in  the  regiment,  1,125. 

As  above  organized  this  regiment  presented  quite  a  for- 
midable array — with  a  muster  roll  of  nearly  1,200  men — 
most  of  them  vigorous,  patriotic  and  gallant.  The  officers 
were  representative  men  in  their  several  counties,  and  while 
unassuming  to  diffidence  in  private  life  and  in  camp,  were  a 
"lion-hearted  host"  in  battle  and  upon  the  toilsome  march. 
The  officers  were  chosen  from  the  ranks,  but  were  not  of  ne- 
cessity greatly,  if  at  all,  superior  to  their  men.  The  response 
to  this  call  left  few  men  at  home,  but  stern  duty  called  and 
its  summons  was  obeyed. 

The  practical  leader  of  this  regiment,  Lieutenant-Colonel 
James  R.  Love,  was  a  native  of  Jackson  county,  N.  C,  and 
had  seen  hard  service  in  Virginia  under  Jackson,  Hill  and 
Lee.     He  was  Captain  of  old  Company  L,  of  the  Sixteenth 


732  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

North  Carolina,  and  at  request  of  Colonel  Thomas,  he  and  his 
entire  company  was  transferred  to  the  Legion. 

Colonel  Love  was  a  graduate  of  Emory  and  Henry  College, 
studied  law  and  was  a  member  of  the  North  Carolina  Legis- 
lature, also  after  the  war  a  member  of  the  North  Carolina 
Constitutional  Convention  (1803),  and  later  of  the  State 
Senate ;  also  a  member  of  the  Tennessee  Senate,  after  his 
marriage  and  removal  to  that  State,  where  he  subsequently 
raised  a  family ;  died  twel\-e  or  fifteen  years  since,  honored 
and  respected  by  all. 

William  W.  Stringlield,  the  writer  of  this  sketch,  was  a 
native  of  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  raised  near  Knoxville,  Tenn. 
He  was  of  old  N^orth  Carolina  stock,  being  a  grandson  of  Jos. 
Williams,  of  Yadkin  county.  He  was  a  private  of  the  First 
Tennessee  Cavalry,  1861.  Captain  of  Company  E,  Thirty- 
first  Tennessee  Infantry,  1862,  and  Assistant  Provost  Mar- 
shal at  Knoxville,  1862  ;  elected  Major  of  the  Sixty-ninth 
Regiment  27  September,  1862,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Jan  ary, 
1S65. 

After  the  war,  married  and  located  near  Waynesville,  N". 
C. — member  of  the  North  Carolina  Legislature  in  1882  and 
1883,  and  of  the  State  Senate  in  1901.  In  1895  was  elected 
commander  of  the  Confederate  Veterans  of  Western  North 
Carolina,  and  as  a  member  of  Military  and  Veteran  Commit- 
tee, feels  and  takes  great  pride  and  interest  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  the  fame,  fortune,  welfare  and  success  of  all  his  old 
comrades,  their  widows  and  children. 

Captain  Elisha  G.  Johnson,  of  Company  C,  was  promoted 
to  Major  of  the  regiment  after  its  return  from  the  Valley 
campaign  in  November,  1864.  Major  Johnson  was  an  in- 
telligent gentleman  and  a  singularly  brave  soldier.  He 
moved  to  Florida  soon  after  flie  war,  was  elected  to  the  State 
Senate,  and  finally  was  iinnvU^rcd  at  his  own  home  in  1875 
or  1876. 

Captain  James  W.  Terrell  was  Captain  of  Company  A, 
succeeding  William  H.  Thomas  and  preceding  M.  H.  Love. 
He  was  Cliief  Quartermaster  of  the  regiment  and  faithful. 
He  had  the  confidence  of  his  neighbors,  and  has  represented 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  733 

them  (Jackson  county)  in  the  Legislature.  He  now  resides 
in  Webster,  N.  C. 

Dr.  Lawing  was  a  good  doctor  and  a  kind  man.  Nothing 
known  of  him  since  the  war.  Dr.  John  Love  was  a  kind  man 
and  good  doctor.  Died  soon  after  the  war  from  its  expo- 
sures. 

A.  R.  Carmaek,  Sergeant-Major,  a  Pennsylvanian  by  birth, 
was  the  son-in-law  of  a  strong  Union  man  in  East  Tennessee. 
He  was  a  man  among  men,  cool,  clear-headed  and  brave ;  was 
wounded  and  captured  at  Cedar  creek ;  lived  in  Kansas  since 
driven  from  East  Tennessee  in  1866-'67,  and  died  recently, 
18  December,  1900,  in  Texas,  beloved  by  all. 

Lucius  M.  Welch,  Assistant  Commissary,  is  a  native  son 
of  Haywood  county.  He  was  quite  young  in  those  days,  but 
made  a  faithful  Commissary.  He  now  lives  near  Waynes- 
ville. 

The  Adjutant  of  the  regiment.  Captain  L,  M.  May,  was  a 
graduate  of  the  Naval  Academy  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  a  Vir- 
ginia!   by  birth  and  an  elegant  gentleman. 

Aside  from  this  the  entire  command  was  composed  of  citi- 
zen soldiery — educated  for  peace,  but  not  afraid  of  war. 
After  the  organization  and  equipment  of  the  regiment  the 
companies  were  scattered  throughout  upper  East  Tennessee, 
between  Knoxville  and  Bristol.  The  battalion  of  our  legion 
whose  story  will  hereafter  be  told,  was  sent  below  Knoxvdlle, 
toward  Chattanooga,  and  Cleveland,  Tenn.,  and  Dalton,  Ga., 
was  raised  to  a  regiment  (Eightieth  North  Carolina) 
and  becoming  a  part  of  Bragg's  army  was  never  reunited  to 
the  old  Legion. 

ENFORCING   CONSCEIPTION. 

About  this  time  the  enforcement  of  the  conscript  law  was 
begun  in  earnest,  and  consequently  it  was  a  serious  time  in 
the  short  life  of  the  Southern  Confederacy — and  thinking 
men  were  fully  alive  to  the  herculean  task  before  us.  East 
Tennessee  was  placed  under  martial  law  and  many  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  were  in  rebellion  against  the  South. 
The  celebrated  Parson  Brownlow,  editor  of  the  Knoxville 
Whig,  a  widely  circulated  paper,  who  was  afterw^ards  elected 


734  North  Carolina  Troops.   1  SHI -'65. 

Governor  of  Tennessee,  and  after  the  war  was  United  States 
Senator,  took  bold  grounds  against  the  South.  His  paper 
had  some  circulation  in  Western  North  Carolina,  and  <iuite 
an  influence  with  the  old  Whig  element.  Brownlow  was  a 
kind  num  at  heart,  to  those  that  did  not  cross  him  personally. 
If  he  had  been  reasoned  with  instead  of  being  bitterly  de- 
nounced he  and  numerous  others  would  have  espoused  the 
Southern  cause.  But  then,  as  now,  party  passion  often  de- 
thrones reason.  Brownlow,  with  such  men  as  Governor  An- 
drew Johnson,  then  United  States  Senator,  and  afterwards 
President  of  the  United  States ;  Horace  Maynard,  member  of 
Congi'ess ;  Thos.  A.  R.  ISTelson,  John  Netherland,  R.  R.  But- 
ler, members  of  Congress ;  Rev.  ]^.  G.  Taylor,  also  an  old  Con- 
gressman, father  of  Governor  Bob.  Taylor,  with  scores  of 
smaller,  but  equally  detennined  men,  boldly  threw  themselves 
into  the  breach,  openly  delied  the  South,  and  in  large  numbers 
daily  left  Tennessee,  crossing  the  Cumberland  mountains  and 
joined  the  Federal  army  in  Kentucky  and  Ohio. 

The  wisest  statesmen  of  the  South  were  divided  as  to  the 
best  policy  to  pursue,  but  Southern  blood  Avas  aroused  and 
Southern  men  were  expected  to  stand  by  the  South,  right  or 
wrong.  There  was  much  homogeneousness  between  these 
mountain  people  of  Tennessee  and  Xorth  Carolina,  and  there 
is  an  independence  of  thought,  speech  and  action  in  the  aver- 
age mountaineer,  not  usually  found  elsewhere,  superinduced 
perhaps  by  their  grandly  beautiful  surroundings,  combining 
as  some  think,  to  the  development  of  a  high  type  of  j^liysical, 
intellectual  and  spiritual  manhood. 

A  great  majority  of  the  people  were  poor  and  liad  no  inter- 
est in  slavery,  present  or  prospective.  But  most  of  them  had 
little  mountain  homes,  and  ''be  it  ever  so  humble,  there  is  no 
place  like  home."  So  when  husband,  father  and  brother 
wont  into  the  army  the  wife,  sister  and  daughter  had  largely 
increased  home  cares,  and  often  went  into  the  corn  field. 

Xo  grander  type  of  womanhood  is  developed  anywhere 
tliau  in  tlicsc  iiionntains.  T^either  the  men  or  women  were 
cowards,  Init  wlien  the  Federal  army  occupied  Fast  Tennes- 
see and  threatened  ISTorth  Carolina,  the  women  in  their  lone- 
some liomes  naturallv  became  restless  and  timid,  made  more 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  735 

so  when  spies  and  forays  of  the  enemy  penetrated  this  coun- 
try. Soldiers  in  the  army  would  have  been  unnatural  pro- 
tectors of  home,  had  they  not  become  uneasy  also,  and  oft 
times  desperate,  especially  when  informed,  as  hundreds  were, 
that  their  homes  had  been  robbed  and  the  country  pillaged,  as 
was  the  case  for  two  years  in  all  the  border  counties  along  the 
Tennessee  line  from  Ducktown  to  Watauga,  a  distance  of  near 
200  miles.  Xo  people  were  more  zealous  for  the  South  than 
Western  Carolinians,  after  the  rejection  by  the  Lincoln  re- 
gime of  the  peace  overtures  made  by  the  border  States.  East 
Tennessee  and  Western  North  Carolina  had  a  common  herit- 
age of  ancestral  heroes  through  the  Seviers,  Tiptons,  Averys, 
Campbells,  Lenoirs,  Loves,  McDowells,  Brittons,  and  others, 
who  fought  at  King's  Mountain,  Cowpens  and  Guilford 
Court  House;  in  later  years  at  Lookout,  Emuckfau,  Horse- 
shoe, and  New  Orleans,  and  later  still  in  the  numerous  bat- 
tles of  Mexico.  Such  an  element  may  be  easily  led,  but  never 
forced.  In  Tennessee  this  anti-war  element  was  fully 
aroused  and  as  soon  as  conscription  w^as  fully  determined 
upon,  Colonel  Wm.  LI.  Thomas  at  once  went  to  Richmond  to 
get  a  modification  of  the  law.  His  efforts  were  unavailing, 
the  law  must  be  enforced ;  it  was  enforced  and  33,000  were 
added  to  the  Federals  and  a  few^  thousand  fire-tried  veterans 
to  the  Southern  army.  Colonel  Thomas  largely  recruited  his 
own  command,  forming  soon  afterwards  another  regiment, 
with  two  companies  of  Sappers  and  Miners,  and  one  company 
of  artillery  (Levy's  Battery). 

He  had  some  unique  ideas  concerning  these  matters,  and 
while  known  to  be  intensely  loyal  to  the  South,  he  had  gained 
the  confidence  of  this  East  Tennessee  disloyal  element  and 
several  thousand  at  various  times  had  agreed  to  form  compa- 
nies for  local  defense,  and  for  road  and  bridge  building. 
Not  being  allowed  to  do  this,  these  men  went  to  the  Federal 
army  and  ever  afterwards  were  troublesome  enemies. 

From  September,  1862,  to  June,  1863,  there  was  little  to 
break  the  monotony  of  camp  life  and  provost  duty.  There 
was  much  of  an  unpleasant  nature  to  be  done  by  men  of  simi- 
lar characters.  Enforcing  conscription — disarming  the  peo- 
ple— the  impressment  of  property,  forcing  magistrates  and 


736  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

civil  autliorities  to  take  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  Confed- 
eracy, was  disagreeable  work.  ^luch  hard  work  was  done  in 
building  block  houses  and  stockades  on  the  entire  railroad 
line,  250  miles.  This  was  a  fine  agricultural  region  and  an 
indispensable  line  of  communication  between  the  armies  of 
Tee  and  Bragg. 

President  Davis  consented  to  evacuation  only  as  a  trap 
for  Burnside's  army,  but  the  cowardly  surrender  of  Cumber- 
land Gap  by  General  J.  W.  Frazer,  9  September,  1863,  how- 
ever, proved  it  a  double  triggered  trap  for  us.  The  Federal 
authorities  were  fully  alive  to  the  importance  of  grasping 
from  us  and  holding  this  section,  so  fertile  for  all,  and  so 
loyal  to  them,  being  urged  thereto  by  the  highest  considera- 
tion of  honor,  duty  and  interest. 

The  Sixty-ninth  Begiment  was  never  idle,  especially  after 
current  rumors  of  Federal  invasion' early  in  1S62,  following 
the  defeat  and  death  of  the  noble  Zollicoft'er  at  Fishing  Creek. 
This  defeat  practically  made  the  Cumberland  Mountains  our 
line  of  defense.  The  Union  element  became  restless  and  de- 
fiant and  many  were  arrested  and  sent  South  to  prison. 

INBIAXS   IX    BATTLE. 

Several  companies  of  the  Sixty-ninth  were  ordered  to  Pow- 
ell's Valley  in  1862,  between  Jacksboro  and  Cumberland  Gap 
— one  Indian  company  at  Baptist  Gap  had  quite  a  battle  with 
some  Federals, killing,  wounding  and  driving  back  their  force. 
The  Indians  were  led  by  lieutenant  Astooga  Stoga,  a  splen- 
did specimen  of  Indian  manhood  and  warrior,  who  was  killed 
in  the  charge.  This  noble  Indian  is  worthy  of  a  lengthy 
sketch,  but  the  writer  has  not  the  data,  if  he  had  time  and 
space.  Like  most  of  the  leading  Indians  of  his  tribe,  he  was 
a  professed  Christian,  and  largely  by  his  efforts  the  Xew  Tes- 
tament was  translated  into  the  Cherokee  language  by  the 
great  American  Bible  Society.  The  Indians  Mere  furious  at 
his  death  and  before  they  could  be  restrained,  they  scalped 
several  of  the  Federal  wounded  and  dead,  for  which  ample 
apologj'  was  made  at  the  time.  In  the  Spring  of  1863  the 
regiment  in  General  A.  E.  Jackson's  Brigade  was  in  the  De- 
partment of  East  Tennessee  commanded  by  Brigadier-Gen- 


Sixty-Ninth   Regiment.  737 

eral  Daniel  S.  Donalson.  In  March,  1863,  it  was  at  Straw- 
berry Plains  and  in  Aj^ril  at  Jonesboro,  and  in  Julj  at  Zol- 
lieoffer,  Tenn.  35  Official  Records  Union  and  Confederate 
Armies,  711,  792. 

Some  time  afterwards  Bragg's  army  entered  Kentucky 
from  middle  Tennessee,  and  after  quite  a  campaign  there,  re- 
turned to  Tennessee  by  way  of  Cumberland  Gap  tO'  Knox- 
ville.  This  campaign  caused  a  temporary  lull  in  East  Ten- 
nessee affairs,  but  the  retreat  of  Lee  from  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania  and  the  surrender  of  Vicksburg  was  followed 
by  outspoken  defiance  all  over  East  Tennessee. 

Spies  and  recruiting  officers  from  the  Union  Army  were 
almost  everywhere.  Several  cavalry  raids  burned  and  at- 
tempted to  burn  railroad  bridges  and  depots  antil  finally,  on 
4  September,  General  Burnside  captured  Knoxville,  the 
stronghold  of  East  Tennessee,  without  firing  a  gun  or  meet- 
ing an  enemy.  Some  time  prior  to  this  all  the  white  compa- 
nies of  the  regiment  and  several  companies  of  Walker's  Bat- 
talion (of  our  Legion)  were  concentrated  for  drill  and  disci- 
pline at  Greenville,  Tenn.,  and  were  brigaded  wdth  the  Six- 
tieth and  Sixty-second  Regiments  and  Twelfth  Battalion^ 
Georgia  Troops,  and  several  Virginia,  Georgia  and  Florida 
Regiments. 

After  Burnside's  occupancy  of  Knoxville  there  Avas  a  gen- 
eral ''On  to  Richmond,"  "On  to  Chattanooga,"  and  "On  to 
Atlanta"  cry  in  the  Federal  army.  The  hopes  of  this  cry 
were  realized  afterwards,  but  at  very  great  cost  of  life  to  the 
enemy.  Those  were  gloomy  days  to  those  of  us  who  left  our 
homes  and  loved  ones  at  the  mercy  of  the  enemy.  This  terri- 
tory was  never  reclaimed,  afterwards  almost  every  foot  of  it 
was  fought  over,  time  and  again,  and  its  occupancy  was  costly 
to  the  enemy,  but  of  great  political  significance  to  them. 

Part  of  the  Sixty-ninth  and  most  of  the  Eightieth 
(Walker's  Battalion,  which  had  been  raised  to  a  regiment), 
with  detachments  of  the  Twenty-ninth,  Thirty-ninth,  Sixtieth 
and  Sixty-second  North  Carolina  Regiments,  fell  back  to  the 
gap  of  the  Smoky  Mountains,  or  the  North  Carolina  line, 
there  to  guard  against  the  invasion  of  that  region. 
47 


738  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861 -'65. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Sixtj-ninth,  with  part  of  Single- 
ton's, Berry's,  Whitaker's  and  Aikin's  companies  of  the 
Eightieth,  fell  back  towards  Bristol,  Va.  Immediately 
npon  liis  occupancy  of  Knoxville,  Burnside  sent  forces  up  the 
railroad  which  had  heen  surrendered  without  a  struggle, or  the 
destruction  of  a  bridge,  to  Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  also  sent  cavalry 
to  Blount,  Sevier,  Cocke,  and  Washington  counties,  Tennes- 
see, guarding  against  surprises  from  that  direction,  and 
threatening  North  and  South  Carolina  by  way  of  Murphy, 
Webster,  Waynesville  and  Asheville,  and  attempting  to  cap- 
ture Colonel  Thomas'  forces,  good  turnpike  roads  penetrating 
these  mountains.  But  the  "fighting  end"  of  Thomas'  Legion 
was  not  idle  in  upper  East  Tennessee,  and  marched  and  coun- 
ter-marched in  every  county  in  that  end  of  the  State,  and  up 
to  Saltville,  Va.,  leaving  the  bones  of  their  comrades  (since 
kindly  gathered  at  Knoxville  by  the  noble  women  of  Tennes- 
see) all  over  that  section. 

TENNESSEE  ABANDONED. 

When  Tennessee  was  fully  surrendered  great  gloom  over- 
spread the  soldiers  from  the  border  States,  and  many  Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee,  Alabama  and  North  Carolina  troops  re- 
turned to  their  homes.  Bragg's  army  with  a  muster  roll  of 
83,707,  had  few  over  40,000  guns,  and  guns  are  all  that  count 
in  battle. 

General  Bragg  wrote  to  General  Lee  that  after  seven 
months  of  conscription,  not  a  soldier  was  added  to  his  army ; 
that  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  North  Carolina  troops  could 
not  be  depended  upon,  a  very  unjust  aspersion  cast  upon  all, 
especially  North  Carolinians,  most  of  whom,  even  after  leav- 
ing their  regiments  in  the  East  and  West,  did  good  service  at 
home.  No  section  of  the  Union  furnished  as  many  soldiers 
to  the  Union  Army  according  to  the  population  as  East  Ten- 
nessee. With  such  surroundings  as  these  it  is  no  wonder  that 
so  many  were  induced  to  desert,  or  more  properly  stated,  re- 
turned to  their  homes. 

The  same  day  that  General  Burnside  occupied  Knoxville, 
Colonel  Thomas,  with  several  hundred  men,  fell  back  from 
Strawberry  Plains,  passing  through  Sevierville  to  the  North 


Sixty-Ninth   Regiment.  739 

Carolina  line,  taking  all  the  Indians  and  many  whites.  He 
was  closely  followed  by  the  Federals  and  had  quite  a  skirmish 
near  Sevierville,  on  7  or  8  September,  1863,  but  he  crossed 
the  Smoky  Mountains  and  at  once  securely  blockaded  all  the 
roads  leading  in  that  direction  from  near  Paint  Rock  to  near 
Ducktown. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Love  and  Major  Stringfield,  with  600 
or  700  men,  were  ordered  to  fortify  and  hold  Carter's  Depot 
at  the  railroad  bridge  across  the  Watauga,  about  twenty  miles 
west  of  Bristol. 

General  John  S.  Williams,  of  Kentucky,  since  United 
States  Senator,  then  commanded  the  Department  of  East  Ten- 
nessee which  was  abandoned  to  the  foe,  after  the  shameful 
surrender  of  Cumberland  Gap  9  September,  1863. 

CAMPAIGNING   IN    EAST   TENNESSEE. 

Burnside's  forces,  composed  largely  of  native  Tennessee- 
ans,  rather  recklessly  took  charge  of  the  country.  One  regi- 
ment of  troops  (One  Hundredth  Ohio)  went  to  Jonesboro  on 
the  cars  5  September,  1863,  and  several  hundred  ventured  up 
to  Carter's  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort.  The 
next  day  Major  Stringfield  was  ordered  to  take  200  of  his 
men  and  a  battalion  of  cavalry  (McLin)  under  Captain  D. 
D.  Anderson,  and  reconnoitre  the  position  of  the  enemy.  He 
took  this  force  to  Jonesboro  and  below.  On  7  September 
General  A.  E.  Jackson  came  up  with  the  balance  of  the  Sixty- 
ninth  iSIorth  Carolina,  the  Fourth  Kentucky  Cavalry  and 
Sixteenth  Georgia  Cavalry  and  Borrough's  Battery,  and 
learning  that  the  enemy  were  fortifying  in  and  around  the 
old  limestone  blockhouse  and  a  stone  mansion  near  by,  the 
Sixty-ninth  was  ordered  up  by  General  Jackson  and  at  3  :00 
a.  m.  on  the  8th,  we  drove  them  from  Telford's  depot  to  Lime- 
stone, where  they  made  a  determined  stand,  evidently  being 
handled  by  some  veteran  officers.  Closing  in  upon  them  on 
all  sides,  we  forced  them  to  surrender  with  a  loss  of  20  killed, 
30  wounded  and  314  prisoners,  with  400  splendid  small  arms. 
Our  loss  was  six  killed  and  fifteen  wounded.  Our  regiment 
was  immediately  armed  with  the  guns  here  captured  (Enfield 


740  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

rifles).  The  enemy  were  the  One  Hundredth  Ohio  Regi- 
ment (Infantry)  and  were  a  fine  looking  body  of  men.  Know- 
ing that  this  capture  would  arouse  the  enemy,  we  fell  back  to- 
wards Carter's.  Ten  days  afterwards  the  enemy  approach- 
ing in  force  with  several  regiments  of  cavalry,  battle  was 
given  them  at  Carter's.  Our  cavalry  was  much  weaker  than 
theirs.  Owing  to  the  general  advance  movements  by  the  en- 
emy, the  capture  of  Cumberland  Gap,  or  rather  its  shameful 
surrender  by  General  Frazer  9  September,  1863,  and  advance 
movements  all  up  to  the  Salt  Works  and  into  West  Virginia^ — 
a  long  line  of  defense — we  were  compelled  to  draw  in  our  line 
and  concentrate  our  forces. 

Our  position  at  Carter's  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Watauga 
river,  was  impregnable,  and  the  enemy,  after  two  assaults, 
flanked  us  at  Devault's  Ford  on  the  north,  and  Taylor's 
on  the  south  side,  causing  us  to  fall  back  to  Zollicoffer, 
or  ''Union  Depot,"  now  Bluff  City.  The  enemy  about  this 
time  hearing  about  our  great  victory  over  them  at  Chicka- 
mauga,  hastily  retired  towards  Knoxville.  We  followed 
them  to  Bull's  Gap,  the  Sixty-ninth  being  the  only  infantry 
regiment.  On  5  October,  1863,  the  cavalry  had  a  fight  at 
Greenville,  killing  seven,  wounding  twelve  and  capturing  ten 
of  the  enemy,  with  a  loss  of  three  killed  and  seven  wounded. 
General  Jno.  S.  Williams,  of  "Cerro  Gordo"  fame,  command- 
ing our  troops.  On  15  October,  after  several  days  skirmish- 
ing with  the  enemy.  General  Williams  gave  battle  at  Blue 
Springs  with  his  1,800  dismounted  men,  holding  in  check 
Burn  side's  7,000  veterans.  The  Sixty-ninth  was  ordered  to 
his  aid,  but  hearing  of  a  flank  movement  of  the  enemy,  we 
were  ordered  to  retreat  towards  Jonesboro,  and  finally  to 
Abingdon,  Va.  In  our  retreat  three  miles  above  Greenville, 
our  cattle,  wagons,  artillery  and  infantry,  in  order  named, 
were  surrounded  before  we  knew  it.  General  Burnside  had 
thrown  General  Foster  with  3,000  cavalry  in  our  front,  at- 
tempting our  capture.  The  first  intimation  we  had  of  their 
presence  was  in  the  capture  of  our  Adjutant,  L.  C.  May,  and 
Captain  Tip  (H.  H.)  Taylor,  Acting  Adjutant-General  of 
our  brigade.     Captain  May  escaped  and  gave  us  warning. 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  741 


GREENVILLE^  TENX. 


In  a  few  moments  after  the  presence  of  the  enemy  was  known 
Colonel  Love  turned  back  the  wagons,  ordered  forward  the 
Sixty-ninth  at  double  quick,  threw  it  in  line  of  battle  across 
the  road,  and  bringing  forward  the  artillery,  began  at  the  ear- 
liest dawn  of  day  a  furious  artillery  fire  upon  the  enemy  in 
corn  fields  and  meadows  confronting  us,  fortunately  for  us, 
bursting  shells  in  their  very  midst.  Before  they  could  real- 
ize the  sudden  change  of  the  situation,  the  Sixty-ninth,  with 
the  "bear  hunter's  rebel  yell,"  was  upon  them.  Our  men 
realized  at  once  that  quick  and  deadly  work  must  be  done,  or 
we  would  all  be  captured.  The  entire  600  men  at  sunrise 
dashed  forward  at  the  enemy  in  a  heavy  skirmish  line,  Love 
upon  the  right  and  Stringfield  upon  the  left,  with  company 
officers  all  in  place,  all  cheering  and  directing  their  men. 
Lieutenant  Welch,  of  Company  F,  afterwards  killed  at  Win- 
chester, was  shot  through  the  thigh  by  the  side  of  the  writer ; 
very  few  others  hurt.  This  was  a  running  fight  for  ten  miles. 
Two  Federals  were  killed  in  the  yard  of  Senator  Patterson, 
son-in-law  of  President  Johnson.  Tw^elve  or  fifteen  others 
were  killed.  General  Williams,  while  slowly  retreating  be- 
fore Bumside,  heard  our  artillery  open  upon  the  enemy. 
Pashing  forward  at  a  gallop,  he  materially  aided  us  in  the 
achievement  of  one  of  the  most  brilliant  retreats  of  the  w^ar. 
General  Williams  was  profuse  in  his  compliments,  personally 
and  in  special  orders,  to  our  regiment.  We  retreated  sixty- 
two  miles  in  thirty  hours,  fighting  and  driving  the  enemy 
much  of  the  way  towards  Jonesboro,  but  not  losing  cattle  or 
wagons  and  but  few  men.  The  retreat  did  not  stop  until  we 
reached  Virginia  and  fortified  Abingdon,  and  covered  Salt- 
ville,  where  we  were  reinforced  by  the  brigades  of  Corse  and 
Wharton,  Virginia  troops,  under  General  Robert  Ransom. 
We  remained  quietly  here  until  1  JTovember,  when  w^e  began 
another  forward  movement  towards  Knoxville,  Tenn.  While 
here  a  beautiful  Carolina  maiden,  having  heard  of  the  hero- 
ism of  our  men  and  of  complimentary  orders  about  them, 
sent  the  following  acrostic  to  our  gallant  Colonel,  J.  R.  Love, 


742      North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

who  several  years  since  has  "crossed  over  the  river  and  is 
resting  under  the  shade  of  the  trees." 

"J  oined  to  a  gallant  band, 
'R  ound  their  colors  sworn  to  stand; 
L  egions  'gainst  yon,  rushing  came, 
0  you  drove  them  back  again. 
Y  otes  of  thanks,  so  well  deserved, 
E  ver  greet  such  men  of  nerve. " 

BLOUNTSVILLE,    TENN. 

While  we  were  waiting  a  few  days  near  Blountsville, 
Tenn.,  our  cavalry  under  William  E.  Jones,  made  a  nice  cap- 
ture of  twelve  or  fifteen  hundred  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  at 
Rogersville,  and  near  100  wagons  of  the  Second  Tennessee 
(United  States)  and  Seventh  Ohio.  The  citizens  here-abouts 
were  mostly  our  friends,  something  unusual  in  East  Tennes- 
see, and  had  noble  kindred  in  our  army,  mostly  with  Bragg. 

While  around  Blountsville,  company  and  regimental  drill 
was  daily  enforced.  Lieutenant  Thomas  Fergiison,  a  good 
soldier,  afterwards  made  Captain  and  captured  at  Piedmont, 
joined  us  here  with  75  recruits.  A  painful  example  for 
discipline  was  made  here,  one  poor  fellow  of  Company  K,  a 
Tennesseean,  with  two  others  of  Tennessee  troops,  captured 
at  Rogersville,  Tenn.,  by  General  W.  E.  Jones,  in  the  uni- 
form of  the  enemy,  were  court-martialed  and  shot  at  the 
stake.  The  army  then  moved  down  the  Rogersville  and 
Kingsport  Valley  towards  Knoxville,  on  the  north  side  of 
Holston  river,  wading  the  river  and  creeks  in  the  ice. 

General  Robert  Ransom  Avas  a  fine  disciplinarian  and 
fighter.  Sometimes  unpopular  in  camp,  or  upon  the  march, 
but  imiversally  popular  in  battle,  where  it  was  an  inspiration 
to  see  him.  He  did  not  "snuff  battle  from  afar,"  but  rushed 
into  the  thickest  fray,  to  cheer  and  guide  his  men.  In  all 
this  dread  winter  campaign  the  Sixty-ninth  were  cheer-ful 
and  obedient.  Winter  quarters  were  built  near  Rogersville 
in  December,  but  were  occupied  only  one  week.  After  this 
neither  the  men  or  officers  had  tents  or  houses,  but  faced  the 
storms  of  rain  and  snow,  miul  and  ice,  in  tramps  several  miles 
above  and  beloAv  Rogersville,  down  towards  Knoxville. 

General  Alfred  E.  Jackson  was  our  brigade  commander 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  743 

this  winter  in  all  our  campaigns.  He  was  a  cultivated  gen- 
tleman and  personally  a  brave  man.  He  was  a  good  man  and 
always  managed  the  men  to  the  best  advantage  in  so  hostile  a 
region.  He  was  personally  and  scrupulously  honest,  and 
demanded  the  same  of  his  men ;  but  he  was  a  little  too  strict 
for  the  "old  soldier"  ideas  of  those  who  wanted  to  prowl. 
The  marches  below  Eogersville  and  down  to  Blaine's  Cross 
Roads  were  mostly  made  in  bad,  and  very  cold  weather. 
When  we  met  Longstreet's  returning  forces  after  his  repulse 
at  Knoxville,  and  our  great  defeat  at  Missionary  Ridge,  the 
entire  army  fell  back  near  Rogersville,  and  the  Sixty-ninth, 
with  others  crossed  the  Holston  river  and  went  into  camp  on 
the  railroad  near  Russelville  on  1  January,  1864.  Soon 
afterwards  the  Sixty-ninth  returned  to  our  old  quarters  at 
Carter's  Depot,  where  with  that  as  a  base  of  operations  we 
could  "swing  around"  the  mountains  on  several  trips  after 
"renegades,"  blockade  stills  and  deserters. 

OARTEK^S^   TENN. 

About  1  April,  1864,  Longstreet's  army  returned  to  Rich- 
mond and  several  of  Burnside's  regiments  returned  to  their 
old  game  of  annoying  us.  On  26  April  we  were  assaulted  by 
the  Third  Indiana  and  Ninth  Michigan  Cavalry  at  Carter's, 
but  we  nicely  repulsed  them.  Our  loss,  one  killed  and  five 
captured.  Theirs,  twenty  killed  and  wounded — our  regi- 
ment alone  engaged.  At  this  time  and  place  the  writer,  wath 
250  men,  was  ordered  to  cross  the  railroad  bridge  and  re- 
connoitre the  enemy.  The  troops  were  left  in  the  railroad  cut 
at  the  end  of  the  bridge,  under  Captain  J.  W.  Cooper,  a 
brave  and  gallant  Southron,  while  I  looked  ahead  and  around 
a  little,  taking  Lieutenant  Gallahar,  of  Company  K.  We 
walked  a  quarter  of  a  mile  ahead  through  the  fields.  While 
here  I  discovered  a  flank  movement  of  the  enemy  on  the  ridge, 
south  and  west,  and  ordered  the  men  by  a  wave  of  the  hand 
into  the  fort.  In  the  meanwhile,  the  enemy  seeing  their 
movements  discovered,  charged  up  through  the  fields  and 
woods,  1,800  strong,  with  yells  and  the  huzzahs  peculiar  to 
themselves.  Captains  Welch,  Cooper  and  McConnell,  Lieu- 
tenants Conley  and  Gallahar  and  the  men,  every  one  of  them, 


744  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

acted  with  conspicuous  bravery.  Seeing  ourselves  outflanked 
on  both  sides  of  the  fort,  I  ordered  the  men  back  to  the 
friendly  protection  of  an  old  time  saw  and  grist  mill  on  the 
river  bank,  and  here  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight  up  to  the  water's 
edge,  we  fouglit,  and  finally  drove  the  enemy  back,  killing  a 
Major  of  the  ISTinth  Michigan  and  a  Lieutenant  and  a  num- 
ber of  the  men  at  the  very  side  of  the  water.  We  were  or- 
dered to  retire  to  the  east  side  of  the  Watauga  river,  recross- 
ing  the  bridge,  but  the  enemy  were  too  close  upon  us,  and 
the  river  at  our  backs.  It  was  "hilt  to  hilt"  indeed.  We  had 
the  right  wing  of  the  enemy  to  fight — four  or  five  to  one. 
Their  left  wing  was  upon  the  north  side  of  the  railroad  and 
up  to  the  railroad  bridge,  thus  completely  cutting  off  our 
route  across  the  bridge;  but  our  friends  on  the  east  side  of 
the  bridge,  while  cut  off  from  us,  were  by  no  means  idle.  With 
six  or  eight  cannon  and  long  range  guns,  they  materially 
aided  us  in  driving  back  the  enemy.  I  wish  also,  in  addition 
to  officers  named,  to  add  the  names  of  Captains  Butler  and 
Phillips,  Lieutenants  Peck,  Kaby  and  Sergeant-Ma j or  Car- 
mack  and  others  who  were  conspicuous  for  their  gallantry. 

After  this  repulse  the  enemy  remained  quiet  till  night, 
during  most  of  which  they  "shelled  the  woods"  and  our  anny, 
flanking  our  position  next  day  and  again  forcing  us  to  fall 
back  to  Zollicoffer  (now  Bluff  City)  and  on  to  Bristol. 

SALTVILLE,  VA. 

The  first  week  in  May  we  were  ordered  to  the  Salt  Works, 
Virginia,  where  we  remained  till  1  June,  when  we  were  sent 
to  the  Valley  of  Virginia.  While  at  Saltville,  Va.,  our  men 
were  constantly  drilled  and  disciplined.  Wliile  here  the  en- 
emy in  the  meanwhile  were  making  tremendous  efforts  to  take 
and  liold  nil  of  East  Tennessee  •  and  South  West  Virginia. 
The  Salt  Works  were  an  especial  object  of  interest  and  around 
here  were  raids  and  fights  all  the  balance  of  the  war.  While 
here  the  railroad  having  been  cut  and  held  by  the  enemy,  we 
had  doul)le  rations  of  rice,  snlt  and  water  for  near  three 
weeks,  and  nothing  else. 

The  Valley  campaign  being  one  of  the  most  exciting  as 
well  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  war,  is  deserving  of 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  745 

a  more  extensive  notice  than  can  be  given  in  this  sketch.  At 
the  time  of  our  hasty  departure  from  Southwest  Virginia  for 
the  Valley,  orders  had  been  issued  by  the  War  Department  for 
our  transfer  to  Western  North  Carolina.  Colonel  Thomas 
had  manfully  worked  to  that  end.  He  claimed  with  truth 
and  much  force  that  troops  were  needed  in  North  Carolina 
to  protect  that  section,  as  well  as  upper  South  Carolina  and 
Georgia.  Many  of  the  men  had  joined  the  regiment  upon 
the  express  understanding  that  it  was  for  home  defense ;  but 
Hunter's  raid  up  the  Valley  demanded  our  immediate  atten- 
tion and  we  must  go.  Several  East  Tennessee  cavalry  regi- 
ments went  with  us.  We  left  horses  and  "bag  and  baggage" 
behind,  regimental  officers  and  all.  The  First,  Third  and 
Fourteenth  Tennessee  Cavalry,  under  General  John  C. 
Vaughn,  Colonel  James  E.  Carter  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Key — the  latter  since  well  known  as  United  States  Senat(  r, 
Postmaster-General  under  President  Hayes,  and  Federal 
Judge  at  Knoxville,  since  dead.  Colonel  Carter,  of  the 
First  Tennessee  Cavalry,  was  a  brave  and  knightly  Southron, 
cool,  clear-headed  and  fearless — "Sans  peur  et  sans  reproche/' 
The  same  may  be  said  of  General  Vaughn.  Several  Virginia 
infantry  regiments  also  went  with  us  from  New  Piver  bridge 
• — the  Thirty-sixth,  Forty-fifth,  Fifty-first  and  Sixtieth.  These 
were  good  men  and  had  recently  passed  through  a  fiery  ordeal 
in  Southwest  Virginia,  where  most  of  their  regimental  and 
company  officers  were  killed,  wounded  or  captured.  Colonel 
Thomas  A.  Smith,  Colonel  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Virginia,  was 
also  along,  and  after  the  killing  of  Colonel  Brown,  brigade 
commander,  at  Piedmont  5  June,  Colonel  Smith  continued 
to  command  us  while  in  the  Valley.  He  was  always  kind, 
considerate  and  knightly  in  camp  or  upon  the  march — in  bat- 
tle he  was  little  less  than  bridled  lightning.  He  was  a  great 
favorite  with  our  men. 

STAUNTON^  VA. 

We  reached  Staunton  via  Lynchburg,  Gordonsville  and 
Charlottesville  in  June,  on  the  2d  day  of  the  month  in  the 
afternoon.  At  once  drew  and  cooked  three  days'  rations 
and  marched  towards  the  enemy,  brigaded  with   the  Vir- 


746  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

ginians  as  above.  For  several  days  we  were  marched  around, 
seemingly  in  circles,  to  get  at  the  enemy's  infantry,  held  back 
behind  their  cavalry,  who  were  desolating  the  country,  burn- 
ing houses,  barns,  mills,  grain  and  frightening  the  poor  un- 
armed women.  About  this  time  it  was  seemingly  agreed  be- 
tween Sheridan,  Hunter,  Grant  and  Sherman  that  they  could 
not  whip  the  men  until  they  had  desolated  their  homes,  in- 
sulted and  driven  off  their  families  and  destroyed  property, 
as  was  done  in  Tennessee,  Virginia  and  Georgia. 

But  this  is  a  digression,  v/ar ranted  however,  we  think,  by 
the  terrible  destruction  seen  all  around.  On  the  morning  of 
5  eTune  the  enemy's  infantry  having  been  located.  General 
Wm.  E.  Jones,  after  a  march  and  double  quick  of  sixteen 
miles,  threw  his  army  across  the  valley,  crossing  the  turnpike 
between  the  villages  of  Piedmont  and  New  Hope,  eight  or  ten 
miles  north  of  Staunton.  Our  cavalry  in  the  meanwhile  was 
holding  the  enemy  in  check  till  the  infantry  was  in  position. 
The  middle  or  right  centre  of  our  line  ran  up  at  right  angles 
and  eastward,  and  then  south  with  the  Valley  turnpike,  one- 
fourth  mile  or  more ;  thence  eastward  again,  to  the  Blue 
Ridge,  on  the  extreme  right.  The  position  of  the  Sixty-ninth 
as  developed  in  the  battle,  was  the  most  perilous  of  any  of  our 
forces,  being  on  an  elevation  facing  cleared  fields  north,  west 
and  east,  and  being  at  the  angle  on  the  turnpike,  six  compa- 
nies on  the  line  west  of  and  tAvo  running  south  with  the  pike. 

Generals  Imboden  and  Rosser  and  other  cavalry  on  our 
flanks,  did  noble  service,  but  as  all  of  our  general  officers  were 
killed  and  no  one  left  was  fully  conversant  with  the  country 
and  troops,  no  one  has  written  any  report  that  I  have  seen, 
nor  lias  any  special  report  been  made  by  General  Hunter.  It 
is  impossible,  therefore,  to  give  an  intelligent  idea  of  the  bat- 
tle, but  from  the  best  information  gathered.  General  Jones 
kept  the  most  of  his  troops  on  his  left  flank  up  to,  and  prob- 
ably across  the  Slienandoah  river,  and  with  the  Sixtieth, 
Fifty-first,  Forty-fifth  and  Thirty-sixth  Virginia  Regiments, 
and  such  others  as  he  had  still  further  west  held  the  line. 
Our  cavalry  had  engaged  the  enemy  hotly  from  early  dawn 
on  both  sides  of  the  turnpike,  and  when  our  regiment  got  into 
position,  and  in  haste,  threw  up  breastworks  of  rails,  the  en- 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  747 

eniy  rushed  upon  us,  but  meeting  so  warm  a  reception,  they 
retired  in  disorder.  Coming  again  and  again,  we  drove  them 
back  nicely  every  time.  The  right  wing  of  our  line  rested 
upon  and  went  south  with  the  turnpike. 

The  enemy's  wagons,  plainly  visible  one  mile  distant, 
turned  back  and  began  a  retreat.  Our  men  were  jubilant  and 
wanted  to  pursue,  but  a  flank  movement  was  discovered  and 
the  enemy  being  reinforced  by  Averill  with  6,000  or  8,000 
troops,  our  right  flank  was  turned  and  we  were  driven  back 
in  some  disorder,  but  with  the  loss  of  no  wagons  or  cannon 
except  the  small  battery  of  four  guns,  at  the  angle  of  our 
line  and  immediately  supported  by  the  Sixty-ninth.  This 
battery  was  furiously  fired  upon  and  silenced  in  the  early 
morning  fight  by  thirty  of  the  enemy's  guns.  Being  de- 
feated all  along  our  lines  the  enemy  attempted  this  flank 
movement  which  was  finally  successful.  General  Jones  hear- 
ing of  this  movement,  bravely  ran  his  horse  out  between  the 
lines  and  instantly  comprehended  the  gravity  of  the  situa- 
tion. Dashing  back  for  aid  he  called  out  as  he  passed  us, 
"Brave  Carolinians,  I'll  bring  you  help."  He  did  return 
very  soon  with  the  Thirty-sixth  and  Sixtieth  Virginia  Kegi- 
ments ;  but  it  was  too  late.  He  vainly  attempted  to  repel 
this  assault,  now  furiously  made  all  along  the  lines.  He  was 
killed  in  this  action,  madly  dashing  at  the  very  gims  of  the 
enemy.  ITpon  the  fall  of  Jones,  our  forces  retired,  a  while 
in  disorder,  but  soon  rallied.  Colonel  Jones,  of  our  brigade, 
was  also  killed,  with  several  other  valuable  officers.  The 
Sixty-ninth  lost  a  number  of  brave  officers  and  men.  Cap- 
tain Julius  M.  Welch,  of  Company  E,  a  heroic.  Christian  sol- 
dier, Lieutenant  James  Conley,  Lieutenant  Adam  Peck,  Com- 
pany D ;  Sergeant  Welch,  Company  F,  and  several  others 
whose  names  are  forgotten  by  the  writer.  Southern  men 
seldom  fought  better  than  upon  this  occasion.  Every  officer 
and  man  seemed  to  imbibe  the  dauntless  spirit  of  our  leaders. 

Our  forces  retreated  slowly  and  sullenly  towards  Staun- 
ton. The  loss  of  the  enemy  was  very  great  in  killed  and 
wounded,  with  only  two  prisoners.  Our  loss  was  100  killed, 
250  wounded  and  near  955  prisoners.  Loss  of  the  Sixty- 
ninth,  20  killed,  30  wounded  and  21  missing.     Our  loss  in 


748  North  Carolina  Troops,  1861-65. 

prisoners  was  great  because  of  the  loss  of  our  leaders  and 
guides  who  knew  the  country  and  our  men  were  picked  up 
by  the  enemy's  cavah-y.  Finally  Brigadier-General  J.  C. 
Vaughn,  of  the  Tennessee  troops,  succeeded  in  taking  our 
men  off  of  the  field  with  little  confusion  and  no  loss  of  guns 
or  wagons.  A  short  while  after  the  Tenth  New  York  (Cav- 
alry) charged  upon  our  rear,  with  sabers  glittering  in  the  sun- 
light, and  the  cheers  of  victors.  General  Vaughn  gave  them 
a  warm  reception  with  grape  and  canister  in  an  open  field. 
The  rear  guard  of  the  Sixty-ninth,  commanded  by  Major 
Stringfield,  also  repulsed  them  in  a  hand-to-hand  fight,  and 
in  a  personal  combat  he  killed  one  and  captured  another  of  the 
enemy.     This  stopped  their  pursuit. 

LYNCHBURG;,   VA. 

After  this  our  army  fell  back  to  Rockfish  Gap,  awaiting 
another  battle  with  the  enemy ;  but  they  much  preferred 
burning  houses  and  desolating  the  country,  which  they  did 
at  Staunton,  Lexington  and  Lynchburg.  In  a  day  or  so, 
General  Breckinridge  assumed  command  of  our  army.  We 
then  rapidly  passed  down  Rockfish  river  through  Amherst 
Court  House  and  to  Lynchburg.  There  in  the  breastworks 
we  were  largely  reinforced  by  General  Early.  He  at  once 
assumed  conmiand  and  took  the  offensive,  rapidly  following 
General  Hunter,  who  being  greatly  pressed  and,  as  he  says, 
out  of  ammunition,  dodged  off  into  and  went  down  the  Kan- 
awha Valley,  leaving  our  forces  in  the  undisputed  possession 
of  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

LEXINGTON^  VA. 

Here  began  Early's  celebrated  campaign.  The  march 
down  the  valley  was  a  triumphal  one  of  twenty  to  twenty-five 
miles  per  day.  In  passing  through  Lexington,  the  West 
Point  of  the  South,  the  liome  of  Stonewall  Jackson,  and 
where  his  honored  remains  were  buried,  our  entire  anny 
marched  through  the  cemetery  and  around  his  grave  with  re- 
versed arms  and  bowed  heads,  and  memories  thrilled  with 
thoughts  of  this  world  renowned  hero. 

The  Federals  also  seem  to  have  visited  his  grave  in  great 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  749 

numbers,  and  carried  off  as  individual  trophies  the  iiagstaff 
and  head-board — these  being  literally  cut  into  splinters. 
What  a  gTand  sight  to  see  the  soldiery  of  two  great  opposing 
armies  honoring  this  noble  dead !  Onward  marched  our 
army  of  12,000  men. 

"  Proudly  they  tread,  that  gallant  Southern  host. 
Forth  marched  they  from  mountain  grove  and  coast; 
Their  hearts  beat  high,  they  thunder  on  the  foe, 
And  like  a  whirlwind  to  the  conflict  go." 

ON  TO  WASHINGTON. 

We  passed  through  Staunton,  jSTew  Market,  Harrison- 
burg, Strasburg  and  Winchester.  At  this  last  place  we  met 
an  ovation  indeed.  The  entire  populace  crowded  the  streets 
and  nearly  wild  with  joy  mothers,  wives  and  sisters  embraced 
sons,  husbands  and  brothers,  as  they  marched  on — none  being 
allowed  to  stop.  On  w^e  went.  "On  to  Washington"  was 
our  cry,  and  on  to  Washington  we  went,  capturing  a  splendid 
4  July  dinner  at  Martinsburg.  We  crossed  the  Potomac  5 
July,  wading  through  it  and  camping  on  the  old  battle  ground 
of  Antietam.  On  6  and  7  July  our  army  went  near  to,  but 
did  not  capture  Harper's  Ferry.  On  8  July  we  passed  Mid- 
dletown ;  on  the  9th,  Frederick  City.  At  this  place  our  gal- 
lant General  Rodes  whipped  Lew  Wallace  and  sent  him 
w^hirling  a  la  "Ben  Hur  chariot  race,"  towards  Baltimore. 

Our  corps  (Breckinridge's)  camped  upon  the  battlefield 
at  night,  although  we  had  no  part  in  the  battle  as  a  regiment. 
On  Sunday,  10  July,  we  marched  twenty-two  miles  toward 
Washington  City,  forty  miles  distant.  On  11  July  we 
reached  the  outer  works.  Fort  Stevens.  General  Early  de- 
manded the  surrender  of  the  city,  and  captured  their  outer 
lines.  We  burned  the  palatial  mansion  of  Postmaster-Gen- 
eral Blair,  in  retaliation  for  the  burning,  by  Hunter,  of  Gov- 
ernor Letcher's  residence  at  Lexington,  Va.,  one  month  be- 
fore. It  was  the  universal  opinion  of  the  army  that  we 
could  have  taken  the  city,  although  those  in  General  Early's 
confidence  say  that  he  was  well  posted  as  to  the  movements  of 
the  enemy.  As  we  neared  the  city  and  the  country  and  vil-. 
lage  people  saw  our  army,  they  were  amazed,  and  many  per- 


750  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-65. 

sons  told  us  we  would  have  no  trouble  to  capture  the  city. 
Tlie  truth  is,  as  developed  since,  the  Federal  authorities  had 
no  idea  of  our  numbers  until  after  Lew  Wallace's  defeat  at 
Monocacj  two  days  before.  Up  to  two  hours  before  his  re- 
])ulse  ho  had  sent  vainglorious  dispatches  to  Secretary  Stan- 
ton as  to  how  lie  was  going  to  thrash  out  ''Mosby  and 
his  crowd."  After  that  repulse,  however,  when  Baltimore 
and  Washington  were  both  at  our  mercy,  they  became  really 
alarmed — Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania ;  Governor  Dix, 
of  Xew  York ;  President  Lincoln,  Secretary  Stanton,  Pres- 
ident Gan-ett,  of  the  Baltimore  &:  Ohio  Railroad,  and  others, 
became  frantic. 

Our  men  were  much  dis])leascd  at  the  tardiness  of  General 
Early,  who  has  been  severely  criticised,  both  North  and 
South,  but  notwithstanding  all  the  criticisms  of  those  times, 
General  Early  had  a  warm  friend  in  General  Lee,  who  re- 
fused to  remove  him.  In  the  afternoon  of  12  July  our  army 
slowly  began  a  retreat  towards  the  Virginia  line,  taking  im- 
mense supplies  of  horses,  cattle,  mules  and  commissary  stores. 
On  the  13th  we  nuirched  to  Poolsville,  j\fd.  On  the  14th  we 
crossed  the  Potomac,  back  into  Virginia,  still  unmolested  by 
the  boastful  foe  who  was  going  to  ''gobble  up"  the  whole  of  us. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  remarkable  "raids"  of  the 
war.  General  Early  deserved  much  credit  for  its  success, 
even  without  the  capture  of  Washington  City.  On  15  July 
we  rested  near  the  historic  l)attlefield  of  Leesburg  and  Ball's 
Bluff.  While  here  the  enemy  tried  a  little  "bluff  game" 
upon  us,  but  our  regimental  sharpshooters  and  others,  \mder 
the  gallant  Captain  Robert  Conley,  drove  them  into  the  river 
at  Snicker's  Ferr3^  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  recall  the 
names  of  our  twenty  sharpshooters.  Privates  Thomas  Love 
and  Kiniscy  Collins  are  all  whom  T  can  now  name.  They 
were  all  splendid  fellows.  Collins  is  a  well-to-do  merchant  of 
Bryson  City,  IST.  C.,  and  was  last  year  commander  of  the 
Western  North  Carolina  Veterans. 

From  16  to  24  July  we  leisurely  moved  back,  to  and  up  the 
Valley,  passing  Berr_\wille,  Newton,  Millwood,  Middletown, 
.to  Strasburg,  several  days  in  line  of  battle. 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  751 


IN    THE  VALLEY  OF  VIRGINIA, 


On  the  2-ith  the  enemy,  16,000  strong,  under  Cook,  Averill 
and  Mulligan,  pressing  us  pretty  strong,  we  turned  upon 
them,  our  division  (Wharton's)  making  the  flank  movement 
and  routing  them,  "horse,  foot  and  dragoons,"  drove  them 
^'pell-mell"  through  Kernstown  and  Winchester.  General 
Mulligan  was  killed  in  front  of  the  Sixty-ninth,  or  mortally 
wounded,  and  died  a  few  hours  afterwards  in  the  tent  of  Gen- 
eral Rodes.  He  probably  would  not  have  been  killed  but  for 
the  persistency  of  his  color  guard  in  waving  a  flag  over  his 
prostrate  form.  As  we  made  our  movements  by  the  right 
flank,  it  threw  us — in  advancing  upon  the  enemy — touching 
elbows  with  the  ''Old  Stonewall  Brigade"  on  our  left,  and 
when  known  to  our  men,  a  shout  rent  the  air.  The  fruit  of 
this  victory  was  the  capturing  of  1,200  or  1,500  prisoners, 
and  several  stands  of  arms,  wagons,  cannon,  etc.  Generals 
Breckinridge,  Wharton  and  Col,  Tom  Smith,  our  Corps, 
division  and  brigade  leaders,  and  Colonel  Love,  Major  Mc- 
Tvamy  and  all  company  officers  and  men  did  well  and  were 
conspicuous  for  gallantry. 

On  25,  20  and  27  July,  we  again  went  down  the  valley  to 
and  along  the  Opequon. 

On  1  August  our  cavalry  went  over  into  Maryland,  where 
we  again  took  a  ten  days'  tramp  from  Shepherdstown  around 
to  Williamsport,  etc.  On  8,  9  and  10  August  we  fell  back 
from  Darksville,  Berryville  and  Bunker  Hill,  to  Strasburg,  as 
the  enemy  was  largely  reinforced  and  led  by  Sheridan,  who 
gave  us  battle  every  day.  Their  cavalry  was  daring,  but 
their  infantry  were  not  of  much  force,  made  up  of  city  scum 
and  foreign  mercenaries. 


kernstown. 


On  18  August  we  gave  the  enemy  battle  at  Kernstown  and 
again  drove  them  two  miles  north  of  Winchester.  Our  regi- 
ment led  in  this  assault  upon  and  capture  of  the  fort,  north- 
west of  the  town.  General  John  C,  Breckinridge,  our  corps 
commander  on  foot,  and  wearing  a  linen  duster,  was  along 
leading  the  charge,  which  continued  till  after  dark,  and  we 
became  separated  from  the  line  on  the  east  of  Valley  pike  and 


752  North  Carolina  Troops,   18G1-'6o. 

the  toAvn.  In  this  charge  a  cannon  ball  passed  under  the 
writer,  tearing  a  great  hole  in  the  ground. 

We  halted  on  the  north  side  of  the  fort,  after  capturing  a 
Dutch  or  Hessian  picket  of  thirty  men,  and  after  readjust- 
ing our  line  fell  back  a  half  mile  to  our  main  army. 

On  21  August  we  liad  another  '^spat"  with  the  enemy,  our 
sharpshooters  only  engaged.  This  was  near  the  historic  town 
of  Charleston,  where 

"Old  John  Brown  was  hung, 
The  last  word  he  sung, 
Oh  don't  keep  me  long  here  remaining, 
So  they  took  him  up  a  slope 
And  hung  him  with  a  rope. 
And  cast  him  in  the  happy  land  of  Canaan." 

LEETOWN^   VA. 

On  23  Augaist  we  fought  the  battle  of  Leetown,  losing  25 
men  in  an  ambuscade.  Sheridan's  entire  cavalry  force  con- 
fronted us.  Early  expecting  only  a  small  skirmish,  was  leis- 
urely' riding  along  with  his  staff.  Our  sharpshooters  being 
severely  pressed,  were  reinforced  by  the  entire  Fifty-first 
Virginia  Regiment  of  our  division  and  brigade.  Generals 
Breckinridge  and  Wharton,  our  corps  and  division  command- 
ers, with  their  staff',  were  also  along.  This  writer  being  that 
day  on  Breckinridge's  staff  as  officer  of  the  day,  was  close  up 
to  the  front,  when  suddenly  a  battery  of  several  gims  was  un- 
masked close  upon  us,  on  the  pike.  Several  men  and  horses 
were  killed  and  wounded  in  the  rapid  fliglit  down  the  half 
mile  lane.  Generals,  Colonels  and  other  staff  officers  not  stand- 
ing much  "on  the  order  of  their  going,"  and  it  would  have 
seemed  superlatively  ludicrous  but  for  the  perils  of  the  mo- 
ment. In  our  flight  I  rode  along  near  General  Breckenridge, 
who  was  one  of  the  handsomest  men  I  ever  saw.  He  was 
mounted  on  a  splendid  Iventucky  thoroughbred  and  never 
lost  his  equipoise  of  manner  or  bearing,  although  his  long 
linen  duster,  flowing  in  the  wind,  resembled  a  flying  kite. 

General  Breckinridge  said  to  me:  "Major,  look  out  for 
yourself  and  tell  General  Wharton  to  bring  up  his  division 
and  post  it  behind  that  hill,"  pointing  to  a  gently  rolling  hill 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  753 

in  our  front,  "and  hurl  those  fellows  back  over  there,"  point- 
ing to  a  brigade  of  Sheridan's  cavalry,  led  by  Custer,  that 
neck  and  neck  were  advancing  through  the  fields  north  of  us, 
only  a  few  hundred  yards  oil'.  Colonels  Smith,  Love  and 
others,  however,  were  on  the  alert  and  at  the  proper  moment 
rose  to  their  feet  and  delivered  a  well  directed  and  destruc- 
tive fire  and  sent  them  whirling  back  through  the  field,  leav- 
ing numbers  of  horses  and  men  behind  them. 

On  3  September  Sheridan's  cavalry  ran  over  ours  on  the 
pike  in  the  forenoon,  to  be  themselves  hurled  back  soon  there- 
after. On  4  September  at  Berryville  we  felt  the  enemy  and 
finding  them  well  posted,  after  driving  them  awhile,  we  re- 
tired. 

On  5  September,  we  fell  back  to  Bunker  Hill  and  the 
enemy  following  rather  closely,  our  gallant  Rodes  whirled 
upon  and  scattered  them.  Private  E.  C.  Conner,  of  Com- 
pany F,  Swain  county,  a  bright  and  brave  lad  of  17  years,  was 
killed.  He  was  carried  back  a  half  mile  and  buried  in  an 
open  gTave,  all  within  a  half  an  hour  and  during  our  retreat. 

WINCHESTER   19    SEPTEMBER,    1864. 

On  10  September  the  Sixty-ninth  on  the  Opequon  skir- 
mished with  the  enemy  and  drove  them  across  the  river. 
During  this  period  there  was  much  rain  and  disagreeable 
weather.  None  of  our  brigade  having  tents,  officers  or  men, 
many  were  made  sick.  We  were  compelled  to  camp  often 
upon  the  battle  ground  of  the  previous  days,  and  where 
corpses  of  horses  and  men  were  often  exposed  and  unburied, 
making  horrid  the  atmosphere  and  water.  About  this  time 
fully  one-third  of  our  army  was  detached  from  us  to  go  to 
Lee's  Army  and  Vaughn's  Tennessee  Cavalry  also  leaving,  we 
were  entirely  too  weak  to  cope  with  our  foxy  adversary.  So 
on  19  September  Sheridan  came  at  us  with  fully  30,000  men, 
all  along  the  line  from  Berryville  to  Winchester.  We  repulsed 
every  assault,  but  from  the  force  of  numbers  we  gTadually 
fell  back  upon  the  hills  around  Winchester.  The  enemy  had 
three  full  corps  of  infantry.  Sixth  or  Eighth,  Thirteenth  and 
Nineteenth.  In  the  afternoon  on  our  left  wing,  where  the 
48 


754  North  Carolina  Troops,   ISGl-'Ho. 

Sixtv-iiinth  had  been  liukling  a  large  force  in  check,  while 
most  of  our  division  had  been  sent  to  repel  the  final  assault 
upon  our  centre,  we  were  again  assaulted  in  great  force  and 
finally  surrounded  by  Custer's  and  Averill's  Cavalry  and 
driven  back,  losing,  however,  no  Avagons  and  only  two  can- 
non. Oui'  iiicii  fought  like  heroes,  deploying  and  fighting  as 
in  squad  drill  nud  linhling  the  eneiuy  in  check  till  Early  could 
bring  back  liis  iufautry  line;  but  tor  this  dare-devil  spirit 
shown  by  our  nuin,  and  thoii'  utter  refusal  to  surrender,  great 
damage  would  have  resulted.  We  lost  numbers  of  our  best 
men,  killed,  wounded  and  captured,  75  in  all,  in  our  regi- 
ment. Lieutenant-Colonel  McKamy,  Captains  Singleton  and 
"^'oung,  and  Lieutenants  Jones,  George  and  others  captured. 

In  killed  we  lost  numerous  good  men.  Lieutenants  Welch, 
Company  F ;  Jones,  Company  I),  and  George,  Company  K. 
General  Ramseur  was  also  killed.  Our  army  was  much  dis- 
spirited  by  this  defeat,  especially  the  kSixty-ninth,  as  our  loss 
was  greater  than  that  of  any  other  regiment.  This  was 
owing  to  our  position  on  the  extreme  left  where  our  little 
brigade  of  a  few  hundred  had  to  repel  the  assault  of  7,000  cav- 
alry. We  made  a  liasty  retreat  up  the  Valley  for  two  days, 
followed  by  the  enemy,  who  took  most  of  our  wagons.  They 
attempted  to  run  over  us  again  on  the  21st  and  the  22d,  but 
w'ith  the  loss  of  only  our  sick  aud  wounded,  we  beat  them 
back. 

Sheridan  sent  wonderfully  boastful  dispatches  back  to  Sec- 
retary Stanton,  claiming  the  capture  of  Early's  entire  army. 
A  few  days  later  Stanton  asked:  "Where  are  your  5,000 
prisoners?"  Answer:  '■'One  thousand  two  hundred  only, 
and  mostly  wounded:  my  army  too  exhausted  to  follow." 
See  Official  liccoixh  of  Union  und  Confederate  Armies,  Vol. 
— ,  page  — . 

A  letter  written  by  Colonel  Love  from  Strasburg,  15  Oc- 
tober, 1864,  says  of  this  battle:  ''We  have  600  wounded  at 
Winchester,  the  enemy  has  6,000."  Our  army  fell  back  to, 
or  near  Staunton,  and  after  resting  there  for  several  days, 
again  turned  down  the  Valley.  At  this  time  Major  String- 
field  was  ordered  to  go  to  Western  North  Carolina  and  take 
command  of  that  portion  of  the  Legion  there  and  in  East 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  755 

Tennessee.  This  he  did  through  a  circuitous  route  through 
the  mountains  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  arriving  at 
Asheville  about  1  November,  1864. 

CEDAR  CEEEK  19  OCTOBER,  1864. 

x\fter  turning  down  the  Valley  towards  Winchester,  the 
Sixty-ninth  now  reduced  to  only  150  men,  was  in  all  the 
movements  of  Early's  army,  including  the  ill-fated  battle  of 
Cedar  Creek,  19  October,  where  its  gallant  men  again  bore 
testimony  of  their  faith  in,  and  devotion  to,  the  South.  In 
that  battle  our  position  was  on  our  left — the  enemy's  right — 
and  at  early  dawn  we  were  ordered  to  carry  the  enemy's 
works,  and  before  they  knew  of  our  flank  movement  that  was 
then  up  and  in  motion  to  drive  them  from  behind  all  their 
works.  This  assault  was  at  first  unsuccessful  and  we  left 
a  number  of  our  men,  killed  and  wounded,  between  the  lines. 
Soon,  however,  the  attack  was  renewed.  The  flank  move- 
ment was  a  success.  Our  troops  bearing  down  upon  the  en- 
emy like  a  Western  tornado,  carried  everything  before  them. 
This  was  followed  up  for  several  miles  down  the  valley  to- 
wards Middleton  in  the  early  forenoon,  thus  gaining  one  of 
the  completest  victories  of  the  Avar,  Our  army  took  sixteen 
or  eighteen  hundred  prisoners,  five  or  six  hundred  wagons 
and  thirty-six  cannon,  wdth  lots  of  small  arms  and  supplies. 

The  prisoners  were  safely  taken  out,  but  all  the  other  spoils 
were  recaptured  with  an  equal  amount  from  us.  All  together 
we  only  had  ten  or  twelve  thousand  men,  the  enemy  thirty 
thousand.  It  was  the  same  old  story — somebody  blundered 
badly  and  the  battle  was  worse  than  vain  for  us.  The  few 
thousand  that  first  drove  the  enemy  followed  them  for  miles, 
but  their  rear  was  not  properly  protected.  Some  troops  stack- 
ed their  guns  and  had  a  regular  picnic  for  hours.  Sheridan 
coming  up  with  his  "long  range  glasses,"  soon  saw  the  situa- 
tion. He  did  what  500  officers  of  his  army  could  have  done, 
simply  ordered  a  charge  upon  those  "Confederate  picnickers" 
and  gained  a  victory  out  of  the  defeat  of  the  forenoon. 

The  Sixty-ninth  got  none  of  the  spoils ;  received  only  hard 
licks  and  lost  some  of  its  best  men.  After  driving  the  enemy 
all  morning,  we  repelled  their  assaults  all 'evening,  and  away 


756  North  Carolina  Troops,   1861-'65. 

up  into  the  night,  protecting  our  wagons  and  guns,  as  best  we 
could. 

A  little  sober  second  thought  would  have  spoiled  a  lot  of 
irnr  inomwienis,  mounted  them  differently  and  faced  them 
the  other  way.  But  such  is  life  and  war.  Early  generally 
managed  his  retreats  well  and  did  tliis  after  the  first  after- 
noon. 

KETURN  to  north  CAROLINA. 

This  was  the  last  trip  of  the  Sixty-ninth  up  the  Valley. 
Upon  reaching  Staunton  ihc  long  delayed  order  to  go  to  West- 
em  North  Carolina  was  received.  From  seven  hundred  re- 
duced to  about  100,  was  a  terrible  tale  to  tell,  a  heroic  record. 
Here  the  war  practically  ended  with  these  noble  fellows,  and 
while  the  very  last  to  actually  surrender  in  North  Carolina 
(at  Waynesville,  10  May,  1865)  they  came  on  to  their  own 
loved  mountain  homes  and  turned  up  again  later  on.  As 
mentioned  heretofore  the  writer  of  this  arrived  at  Asheville 
about  1  November,  1864,  and  took  command  of  this  part  of 
the  regiment,  now  largely  increased  in  numbers  and  extend- 
ing from  the  Fi'eiich  Broad  river  in  the  east  to  Notlay,  be- 
yond ]\[urphy,  in  the  west. 

The  department  was  under  the  command  of  General  Jas. 
G.  Martin,  with  Colonel  John  B.  Palmer  in  the  field.  I  can 
only  detail  operations  that  connected  my  men  with  the  com- 
manding general.  Tlicre  had  been  some  friction  between  the 
head  officials  of  the  various  regiments  on  duty  in  these  moun- 
tains. I  took  no  part  in  any  of  it.  I  simply  tried  to  dis- 
charge my  duty,  both  to  those  above  me  and  to  those  under 
me.  That  part  of  the  regiment  with  (Colonel  J.  B.  Palmer 
that  operated  in  East  Tennessee  between  Hot  Springs,  N.  C, 
and  Morristowii,  New  Market,  Newport  au<]  Bull's  Gap,  etc., 
and  along  the  foot  of  Smoky  Mountains  by  Sevierville,  Mary- 
ville,  etc.,  is  r(>])()rted  to  have  done  faithful  service  under 
Lieutenant-Coloiic]  B.  G.  McDowell,  of  the  Sixty-second,  who 
luul  refused  to  sui'i'endei-  at  Cmnberlaml  Ga])  and  was  a  gal- 
lant officer. 

The  enemy  in  the  meanwhile  wei-e  not  idle,  l)ut  wore  not 
having  the  ])i(Miie  that  they  expect(Ml  anywhere.      Raids  were 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  757 

made  up  all  the  rivers  towards  and  into  the  North  Carolina 
mountains.  Several  parties  of  this  kind  nearly  reached  Ashe- 
ville.  Two  reached  Waynesville,  one  came  to  Bryson  City 
and  still  others  were  made  up  the  Tennessee  river,  Hiawas- 
see  and  Valley  rivers  to  Murphy,  but  no  permanent  lodgment 
was  made  or  held  by  them. 

KIKK. 

Colonel  J.  R.  Love  after  recruiting  up  a  week  or  so  arrived 
at  Asheville  and  made  a  trip  into  Yancey  county,  heading  off 
the  notorious  Kirk.  About  the  same  time  the  writer  went 
with  .300  men  up  into  Greene  and  Washington  counties,  Ten- 
nessee, heading  off  Kirk  also,  below  the  "Red  Banks  of 
Chuckey,"  nearly  opposite,  and  about  ten  miles  south  of 
Jonesboro,  Tenn.,  about  where  the  town  of  Unicoi  is  now 
located.  This  was  about  1  January,  1865,  and  a  snow  fall 
of  eighteen  inches  on  the  mountains  and  near  the  same  in  the 
Valley,  made  locomotion  quite  difficult.  It  also  made  the 
pursuit  of  war  difficult  and  hazardous.  This  it  will  be  re- 
membered, was  the  enemy's  country  indeed.  We  were 
greeted  with  no  cheers  from  the  brave  or  smiles  from  the  fair. 
Meeting  with  neither  disaster  or  success,  I  felt  it  my  duty  to 
retrace  my  snow-trodden  pathway  to  Paint  Rock  and  thence 
soon  on  to  Waynesville,  Webster,  Quallatown,  near  Cherokee, 
in  Swain  county,  on  down  Tuckaseegee,  passing  the  present 
site  of  Bryson  City  at  Bear's  Ford,  thence  to  the  Tennessee 
river  at  the  mouth  of  Tuckaseegee  and  mouth  of  Nantahala, 
up  the  same  crossing  the  Cowee  Mountains  and  finally  the 
Nantahala  Mountains  at  Red  Marble  Gap  and  down  the  Val- 
ley river  to  Murphy.  I  left  behind  me  all  the  troops  under 
Colonel  Love,  who  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Locust  Old 
Field  (Canton,  N.  C.)  This  was  my  task  the  balance  of  the 
war,  a  lonely,  perilous  and  desolate  one,  often  travelling 
twenty.  Thirty  to  fifty  miles  absolutely  alone.  This  was  then 
almost  a  pathless  wilderness.  Now  the  pathway  of  the  West- 
ern North  Carolina  Railroad,  it  was  then  a  wild  section, 
sparsely  settled,  especially  along  the  route  named, 

INDIANS   faithful. 

Fortunately  for  our  country,  the  Cherokee  Indians  inhab- 


758  North  Cakoi.ixa   Tikjops,   iS61-'65. 

itc'cl  the  wildest  section  and  were  loyal  tx3  ns  to  the  last.  These 
big  monntains  extended  from  the  great  Smoky  range  and  the 
Tennessee  line  back  to  the  Sonth  Carolina  and  Georgia  line 
on  the  Blue  Ridge.  The  Nantahala,  Cowee,  Balsam  and 
ISTewfonnd  or  Pisgah  ranges  connected  these  two  great  ranges, 
and  cut  the  water  courses  asnnder.  This  route  along  the 
railroad,  beautiful  and  gi'and  now  to  behold  from  car  windows 
and  rear  platforms  where  "distance  indeed  lends  enchant- 
ment to  the  view"  in  the  hours  of  peace,  was  tlion  my  rough 
"field  of  operations"  by  day  and  night. 

In  January,  1865,  while  I  was  in  Cherokee  county,  several 
hundred  Indiana  cavalry  came  up  the  Tennessee  river  and 
captured  a  small  party  of  my  men  at  the  mouth  of  Deep  creek, 
now  Bryson  City.  This  was  a  surprise  but  was  of  little  value 
to  them,  costing  them  much  more  than  gained.  Ghormley 
and  Everett's  Cavalry,  of  the  Eiglitieth  North  Carolina 
(Walker's)  Regiment,  followed  and  harrassed  them  greatly. 
Clay,  Cherokee  and  Graham  counties  were  protected  by  that 
regiment  mostly.  Those  counties  were  much  infested  by 
the  Union  element,  some  very  good  men  among  them.  There 
were  some  very  indiscreet  and  very  unwise  men  and  soldiers 
on  our  side  in  this  section.  ]\ruch  bad  feeling  existed.  This 
was  a  sort  of  half-way  ground  between  Tennessee  and  South 
Carolina  and  Georgia.  Negroes,  horses  and  other  property 
were  stolen  in  Tennessee,  carried  to  Georgia  and  South  Car- 
olina and  sold.  My  soldiers  from  the  Valley  of  Virginia  did 
not  like  this  and  T  had  plenty  of  help  to  put  it  down.  I  gave 
protection  to  such  as  deserved  it  and  ordered  the  others  to 
leave  the  State.  Several  bands  of  "scouts"  caused  much  of 
this  trouble.  I  ordered  these  to  their  commands,  took 
horses,  cattle  and  other  property  from  them,  several  times  at 
muzzles  of  their  pistols. 

;  SOCO   GAP. 

Eait:'  iv^  ^larch,  1865,  Colonel  G.  W.  Kirk  invaded  Hay- 
wood county  via  (^ataloochee.  He  had  about  400  cavalry  and 
200  infantry.  It  had  been  reported  in  Tennessee  that  Fed- 
eral troops  would  be  welcomed  in  North  Carolina.  They 
were,  but  "with  bloody  hands  to  hospitable  graves."     Several 


,  Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  759 

good  citizens,  however,  were  killed  and  numerous  horses 
stolen.  Colonel  Love  met  and  fought  them  in  Haywood 
county  and  Lieutenant  Conley  fought  and  drove  them  across 
the  Balsam  Mountains  at  Soco  Gap. 

On  the  morning  of  6  March,  1865  the  troops  located  in 
Jackson  county  and  Swain,  met  and  fought  them  on  Soco 
creek,  thence  driving  them  across  Smoky  Mountains  towards 
Sevierville,  Tenn.,  the  writer  travelling  all  of  two  nights  and 
one  day  to  get  there.  This  light,  insigiiificant  within  itself, 
was  an  era  with  the  Indians  and  was  only  noticeable  from 
its  locality.  It  was  fought  upon  a  historic  spot.  At  or  over 
an  old  town  house  there  the  celebrated  creek  chief,  "Tecum- 
seh,"  held  a  council  of  war  with  the  old  Cherokee  Chief 
Yonah-guskee,  about  the  year  1812,  when  Tecumseh  tried  in 
vain  to  get  the  Cherokee  to  join  in  this  great  Indian  war, 
but  this  ''Old  Father  of  the  Cherokees"  flatly  refused.  And 
now  on  the  same  spot  both  white  and  Indian  descendants  of 
the  noble  sires  that  fought  side  by  side  under  Jackson,  bravely 
fought  the  invaders  of  their  soil,  and  but  for  the  want  of  am- 
munition would  have  badly  worsted,  if  not  destroyed  Kirk's 
entire  force.  It  is  but  fair  to  say  that  some  of  Kirk's  men 
and  officers  refused  to  obey  many  of  his  beastly  orders.  This 
raid  had  a  good  effect  upon  the  people,  drawing  them  more 
closely  together  and  intensified  Southern  sentiment.  The 
Indians  themselves  were  always  friendly  to  the  whites  and 
loyal  to  their  neighbors,  which  fact  had  a  potent  infiuence 
ever  after  in  keeping  out  army  raids.  Soon  after  this  the 
enemy  every^vhere  became  more  active  and  aggressive.  The 
end  was  now  rapidly  approaching,  as  slow  as  our  people  were 
to  believe  it. 

On  10  March,  1865,  General  J.  G.  Martin  reported  1,745 
present  for  duty,  of  which  the  fragments  of  the  Sixty-second, 
Sixty- fourth  and  Sixty -ninth  I^orth  Carolina  reported  488. 

MILL  CREEK^  17  APEIL^  1865. 

Colonel  Bartlett,  of  ISTew  York,  came  up  the  French  Broad 
river  to  near  Asheville,  surprising  and  almost  capturing  that 
place.  But  for  the  prompt  and  vigorous  steps  taken  by  Col- 
onel G.  Westly  Clayton,  of  the  Sixty-second  JSTorth  Carolina, 


760  North  Carolina  Troops,    18G1-'65. 

the  place  would  have  been  taken.  This  was  shortly  prior  to 
its  final  capture.  Colonel  J.  R.  Love,  of  the  Sixty-ninth, 
was  ordered  to  hold  tlie  gap  at  Swannanoa  tunnel  against 
the  eneuiy  a]iproaching-  from  Salisbury.  lie  met  them  and 
drove  them  back  to  Mill  Creek,  AfcDowell  county,  17  April, 
1865. 

About  tliis  time  rumors  of  the  surrender  of  General  Lee 
were  current,  although  the  people  discredited  them.  Colonel 
Love  retui-ncd  with  his  forces  to  Asheville  and  there  with 
General  Martin  went  on  to  Waynesville  and  Balsam  Gap, 
About  25  April,  General  i\[artin  sent  written  directions  to  the 
writer  to  go  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  to  Gen- 
eral Stoncman  regarding  terms  of  the  surrender  of  this  De- 
partment. On  this  very  day  a  soldier  of  the  jS^inth  ISTorth 
Carolina  (First  Cavalry)  came  to  my  headquarters  at  Frank- 
lin, Macon  county,  and  said  that  General  Lee  had  surren- 
dered. I  put  him  in  jail  till  that  evening  or  the  next  morn- 
ing, when  another  soldier  came  in  with  a  proper  parole,  show- 
ing sure  enough  that  Lee  had  surrendered.  The  first  soldier 
was,  of  course,  released.  The  flag  of  truce  went  directly  on 
to  Knoxville,  Tenn.,  one  hundred  miles  through  the  moun- 
tains, but  did  not  return.  The  bearers  were  all  thrust  into 
jail  for  refusing  to  take  the  oath  after  having  been  grossly  in- 
sulted upon  the  streets,  and  our  flag  trampled  under  foot. 
Captain  W.  B.  Beese,  Captains  Everett,  M.  H.  Love,  Thomas 
Butler,  John  Henderson  and  others,  twenty-three  in  all,  were 
in  the  party. 

THE  T.AST  FIGHT  TN  NORTH  CAROLINA,  0  MAY,   1865. 

The  day  before  out  a  fe^v  miles  south  of  Maryville,  we  were 
all  halted  and  inspected  by  a  party  of  eighty-four  Federals 
After  quite  a  parley  I  was  ordered  to  surrender  three  of  my 
men,  Captains  l^ove,  Everett  and  Henderson,  ivliich,  of 
course,  I  refused  to  do,  whereupon  we  were  severely  tlireat- 
ened,  but  finally  allowed  to  pass  on.  General  Martin  hear- 
ing nothing  from  us  at  Franklin,  went  towards  Waynesville 
with  Major  Gordon,  of  his  staff,  and  while  spending  the  night 
at  John  B.  Love's,  near  Webster,  Colonel  Love,  his  son,  came 
in  from  the  front  and  told  of  liis  fight  with  Federals  that  day, 


Sixty-Ninth  Regiment.  761 

!)  May,  alxivc  and  around  Waynesville,  and  that  he  and  Colo- 
nel Thomas  had  demanded  the  surrender  of  Bartlett's  forces, 
and  that  next  day,  10  ]\Iay,  was  fixed  for  a  further  consulta- 
tion.     This  vas  the  last  gun  fired-  (luring  the  iva-r  in-  this  State. 

SUI^RENDER  AT  WAYXESVILEE,  10  MAY,  1865. 

During  one  of  these  parleys  Colonel  Thomas,  who  was 
usually  very  cool  and  discreet,  became  (juite  boisterous, 
especially  when  told  that  Bartlett's  men  were  traversing  the 
entire  county  and  taking  every  horse  and  fat  cow  or  ox.  He 
demanded  the  surrender  of  Bartlett's  forces  and  went  into 
town  with  twenty  or  twenty-five  of  his  biggest  and  best  war- 
riors all  painted  and  feathered  off  in  good  old  style.  Colonel 
Love  arrived  about  this  time  with  his  250  men.  Colonel 
Thomas  and  Lieutenant  Conley  had  three  hundred  more 
whites  and  200  more  Indians,  all  the  Indians  making  the 
\velkin  ring  with  their  war  whoop.  Terms  of  surrender  were 
.suggested  and  soon  agi'eed  to.  All  the  officers  and  men  were 
paroled  and  all  allowed  to  retain  their  anns,  amnumition,  etc. 
This  concession  was  agreed  to  on  account  of  the  disturbed  con- 
<litiou  of  the  country.  Kirk  was  told  by  Bartlett  that  he 
mast  control  his  men  and  by  Love  and  Thomas  that  //  he  did 
111)1  thai  titeji  v'oald. 

Most  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  old  Legion  have  gone  to 
their  long  home.  Those  still  living  are  numbered  with 
the  best  citizens  of  the  land,  loyal  to  their  State,  section  and 
nation  and  not  ashamed  of  their  Confederate  record,  while 
there  is  no  bitterness  to  our  late  foes. 

The  writer  as  the  last  field  officer  of  the  regiment,  while 
feeling  it  his  duty  to  write,  feels  his  entire  inability  to  do 
justice  to  all,  especially  to  the  private  soldiers,  whose  names 
even  cannot  be  given  here,  but  nobly  generous  North  Carolina 
has  preserved  these  in  four  volumes  of  Moore's  Koster.  For 
(turs,  see  Vol.  4,  page  152,  etc. 

W.  W.  Stkingfieed. 

Waynesville,  N.  C, 

10  May,  1901. 


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